From the creeks of Wellington to the nestled cityscape of Christchurch, the southern end of the Pacific treasures the beautiful country of New Zealand. This small island country is also a growing hub for higher study. With a rich culture, excellent academia, and perfect career growth opportunities, New Zealand can be a higher study destination. Let’s take a look at the study opportunities in New Zealand for international students at the bachelor, master's, and Ph.D. levels.  Why Study in New Zealand?  New Zealand has somewhat modest options compared to Nordic and central European countries. It might even pale compared to its Tasmanian rivals Australia with just 8 universities in total.  But that’s where the catch is. Even though New Zealand has only 8 universities, all of them are listed in the top 500 of the QS World Ranking. Additionally, all the New Zealand universities are part of the Lisbon Qualification Recognition Convention, which allows their degree to be recognized in 50 countries across the world.  Read More: UK accepting applications for GREAT Scholarships The universities and curriculum are inclined to research as every university offers excellent pedagogy and outcome-based study facilities. New Zealand also offers up to 3 years of post-study visa to secure a job and build a career.  Additionally, the quality of life index in New Zealand is very high at 188 suggesting a perfect mix of PPI, health security as well as overall economic well-being.  Higher Study In New Zealand  New Zealand has a total of 8 universities and over 100 specialized institutions for training-based studies as well as Polytechnic studies. International students can access any of the universities or institutes, but the high concentration has always been on the university.  Read More: Study in Ireland: Application process, cost for international students Popular streams include business and engineering, with a strong choice for life sciences as well. The university tracks accept students through an individual assessment based on available positions.  There is no centralized admission process in New Zealand for all universities. There are two intakes in New Zealand each year, one in February and the other in September. Application for the February session starts around September of the previous year, whereas the application for the September intake starts around May of the same year.  Read More: Study in Thailand: Admission process, cost for International Students For bachelor's, students will have to exclusively follow the central admission process of each university. For thesis-based masters and Ph.D., a prospective student can contact professors to supervise and they might fast-track the application process through recommendations.  Application Process  There are several steps involved in the admission process in New Zealand. And it all starts with choosing the right major and stream.  Choosing a Major  Since New Zealand has only 8 universities, there aren’t any dedicated websites for searching different streams and majors in different universities. So students will have to individually visit the admission section of the universities.  Read More: Higher Study Opportunities in Turkey for International Students: Process, Cost You can check out the details here:  -University of Auckland -University of Otago -University of Canterbury -Victoria University of Wellington -Auckland University of Technology -Massey University -University of Waikato -Lincoln University In addition to streams and courses, students can also follow these websites for admission timelines and guidelines.  Read More: Study in Czech Republic: Application process, cost, scholarships Required Documents  The second thing to consider is the required documents for the application. New Zealand doesn’t have any specialized requirements like some Nordic countries. Standard certified copies of documents are accepted either through mail or web portal. Some of the common documents applicable across the board include –  -Official Transcripts (Last completed Degree) -LOR -Statement of Purpose -Language Proficiency certification (IELTS/TOEFL iBT) -Proof of application fee payment -Bank statement -Additionally, some universities or majors may specifically require a GRE or GMAT score in case of applying for an MBA. Be sure to check that before proceeding. Read More: Self-Funded Study Opportunity in France for International Students Cost of Higher Education in New Zealand  With just 8 universities, it's pretty easy to break down the overall cost of education in New Zealand.  The cost of bachelors in New Zealand is roughly 32,000 NZD per year which translates to about 2121228 BDT (1 NZD = 66 BDT). On the other hand, the cost of master's is about 35,000 NZD or 2320093 BDT. The cost gets reduced for Ph.D. at around 8000 NZD or 530307 BDT per year.  The New Zealand regulation stipulates that you show at least a year’s tuition fee as a bank statement before arriving in New Zealand. Of course, there are other opportunities to cover the tuition fees, and we’ll discuss that in the next points.  Read More: Study in Japan: Scholarships, Tuitions, Application Process for Bangladeshi Students Scholarship Opportunities in New Zealand  Since the higher study options themselves are limited in New Zealand, the scholarships are also somewhat limited. There are little to no scholarships available at the bachelor's level, with most of the scholarships available at the master's and Ph.D. levels.  Most of the available scholarships are university-based and students are either referred for the scholarship by the professor (in the case of thesis-based masters) or considered by the central admission authority.  Some notable scholarships include –  Lincoln University International Taught Master Merit Scholarships Wellington Master’s by Thesis Scholarship Tongarewa Scholarship at Victoria University of Wellington University of Auckland International Student Excellence Scholarship University of Waikato International Excellence Scholarship Energy Scholarship at the University of Canterbury. Read More: Is Norway Ending Free University Education for Non-EU Students? Cost of Living and Work Opportunities in New Zealand  The cost of living in New Zealand is on the higher side, mostly due to the high rent fees in city centers. A single-room apartment may cost up to 1500 NZD. Combined with personal expenses and utilities, the cost comes in at around 3000 NZD per month or 198865 BDT.  Students are allowed to work 20 hours per week at max with 40 hours being the cap at summer vacation.  Thankfully, New Zealand has a high minimum wage starting at around 18.50 NZD per hour.  After completion of the study, a student can convert their student visa into a job visa. The median salary for a fresh graduate in New Zealand stands at around 80,000 NZD or 5303071 BDT per year.  Read More: Study in Belgium: Bachelor's, Masters and PhD options for Bangladeshi students Final Words  Even though New Zealand is a small island country across the end of the Pacific, it still boasts some of the best education in its limited capacity. With over 20,000 international students currently pursuing different degrees at different levels, New Zealand is also growing to be a multicultural, cosmopolitan country. The lenient immigration law combined with ample work and career prospects should be a positive indicator for Bangladeshi students wishing to pursue higher studies in New Zealand. 

