English language schools generally offer two types of courses: courses which do not give you a specific qualification, and courses which do.

General English

Most English language schools offer general English classes. These classes do not give you a specific qualification, but at the end of them you should be able to communicate more easily in English, or be prepared to go on to further study.

Courses with specific qualifications

Many English language schools in New Zealand offer courses which provide students with an internationally recognised qualification. If you want to study at a tertiary institution, for example, you will probably have to meet specific English language requirements, so it is important to find out exactly what standard of English you need for the course you choose to study. New Zealand English language schools offer two major English language certificates:

• The International English Language Testing System (IELTS). This system is used at most tertiary institutions in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. It is increasingly also used in the United States. It assesses your ability to read, write, speak and listen in English.
• The Princeton Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL). This certificate is used in many North American tertiary institutions. It tests your ability to read, write and listen, and tests your spoken English separately.

More information about English language schools

We've put together some links that will help you to find out more about what it is like to be an international student in New Zealand, where you can study, and much more:

• Only NZ – lots of information for international students
• New Zealand Educated – includes a full list of institutes
• English New Zealand – an association of English language providers (see a list of the member schools)
• International Education Media – contains a list with features on some schools.