If you’re looking to study abroad in picturesque towns where highly reputed universities meet postcard-worthy landscapes, you can’t go past Aotearoa, New Zealand, land of beauty, diversity and adventure!
Applying for New Zealand universities will require you to prove your English proficiency, where you can opt for a recognised English test like IELTS, and be assessed on your proficiency across different categories such as speaking, listening, reading and writing.
Once you attain the minimum IELTS band score required, you can use it to enrol in the university and course of your choice in New Zealand. IELTS for staying on to work in New Zealand will also be essential when you’re on a student visa.
1. Minimum scores for New Zealand universities
With eight highly-ranked universities in the country that fall within the top 600 in the world, there’s no doubt New Zealand is a great choice for your study destination.
As an international student looking to study in New Zealand, you’ll have to score an IELTS overall band score of at least 6.0 to successfully make it to a university there. The overall band score is the average of the four section band scores rounded to the nearest half band.
Keep reading on for minimum IELTS requirements according to the top-ranked universities in New Zealand.
2. Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings in 2025
One of the world’s most established metrics, the Times Higher Education world rankings assess universities based on the following five key performance indicators: teaching, research quality, research environment, international outlook and industry income.
Rank | University | Global rank | IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes) | IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes) |
1 | University of Auckland | 152 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
2 | University of Otago | 351 – 400 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
3 | Auckland University of Technology (AUT) | 401 – 500 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
4 | University of Waikato | 401 – 500 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
5 | Victoria University of Wellington | 401 – 500 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
6 | Lincoln University | 501 – 600 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
7 | Massey University | 501 – 600 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
8 | University of Canterbury | 501 – 600 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
3. QS World University Rankings in 2025
The Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) world rankings is also another global premier ranking system which rates universities by institution and subject through academic reputation, citation, faculty to student ratio, employer, international research and sustainability indicators.
Rank | University | Global rank | IELTS minimum requirement (undergraduate programmes) | IELTS minimum requirement (postgraduate programmes) |
1 | University of Auckland | 65 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
2 | University of Otago | 214 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
3 | University of Waikato | 235 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
4 | Massey University | 239 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
5 | Victoria University of Wellington | 244 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
6 | University of Canterbury | 261 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
7 | Lincoln University | 371 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
8 | Auckland University of Technology (AUT) | 412 | 6.0 | 6.5 |
Your New Zealand study adventure awaits
Enter your international student era and set your sights on beautiful New Zealand for further studies.
As a co-owner of IELTS, IDP has decades of experience in helping students to prepare for the test.
Get a headstart with IDP IELTS Prep Hub, your one-stop online test resource for accessible how-to videos, IELTS Academic practice tests and preparation tips from IELTS experts.
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