students, workers & explorers going to New Zealand & travelling from New Zealand.
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InsurancesafeNZ provides three different travel insurance policy categories: Studentsafe, Workersafe and Explorersafe. This means that if you’re travelling to New Zealand, travelling within New Zealand or temporarily leaving New Zealand, we have something to offer you. Use the Policy Finder to narrow your policy search and get a quote. Our website is also packed with great information on how to keep safe, how to make the most of your time abroad and how to understand your travel insurance policy better. If you need further assistance contact one of our friendly staff on our toll-free number 0800 486 004 (within NZ) or +64 9 488 1638 (outside of NZ).
Studying in New Zealand is an adventure of a lifetime, which is why a range of unexpected bumps and accidents are covered under Studentsafe policies.
But when it comes to certain medical conditions, you may not be automatically covered. That’s why it’s important to disclose any medical conditions you want cover for.
The term “Pre-existing Medical Conditions” is commonly used when applying for insurance. This refers to your medical history and the full definition can be found on
Being in good health is key to embarking on an exciting study adventure in New Zealand.
Anyone planning to study in New Zealand for more than three months is required to apply for a student visa.
When applying for a new or to renew a visa, you may need to provide New Zealand Immigration with medical information to demonstrate an acceptable level of health.
Studentsafe policies do not cover medical costs for your visa application.
Studentsafe policies are desig
Your wellbeing is important which is why Studentsafe provides cover for medical and related expenses.
But before you make an appointment for check-ups related to your health, it’s important to understand what is and isn’t covered under your policy.
Studentsafe does not provide cover for certain medical tests listed as Exclusions under Section 1: Medical and Related Expenses as set out below:
9. Health screening, medical and dentals reviews or vaccinations.
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Staying healthy plays a vital role in making the most of your study adventure. If you have been prescribed medication and are looking to make a claim, it’s important to understand what is and isn’t covered under your policy.
Just because a certain medication has been prescribed by your doctor, it does not mean that it is automatically covered.
Studentsafe does not provide cover for certain medical tests listed as Exclusions u
Keeping mentally well is important to make the most of your study adventure.
While studying away from home is an exciting life experience, there are times you may feel overwhelmed or experience loneliness, stress, anxiety and depression.
During these challenging times, it’s important to recognise the pressures you may be under, whether it’s adjusting to a new environment or the added load of assignments and exams.
If you need professional help, you can feel assured knowi
If you’re reading this article, you’ve already made a sensible choice. If you’re in a new relationship, or thinking about starting to date, it’s important to think about how you can ensure that you and your partner stay safe when you’re having a little extra ‘fun’.
So read on to learn more about what steps you should be taking to keep safe. The consequences can range from irritating to life-threatening – and that isn’t a gamble anyone should take.
Any new culture will have customs that you will start to learn very quickly as soon as you arrive! To give you a head start on your time in New Zealand, we’ve got a few key bits of information about Kiwi culture – and a whole lot of detail about speaking like a local!
When you’re walking the streets of New Zealand – or even when you’re still at the airport and navigating escalators – it’s good to remember that we drive on the left, not the righ
Unless you’re really into skiing, winter in New Zealand isn’t really the most exciting time of year. It’s not cold enough for there to be pretty snow falling in the cities, but it’s still cold enough that you don’t want to spend time outside unless you have to. Instead of snow, we mostly get rain and wind. It’s certainly not terrible – but it does give you a good excuse to go somewhere sunny if you have the time and budge
Adjusting to a new workplace comes with challenges wherever you are in the world – and if you're in a new country as well as a new workplace, those changes can be even more extreme. New Zealand culture is quite friendly and informal, and this extends to many workplaces. But it can be difficult at times to understand where the limit is – how casual is too casual and what will make you look unprofessional? How formal is too formal and what will make you look too unapproachable?
Some of
Everyone experiences periods of stress in certain situations – perhaps exams are coming up, or you’ve spent a little more than you intended to at dinner and pay day is still a couple of days away. That’s a normal part of life, and most of the time, it goes away fairly quickly when the source of the stress comes and goes. You pass your exam, you check your bank account and ther
A healthy worker is a more productive worker. It seems like an obvious statement to make, but in today’s working world, many workers feel that they have keep pushing and pushing to get results – even at the expense of their health and wellbeing. Workplaces need to be more supportive of their staff to make sure that they feel they are able to take time to get healthy if they are unwell, or to express their concerns if they are overburdened with stress.
