By living with a host family and attending a local school in New Zealand (Aotearoa), you’ll get to know why this country is celebrated for its friendliness and breathtaking natural beauty. Experience the casual Kiwi culture and pass your days with plenty of time outdoors, having a family barbecue or hiking to the nearest beach. You’ll be totally immersed in New Zealand society and learn all about its rich and diverse culture. This isn’t just a year abroad; it’s an adventure you’ll never forget!
Things to Know About New Zealand
The Maori people, the indigenous inhabitants of New Zealand, heavily influence New Zealand’s culture. You might get a chance to learn the Maori language, and you’ll see Maori words and street names all over. While New Zealanders tend to eat a lot of red meat, it’s generally quite easy to get by as a vegetarian. Vegans, however, might have a hard time due to the prevalence of dairy.
Your School in New Zealand
This program allows students to immerse themselves in New Zealand culture, experiencing a New Zealand public high school and family life. The student will attend the Upper Hutt College in Auckland Region. See school video.
Students will join their school halfway through the academic year and stay in New Zealand until halfway through the following academic year. Students will be in New Zealand over the summer school holidays. There may be opportunities to explore the country with an organized holiday tour.
Your accommodation in New Zealand
Students are placed with homestay families. The school chooses the homestay family carefully and pays a fixed weekly fee for the accommodation and meals they provide to the student.
Kiwi homes can be townhouses or apartments, large family homes on suburban streets, or small, century-old wooden houses on farms. It all depends on what community your host family belongs to and what a day in that family’s life looks like! Even though there are differences in housing types, there are some shared commonalities.
New Zealanders love to spend time outdoors, and you can expect that a lot of your family time will be spent outside in the garden, having picnics, and going on hikes together. In general, you can expect to help out around the house with the same sorts of things that you’re used to doing at home.
Program duration
Year Program: July 2024 – June 2025
Price
Year program: USD 27,200