Study abroad in New Zealand: the European Health Insurance Card is not valid there. For up to three months you need no visa but the electronic travel authority NZeTA, and for longer study a visa from the New Zealand immigration authority. The University of Auckland requires health and travel insurance from all international students and cites 499.50 New Zealand dollars per semester.
Study abroad in New Zealand at a glance
| Item | Details (as of October 2026) | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Health insurance | The EHIC is not valid, travel health and repatriation insurance strongly advised | European Commission, German Federal Foreign Office |
| Entry up to 3 months | No visa, but NZeTA (23 NZD online, 17 NZD via app) plus the IVL tourism levy | German Federal Foreign Office |
| Study | Visa from the immigration authority, exchange students: Exchange Student Visa | German Federal Foreign Office, University of Auckland |
| University of Auckland insurance | 499.50 NZD per semester (2027) | University of Auckland |
| Auslands-BAföG (German study abroad grant) | Possible, responsible office: Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg | German Student Services (DSW) |
All details are general information, not individual advice. The linked official pages are authoritative.
How are you insured in New Zealand?
EHIC and social security agreement
New Zealand is not part of the EU or the EEA. The European Health Insurance Card is not valid there, as the European Commission limits it to the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. We found no social security agreement with New Zealand that covers health insurance and therefore name none. Ask your insurer whether and how it reimburses treatment in New Zealand.
For statutorily insured students this means you pay treatment costs in the host country yourself at first, or through insurance taken out locally or abroad. According to the Federal Government Commissioner for Patients, German cover does not apply outside the EU, and a private travel health policy is advised for full cover in case of illness. Whether your German insurance continues during the semester depends on your enrolment and your insurer, so get it confirmed in writing. If you have private insurance, see Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German) and, for countries outside the EU, Private health insurance for students outside the EU (in German).
Healthcare and local insurance
The German Federal Foreign Office notes that hospitals sometimes demand advance payment. No vaccinations are required for direct entry from Germany, and the Office recommends hepatitis A and, for long stays, hepatitis B. The University of Auckland requires all international students to hold appropriate health and travel insurance. It names Studentsafe University as its preferred policy, which costs 499.50 New Zealand dollars per semester in 2027, including for exchange students. With a waiver you can use another policy. This rule applies to this university, so ask your host university about its requirements.
Private travel health insurance and repatriation
The German Federal Foreign Office strongly advises travel health and repatriation insurance. The federal portal names higher co-payments abroad and repatriation costs as a residual risk that private travel health insurance can cover. What you need depends on your contract, your university and the length of your stay. For background, see Travel health insurance for Erasmus, the USA and Work and Travel (in German).
Do you need a visa for New Zealand?
That depends on the length of stay. According to the German Federal Foreign Office, you need no visa for tourist or business stays of up to three months, but you need an electronic travel authority, the NZeTA. It costs 23 New Zealand dollars when applied for online and 17 dollars via the app, plus a tourism levy (IVL). The NZeTA is valid for two years for multiple entries of up to 90 days each. The Office recommends applying at least 72 hours before travel. For other purposes and longer stays a visa is needed, and the New Zealand immigration authority provides information. The Office’s page does not expressly name the student visa.
The University of Auckland names the Exchange Student Visa for exchange students and the Fee Paying Student Visa for study abroad students. The immigration authority sets the fee, and the university does not name it. Check the fee and documents with Immigration New Zealand and your host university.
You can enter only with a passport or provisional passport, as an ID card is not accepted. The document must still be valid for at least one month beyond your stay on entry.
- Passport valid for at least one month beyond your stay
- Visa from the immigration authority for study stays over three months
- Admission by the host university and proof of insurance
- For stays of up to three months: NZeTA and an onward or return flight
According to the Federal Foreign Office, there is no travel warning for New Zealand (page as of 23 October 2026). It names natural hazards such as cyclones from November to April, earthquakes and volcanic activity, and a sharp rise in fatal road accidents on left-hand traffic. Read the current travel and safety advice before you leave.
What does a semester in New Zealand cost?
