28/03/2016
International students planning to study in New Zealand can now use Cambridge English exams when applying for a new pathway visa.
The Pathway Student visa programme is an 18 month pilot launched by the New Zealand government at the end of last year. The programme allows students to study on three consecutive programmes on a single student visa within a five-year period. As part of the application process, students may need to submit an approved English language test. The exams that can be used include Cambridge English: First (FCE), Advanced (CAE) and IELTS.
The scheme was announced by the by Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Steven Joyce and Immigration Minister Michael Woodhouse on 27 November 2015, and it officially started on the 7 December 2015.
More than 130 education providers across New Zealand are participating in the Immigration New Zealand pilot, including for example the University of Otago and Lincoln University which both accept Cambridge English: First and Cambridge English: Advanced for their pathway programmes. Cambridge English exams are also accepted by universities in New Zealand for undergraduate and postgraduate admission and by many universities around the world. A recent study found that 99 of the top 100 Times Higher World universities 2015–2016 use Cambridge English exams.
Cambridge English: First (FCE) and Advanced (CAE) are in-depth and level-based exams which can help educational institutions to be confident of an applicant’s level of English. The exams are available in our global network of test centres in more than 100 countries, and there are regular test dates throughout the year for students.