Homestay and Study in New Zealand

The following programs are offered by Kiwi College as a service to people of all ages to foster international understanding on a non-profit basis as per our raison d’etre page.

Programs: People of any age can participate in courses ranging from two weeks or more from the institutions and programs listed below and can choose accommodation from homestays, motels and backpackers hotels to student hostels or apartments (in polytechnics and universities) or get assistance in sharing a flat. For language learners, at least initially, a homestay is the best option as a means of learning the language and cultural norms and customs.

Quality assurance: All the institutions below have been selected after inspection by our principal, a New Zealander with over twenty years experience in teaching English in Japan. They are all New Zealand government accredited and most are members of quality assurance organisations such as FIELNZ.

Private language schools: Over 20 schools in a variety of locations and types are available to suit every taste. Because they are privately owned, they each have their own character and specialty and range from big, comprehensive schools in the larger cities with a wide choice of subjects to smaller, more intimate schools, some of a specialised nature, in regional cities or beach and mountain tourist resorts.

Polytechnics can be best described as comprehensive vocational schools, many of which have degree granting status, and which vary quite widely in size and specialty. They are of particular interest to those interested in improving their job skills, such as in English, computers or finance, and are located in both major city and regional city locations. They are modern, well equipped and well staffed.

High Schools: A rapidly growing number of foreigners are going to New Zealand schools because of the system’s high standards, small classes, the encouragement of communication between teacher and student and a philosophy of education which seeks to produce thinking citizens of a democracy who have learned how to learn for life - not just to past examinations. A major feature of the New Zealand schools’ system is the recognition of the need to assist in personality development and character in the sometimes difficult teenage years through the offering of a wide range of optional subjects and activities at the high school level along with schools-based and extra curricular opportunities for young people to challenge themselves so as to build self confidence.

Kiwi Cobbers: This mother/parent and child homestay/study program is designed to provide those majime people who want to give their children/grandchildren a head start in life in the 21st Century an opportunity to study overseas after suitable preparation in Japan. In this program the mother/parents and child go to different schools in the same area and the child has a homestay with a New Zealand family, usually with children of a similar age. This is in recognition of the fact, based on our own experience as parents with Japanese born elementary age children newly arrived in New Zealand, that the playground and friends are the best teachers of language in the early years. The mother/parents can either study English in a separate school, so as to be able to assist their child with learning English back in Japan, or have a holiday in a clean, safe, friendly country where recreational activities like sailing, fishing and golf are cheap and easy to access.

Kiwi Careers offers those who need to make a mid career change, or get new skill sets to find a new job, with or without the assistance of their former company. At a time of major restructuring in the Japanese economy, many people are finding themselves at risk or unemployed because they have an obsolete skill set. At present, companies leading the building of the New Economy currently being constructed around the burgeoning IT (Information Technology) industry can not get enough staff with computer , finance and English language skills. New Zealand’s position as a leader in English, computer and financial education, based on long and successful experience, offers a very affordable way to change direction in life.

Conditions: As per our raison d’etre page, these programs are offered as a non-profit operation in which students, after being introduced to what we hope is the best choice school/program, then contract with and pay direct to that school. Accordingly, all contractual relationships and liabilities are between the student and the schools and not with Kiwi College and its principals or employees.