From the Wild Atlantic Way to the Brú na Bóinne, Ireland is undoubtedly one of the most scenic countries in the world. Being part of the British Union, the country thrived in the middle to late middle ages and today presents a mix of cultural heritage and modernity. The country has professed development in the education sector.  Ireland owns some of the best higher study institutes in the world which have steadily positioned the country as an affordable, world-class higher study destination among prospective students. Let's look at the process and requirements to study bachelor, master's, or Ph.D. in Irish higher study institutions.  Why Study in Ireland?  The main reason to study in Ireland has to be world-class, progressive, and innovation-led studies in almost every discipline. And it's just not in words; the OECD report of 2019 puts Ireland as the 4th best study destination in the world. In addition to that, the Bloomberg Innovation Index of 2020 puts Ireland as the 12th most innovative country in the world.  Read More: Study in Thailand: Admission process, cost for International Students Beyond its academic and innovative rigor, Ireland is home to some of the most scenic places in the western hemisphere. From the castles to the ridges to the shires, the views will fill your senses, unlike anything.  Another great thing about Ireland is the stay-back visa. Ireland welcomes its international graduates to stay back, find jobs, and contribute to the Irish economy. In that regard, the country offers up to 2 years of stay-back visa for students to find a job and settle in Ireland.  Higher Education in Ireland  Like most other EU countries, Ireland offers higher education through bachelor's, master's, and Ph.D. There are generally two intakes per year, one in the fall and the other in the spring. The spring semester starts in early January, and the fall semester starts in early September.  The bachelor's generally last for about three to four years, the masters for about one and a half to two years, and the Ph.D. usually lasts for about three to five years.  Read More: Higher Study Opportunities in Turkey for International Students: Process, Cost How to Apply to Ireland for Higher Studies  There are several steps for applying to Ireland for higher studies. Here are the main ones.  Finding the Right Course  The first thing to do is to find the right course. If you are a student applying for bachelor's, you can choose streams based on your preference. And if you are a student applying for a master's or Ph.D., then you can choose courses based on your bachelor's stream or research interest.  The Education in Ireland portal is the perfect place to search for streams and degrees available at each of the degree levels. It is a repository for all the existing higher education programs in Ireland. You can easily find your desired course here. Read More: Study in Czech Republic: Application process, cost, scholarships Admission Requirements  The admission requirements in Irish Universities are in line with most EU countries. Depending on courses and streams, the application and admission requirements may vary. But you will at least need the following in any application.  -Official Transcripts (Last completed Degree) -LOR (Up to three)-Statement of Purpose -Language Proficiency certification (IELTS/TOEFL iBT) -Bank statement -Proof of application fee payment  One thing to note here is that most Irish Universities require at least 6.5 to 7.0 on the IELTS band. It's one of the stringent regulations that apply to most universities except for a few. If you cannot secure the required band score, you might have to enroll in a foundation course at your accepted university.  Read More: Self-Funded Study Opportunity in France for International Students Application Process  There are mainly two ways to apply to Irish Universities. Either through the central application or a professor. If you are applying for bachelors, then the central application is the only way.  But if your masters are thesis-based or you’re applying for a Ph.D., then you can opt for a professor referral as well as a central application. Note that applying through a professor’s referral ensures better chances of securing funding.  Tuition Fee and Scholarship Opportunities in Ireland  Tuition fees in Ireland grossly differ based on whether it is a publicly funded or privately funded university. Depending on the course and the university, the undergraduate tuition fee can run anywhere between 3500 euros to 8000 euros or 377,742 BDT to 863,657 BDT per year (1 EUR = 107 BDT).  Read More: Study in Japan: Scholarships, Tuitions, Application Process for Bangladeshi Students Tuition costs for masters are also similar at around 4000 euros to 9000 euros or 431828 BDT to 971614 BDT per year. Unfortunately, the cost of a Ph.D. is some of the highest in the world at around 9000 euros for non-EU/EEA students. But most prospective Ph.D. opts for funding first before pursuing a doctorate in Ireland. In terms of scholarship, masters and Ph.D. students gets the most preference. Unfortunately, the number of bachelor’s scholarships is very limited in Ireland. Some of the common and prestigious scholarships in Ireland include –  -Dublin City University Scholarship -University of Limerick Scholarship -Dublin Institute of Technology Scholarship -The Walsh Fellowship -Central Bank of Ireland Undergraduate Scholarship -Trinity College Dublin Scholarship. Read More: Study in Belgium: Bachelor's, Masters and PhD options for Bangladeshi students Cost of Living and Work Opportunities in Ireland  The cost of living in Ireland is one of the more lucrative aspects of studying in the country. Compared to other EU countries and even England, the cost of living is much lower. A student can expect to shell out anywhere between 650 euros to 1000 euros or 70172 BDT or 107957 BDT per month. Depending on location and personal spending habits, the cost can be even lower.  A full-time student can work for 20 hours per week as per the immigration law of Ireland. The time goes up to 40 hours in summer vacation. As a student working part-time jobs, you can expect to earn around 10 to 12 euros per hour.  Final Words  Beyond its picturesque cities, Ireland offers some of the best education you can find anywhere in the world. Besides education, Ireland is currently one of the most immigration-friendly countries in the world, with the government actively encouraging students to stay back and build a career in Ireland. Read More: Study in Denmark: Costs, opportunities for international students So far we have discussed the admission process, tuition, and living cost of international students in bachelor, master, or Ph.D. in Ireland. Students from Bangladesh can choose Ireland as a study hub to fulfill their dreams. So what are you waiting for? Apply away to experience Irish life.