Queenstown

Studying in Queenstown gives you a broad choice of pathways to help you achieve your goal. You can gain a certificate, diploma, bachelor degree, Masters’ degree or postgraduate qualification without ever leaving the wider Otago region.

Some programmes have multiple intakes of students, so you can choose which time of year to start studying, while the Southern Institute of Technology has flexible timetables to give you more time to spend in the mountains or by the lake.

Queenstown’s English language providers have flexible programmes that allow you to focus on improving the areas that will be of most use to you in your future career.

International students in Queenstown are welcomed with high levels of care and support from education providers and the local community.

Queenstown’s population doubles in the peak visitor season, and its cosmopolitan, multinational population is reflected in its international student numbers.

For example, Queenstown Resort College - awarded private provider of the year in the 2014 Independent Tertiary Education New Zealand Awards - has students from more than 20 countries and immerses its students in the Kiwi way of life.

Queenstown students have an exciting and dynamic lifestyle. The resort town is internationally renowned as a global adventure capital, and some education programmes are structured to give students time to explore the extraordinary landscape.

Four ski areas are within 30-90 minutes’ drive of Queenstown, while popular year-round adventure activities include bungy jumping, jet boating, whitewater rafting and skydiving.

Students can chill out by walking or cycling around Lake Wakatipu, exploring the 75 local vineyards, or playing a round of golf at one of the six golf courses within a half-hour drive of town.

Students in Queenstown enjoy an adventure lifestyle in a natural environment that is safe, clean and pristine.

With fresh air and clear skies, Queenstown is known for its awe-inspiring scenery. The area has been featured in films ranging from the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Hobbit, to Bollywood blockbusters I Hate Luv Storys and Kaho Naa...Pyaar Hai.

Queenstown has a supportive small-town feeling yet is cosmopolitan and multicultural. The resort is home to more than 50 nationalities, and its packed calendar of events includes concerts, sports competitions, food and wine events, markets, and Queenstown Winter Festival.  

Queenstown has a low unemployment rate, and education institutions offer support to help international students find work and network with local businesses.

The Southern Institute of Technology, for example, runs regular employment workshops for students during the year, and operates a free jobs database for local employers.

Queenstown Resort College offer some courses with paid internships, with many students returning to their internship employers to work after they graduate. 85% of the college’s graduates gain jobs in their field of study.

The area’s employment growth rate has been above the national average in most industries, especially in professional, scientific and administrative services, and in construction.

Students who can speak more than one language are in demand by Queenstown employers, as the region attracts visitors from all over the world. Bilingual and multilingual employees are highly prized in the adventure tourism, hospitality and retail sectors.

More than 50 nationalities live and work in Queenstown, which makes for an accepting and culturally diverse work environment.

An added benefit is that the majority of employers are centrally located, within walking distance of most Queenstown housing.