Ask any adult what their student years were like, and there will almost always be two things that everyone has in common – lots of fun, and hardly any money! But if you’re new to a city or even a country, it can be hard to know where to begin when it comes to finding social activities that you can do on a student budget.
To help you out, we’ve rounded up some of our top tips for free and cheap things to do in New Zealand’s main student cities and towns to get you started!
Flatting doesn’t have to be expensive. There are a number of ways you can set up a flat on a budget without losing out on quality and the occasional treat. To make sure that you get the best experience possible no matter what your income may be, we’ve brought together a few of our favourite tips and t
When you’re away from your family and community that feeling of homesickness can feel very overwhelming. Making friends and keeping busy are the easiest ways to prevent homesickness – but you need to put the effort in. If you sit at your computer looking over your soci
When you’re planning adventures overseas, there’s so much excitement that it can be easy to forget about the parts of travel that are a little less glamorous. Organising travel insurance may not be as thrilling as planning your routes and researching the major attraction
For many people, the shift from university study to the working world is one of the biggest changes they will ever experience. Life until that point is focused on formal education – sitting in class, doing homework, taking notes… and then all of a sudden, it’s time to step out into
No matter where you go in the world, someone will tell you to keep safe and often there’s a good reason for it. When travelling or moving somewhere new it can be tempting to step outside of your comfort zone and give everything a go. While this is a great attitude it’s important to explore your new surrou
Relocating to a new country for work is hugely exciting. Getting a new job and home and navigating new cultures, practices and languages is an immersive experience and can be incredibly consuming.
An “out with the old, in with the new” approach can be tempting – after all, you’re making a
In general, the younger your children are the easier it will be for them to pick u
For many of us, our pets are part of the family. For expats intending to move overseas with their pet, planning and research before the move is essential. It is crucial to ensure the welfare of your beloved pet during and after transit, and that regulation surrounding the importation and exportation of pets is complied with.
Research animal import regulations for your new country of residence, to determine what conditions must be met for your pet to be allowed en
Moving to a new country creates huge changes. A new place to study, a new job, a new home, new friends and new surroundings are a lot to get used to. Your home is your base and having your own space to relax and unwind in creates a sense of stability which is extremely valuable while you adjust to a new life overseas.
Do your research
Your living situation can affect your life hugely. Considering how much time one spends at home it’s important to live somewhere that you feel happy and comfortable in. Arranging accommodation should be a top priority – and be sure to do your research. Before moving, spend some time researching housing trends in your local area. This can include average rent prices and the types of accommodation that are available in your city.
Campus living
Some university and tertiary institutions provide halls of residence and on-campus accommodation. These tend to be a little more expensive than independent renting but both are easy and convenient living options for students which can be worth the extra money spent if you’re facing a lot of big changes. Halls of residence and on-campus accommodation also provide the “full student experience” as most are based on or near to campuses, meaning you can completely immerse yourself in student life.
These providers value their students’ wellbeing and there are often accommodation advice and support services available. Even if they don’t offer student accommodation they will often be able to assist you to find a flat with other students so it’s worth enquiring before you start your course. Try asking your student union or administration staff.
Classified ads and community forums
New Zealand local classified ads and the community noticeboard site on TradeMe advertise houses and apartments to rent and has a “flatmates wanted” section where established flats can advertise if they have a room available. Gumtree is a similar Australian equivalent and UK-based Rightmove is an online real estate portal advertising properties to rent from real estate agents and developers.
All of these forums will be able to give you an idea of how much the rents are and provide you with some accommodation options and the different areas available. Most people will want to meet a potential flatmate or tenant in person so you are probably best to leave seeking out a flat until you arrive in your new city.
However, doing some research beforehand will prepare you for when the time does come to find a place to live and you can use the time to send messages to potential flatmates or landlords to register your interest, ask questions about the property and start the process.
“Flatmate wanted”
Finding a room in an established flat is often much easier than renting an entire house or apartment on your own (regardless of who else you live with). There are lots of groups on social media which makes communicating with potential flatmates, sharing photos and arranging viewings easy. Have a look around – try typing the name of your new city and “flatmates wanted” into Facebook’s search function and you are likely to find free, public groups which you can join to see what’s available and advertise yourself as a future flatmate.