Tuition fees
According to the University of Auckland, exchange students pay tuition fees to their home university and nothing to Auckland. Whether this applies to your host university depends on your university’s agreement. Ask your international office.
Living costs
The University of Auckland cites around 7,000 to 10,000 New Zealand dollars per semester for residence places. That covers accommodation, not daily needs such as food, transport, mobile phone, leisure and textbooks, for which the university refers to a separate page. Insurance of 499.50 dollars per semester (2027) is added. We did not verify an overall budget for daily life, so we name no monthly amount.
Funding: Erasmus+ and Auslands-BAföG
New Zealand is not on the European Commission’s list of Erasmus+ programme countries. Whether your university offers funding for New Zealand depends on the partner institution and your university’s programmes, so ask your international office. For more on the programme, see Planning Erasmus and a semester abroad (in German).
Auslands-BAföG, the German study abroad grant, is available for part of a degree abroad. According to the German Student Services, the Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg is responsible for New Zealand. According to the leaflet (as of January 2026), you need a permanent residence in Germany, funding starts at the earliest in the month of application, and you should apply online about six months before you start. It includes a one-off travel allowance, a health insurance supplement and tuition fees of up to 5,600 euros for a maximum of one year, and for study outside the EU and Switzerland possibly a monthly foreign-country supplement. Details are in Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amount and supplements (in German).
Worked example: According to the University of Auckland, a semester comes to 7,000 to 10,000 New Zealand dollars for a residence and 499.50 dollars for insurance, 7,499.50 to 10,499.50 dollars in total. Food, transport, visa, travel and your home university semester fee are added. Convert the amounts into euros at the current exchange rate. The total is a guide, not a commitment.
Steps before you leave
- Ask the host university which visa you need and check the fee and documents with Immigration New Zealand.
- Check that your passport is valid for at least one month beyond your stay.
- Ask the host university which health and travel insurance it requires.
- For stays of up to three months, apply for the NZeTA at least 72 hours before travel.
- Ask your insurer to confirm in writing how you are insured during your semester abroad before you sign the learning agreement.
- Take out travel health and repatriation insurance if your cover does not include repatriation and treatment that can wait.
- If you receive funding, submit your Auslands-BAföG application to the responsible office (the Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg) about six months before you start.
- Ask your international office about funding and the host university fees.
Frequently asked questions
Does my EHIC work in New Zealand?
No. The card is valid only in the EU, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. The German Federal Foreign Office strongly advises travel health and repatriation insurance.
Do I need a visa for New Zealand?
Not for stays of up to three months, but you need an NZeTA. For longer study you need a visa from the immigration authority.
How much does the NZeTA cost?
According to the German Federal Foreign Office, 23 New Zealand dollars online and 17 dollars via the app, plus a tourism levy (IVL).
Do I need insurance for study in New Zealand?
The University of Auckland requires appropriate health and travel insurance from all international students and cites 499.50 New Zealand dollars per semester (2027). Ask your host university about its requirements.
Is there a travel warning for New Zealand?
No, according to the German Federal Foreign Office there is none (as of 23 October 2026). Check the current page before you leave.
Who handles Auslands-BAföG for New Zealand?
The Studierendenwerk Ost:Brandenburg.
Sources
- German Federal Foreign Office, New Zealand: travel and safety advice (page of 23 October 2026)
- University of Auckland, costs and fees for exchange students (undated, figures for 2027)
- European Commission, social security FAQ: European Health Insurance Card (undated)
- European Commission, Erasmus+: programme countries (accessed 25 October 2026)
- Federal Government Commissioner for Patients, leaflet on cover abroad (undated, in German)
- German federal portal, health insurance abroad (last updated 6 December 2022, in German)
- German Student Services, Auslands-BAföG leaflet (as of January 2026, in German)
Sources accessed on 25 October 2026 unless stated otherwise.
Related guides
- Health insurance during a semester abroad (in German)
- Auslands-BAföG: requirements, amount and supplements (in German)
- Semester abroad in Australia (in German)
- Semester abroad in Canada (in German)
- All countries for your semester abroad (in German)
You can find the online check at check.academycon.de.
Last updated: October 2026. This guide is general information, not individual advice. The German version is authoritative.
