Christchurch

Study Online Courses in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Christchurch at a glance

Christchurch is one of New Zealand's most liveable cities, and a unique study abroad location, with a friendly and cultural environment that will make students feel safe and welcomed. Enrol in one of the local universities and you will gain knowledge from experienced teachers, actively engaged in research and prepare for the competitive job market. Christchurch is the largest city in the South Island of New Zealand, and the country's third-most populous urban area. Christchurch lies one third of the way down the South Island's east coast, just north of Banks Peninsula.

Studying

Studying in Christchurch

Christchurch universities use English as language of instruction and the IELTS, TOEFL, Cambridge and Pearson are the approved and recognised English tests for university admission.

International students can enrol in preparatory (pathway) programmes that will help them with their degree level qualification in the chosen field of study, including English lessons, in order to acquire the English language requirements.

Fields of study available for Bachelor’s, Master’s degree and PhD cover: Antarctic studies, astronomy, biochemistry, business administration, business management, engineering, creative writing, film, design, law, journalism, marketing, medicine, water resource management, viticulture, tourism management.

Within one of the local universities, you will find distance degree courses available for agriculture, agribusiness, horticulture and other related sciences and a PhD programme in philosophy.

Career

Career opportunities in Christchurch

Christchurch is enhancing economic development strategies and has agriculture, farming, manufacturing, technology and tourism as main sectors helping the local economy grow. Christchurch is the third largest IT sector in New Zealand.

Major employers in Christchurch are: Enercon, Ecolab, Human Ware, Air New Zealand, Orion Health, Fronterra, Hewlett-Packard, Abbott Labs, Eaton.

Many internship openings are available in local companies. Students are generally mostly interested in technology and IT companies.

Life

Christchurch city life

Christchurch has a thriving urban culture combined with many natural resorts and green spaces to see and discover, so there is an abundance of leisure and outdoor activities you can enjoy in your spare time.

Notable attractions in Christchurch include:

  • The Christchurch Town Hall
  • The Canterbury Museum
  • The International Antarctic Centre – a base facility and a museum and visitor centre focused upon current Antarctic activities
  • Air Force Museum
  • Christchurch Botanic Gardens
  • Christchurch Cathedral

You can see a play at the Court Theatre or The Isaac Theatre Royal or enjoy classical music at the Southern Opera. Attend a concert, as Christchurch is home of the experimental music scene of New Zealand.

If you are into sports or outdoor activities, you have a wide range of sport activities and events you can engage in. Watch matches of the local rugby, football, cricket, hockey or basketball teams, or go skiing at a world class alpine resort, play golf, go rafting, mountain biking, hot-air ballooning, wind surfing or whale watching.

You will find plenty of nightlife opportunities in Christchurch that will keep you entertained. The range of nightclubs is not as vast as the bars, but there are plenty to choose from.

Take a ride with the gondola above the city and make an excursion to Willowbank Wildlife Reserve to simply stroll and watch the animals in their natural habitat.

International atmosphere in Christchurch

Apart from the large international student population, Christchurch is home to several ethnic communities. Over 60% of the minorities’ population belongs to the South Island's Pacific Islander community, followed by Asian people (from countries like China, India, Philippines), Maori, and many European (from UK, Ireland).

In terms of business, the multicultural environment is continually evolving and many multinationals decide to open offices here. In addition Christchurch city is supporting and encouraging foreign investment projects and the city council offers advice and guidance to international entrepreneurs who plan a local start-up business.

Weather Christchurch

Christchurch records moderate rainfall throughout the year, has cold winters and generally mild and sunny summers, with low humidity. The daily maximum temperature is 22 °C (73 °F) in January and 11.3 °C (52 °F) in July. Due to the urban heat island phenomenon, sometimes the temperatures may feel warmer than they actually are. Snowfalls occur on average three times per year, although for many years no snowfall was recorded.

Universities in Christchurch

Learning People offers job-ready education, through online learning. They have over 55,000 students worldwide and are experts in providing careers in the tech industry; specialising in coding, cyber security, project management, digital marketing and IT. 

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UCIC offers an exclusive pathway into University of Canterbury undergraduate programmes. UCIC offers University Transfer Programmes (UTP's) which are unique in New Zealand. UCIC is located at Alice Candy in the University of Canterbury's Ilam campus and you will have access to the University's facilities and services.

See 1 Online Courses

We have a proud, 140-year history of growing New Zealand's knowledge, wealth and productivity.

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