Location, location, location
When considering flats or houses think about the ideal kind of accommodation you’d like. What’s most important to you? Do you like convenience, being close to shops and other facilities and being around people? Or is space, natural surroundings and quietness more important to you?
Convenience
If convenience is an important factor for you when choosing a home, you might be best placed in an inner city apartment. Most university cities have apartments within walking distance of the campus, many of which will also be close to shops, main roads and other amenities like movie theatres.
Apartment living is often reasonably cheap and can reduce time and money spent on transport which is great for those new to student living. However, apartments are often loud – noise travels up, so the higher up a building your apartment is, the louder it is likely to be. Apartments can also be cramped and those that aren’t are often out of students’ price ranges.
Peace and quiet
If you prefer a quieter lifestyle and like to have some space and greenery around you, you may struggle living in an apartment, and somewhere suburban or rural is likely to suit you better. The further away a house is from your city’s centre the cheaper rent is likely to be.
Living further out certainly has its benefits. Your home is likely to be quieter and have more space in the form of a yard or a garden and less population density means there are likely to be fewer people in the area meaning your neighbourhood will have a more relaxed and tranquil atmosphere. A downside of living in suburban or rural areas is that you are likely to have to pay more for transport (whether driving or using public transport) as most campuses are located close to a city centre.
Live your lifestyle
Ultimately, it’s worth considering what’s most important to your lifestyle. You may have to compromise somewhat, but by thinking carefully about what kind of area you’d like to live in and doing some research in advance you’ll be able to find somewhere that suits most of your requirements.
Choosing a flat
Once you’ve determined what area you’d like to live in, it’s time to explore some options.
If you decide (and are able to afford) to live alone, then selecting a house will be a matter of what the house and its surroundings have to offer. However, if you chose to move into an established flat as many do then selecting one can be a little more complicated.
Even the most active, social people spend a large portion of their time at home so if you’re looking to move into an established flat your flat and flatmates are likely to have a big impact on your life.
If you’re a social person, try to arrange to live somewhere where there are lots of other people that you can spend time and interact with. Likewise, if you prefer to keep to yourself you may wish to seek out a flat with fewer people particularly those who are quiet and keep to themselves.
When attending flat interviews or viewings, some things you may wish to discuss with potential flatmates include:
Generally, people with similar lifestyles tend to flat together as those who aren’t the right “fit” for a flat often choose to move out in favour of living somewhere with people similar to them. So if you attend a flat interview with people who appear quiet and introverted but you yourself are outgoing and social, use your judgement – are you going to be the right fit for that flat? Be honest about your lifestyle – there’s no point trying to fit in if you aren’t going to be happy living there long-term. Even if things don’t work out, others will appreciate your honesty.
Things to check
Aside from flatmates, there are some common things worth checking when considering a flat. If you’re a high internet user, check what internet access is like to make sure that you don’t get hit with massive bills if there is a low data cap. It also pays to check things like water pressure, storage space and the number of power points in bedrooms. These things, while not vital, will all contribute to a comfortable living environment.
Once you’ve decided on a flat, take the time to finalise things correctly. Always check your rental or flatting agreement before signing and take some time to read over the details carefully so you know exactly what to expect.
Take note of the notice period you are required to give when moving out, and what notice landlords will have to give you, should they want to sell or renovate. Some places may lock you into a year- long contract, which means it can be hard to leave when you want. Many shared flats require a 21- day notice period which means if you move in and find that you aren’t comfortable in the area or don’t enjoy living in the house, you can leave without too much delay.
The home stretch
It’s said that “home is where the heart is” and while finding somewhere to call home can be time consuming and stressful, it’s worth doing well. Don’t rush – start early as it’s likely to take you longer than you may expect. Seek advice and talk to others whenever you can. Ask your friends, family, neighbours and other students about their homes. Find out what they do or don’t like about their living situations and ask if they have any recommendations – they may be able to suggest areas or types of accommodation that you haven’t considered. If you take your time, do your research and chose a place carefully you’ll reap the benefits of having a happy, comfortable home from which you can build your new life.