Massey University (Te Kunenga ki Pūrehuroa) began as an agricultural college in 1927 and has campuses in Palmerston North (Manawatū), Auckland and Wellington, as well as a large distance-learning programme. In the QS World University Rankings 2027, published in June 2026, it rose 15 places to 215th in the world, its best position so far, and was third in New Zealand. It’s known for veterinary science, agriculture and food technology, aviation, design, nursing and business.
Massey admits most international students on their previous results, and its deadlines for new international students come earlier than many people expect. Here are 10 things you can do to give yourself the best chance, based on Massey’s own guidance and official New Zealand government information.
1. Choose your qualification and campus
Massey’s bachelor’s degrees include Business, Accountancy, Science, Agricultural Science, Food Technology with Honours, Information Sciences, Design, Nursing, Aviation and Veterinary Science. Not every qualification is offered on every campus: for example, veterinary science is taught in Palmerston North, and design and fine arts in Wellington. Check that your qualification is open to international students and taught on campus, because a student visa requires you to study in New Zealand.
2. Apply by the international due date
For standard qualifications starting in Semester One 2027, Massey’s due date for new international students is 31 October 2026, more than three months earlier than for domestic students. For Semester Two 2027, it’s 1 May 2027. Massey still considers later applications if places remain, but applying by the due date gives you time to accept your offer, pay your fees, choose your courses and get your visa. Selected-entry qualifications have their own dates: Aviation closes on 30 October 2026 for international applicants. Massey University: admission due dates.
3. Check the entry requirements for your country
Massey publishes minimum school results for many countries. For example, you need the All India Senior School Certificate or Indian School Certificate with an overall average of 75 per cent and at least 60 per cent in English, a US high school diploma with a GPA of at least 2.5 out of 4, or three A Levels with at least one grade C. If your results aren’t enough for direct entry, Massey’s foundation certificates are another route in. Massey University: entry requirements for international students.
4. Meet the English requirement
The undergraduate minimum is IELTS Academic 6.0 overall with no band below 5.5. Massey also accepts other tests, including TOEFL iBT, PTE Academic, the Duolingo English Test, Cambridge English, LanguageCert and the Michigan English Test. Some qualifications ask for more, such as Nursing, and the description of each qualification tells you if it does. Test results are usually valid for two years. Practise with our free IELTS, TOEFL and PTE practice tests.
5. Apply for admission, then enrol in courses
At Massey, you first apply for admission to a qualification, and once you’re accepted, you apply to enrol in the courses that make it up. Course enrolment for 2027 opened on 1 October 2026. Upload your documents with your application and make sure it’s complete, because Massey can take a few weeks to assess applications.
6. If you want to study veterinary science, prepare for selection
The Bachelor of Veterinary Science starts with a pre-selection semester in February, which is open entry. After that, places in the professional programme are limited, and international students are selected separately from domestic students. If you’re applying after the pre-selection semester, you’ll take the Casper and STAT assessments and may be invited to a multiple mini-interview. You can also apply on the basis of at least a year of full-time, mostly science-based study overseas. Massey’s veterinary school is ranked first in Australasia and Asia in the QS subject rankings, so competition is strong.
7. Apply for scholarships
Massey’s Undergraduate International Study Grant gives NZ$15,000 towards tuition fees to new international students starting full-time in 2027 on selected degrees, including Accountancy, Agricultural Science, Arts, Design, Food Technology with Honours and Nursing. If your degree isn’t on the list, look at the Toroa International Undergraduate Fee Scholarship, which gave up to 40 awards of NZ$10,000 for February 2027 and closed on 20 October 2026, so watch for the next round. See our 50 sample SOPs for help with your application.
8. Understand the fees
For 2027, Massey’s estimated international fees for a full year of study (120 credits) are NZ$39,230 for Business and Accountancy, NZ$35,250 to NZ$43,570 for Science, NZ$43,570 for Nursing and NZ$43,380 to NZ$46,950 for Design. Veterinary Science costs NZ$86,750 a year, and Aviation NZ$117,780, because of the cost of flight training. Non-tuition fees are extra, including compulsory international student insurance of about NZ$999 a year. Massey University: tuition fees for international students.
9. Accept your offer and apply for your student visa
Once you’ve accepted your offer of place from Massey University, you can apply online for a Fee Paying Student Visa, which costs from NZ$850 and can be issued for up to four years. Immigration New Zealand (INZ) asks you to apply at least three months before you travel, because October to March is its busiest period. You’ll need to show that you’ve paid your tuition fees for one year (or for the whole course, if it’s shorter), although if you apply from outside New Zealand you can wait to pay until INZ approves your visa in principle. You must also show at least NZ$20,000 for each year of study for your living costs, or have an acceptable sponsor, as well as medical and travel insurance for your whole stay, and you may need a chest X-ray and police certificates. You can apply with a conditional offer, but you’ll need an unconditional offer before your visa can be granted. Immigration New Zealand: Fee Paying Student Visa.
10. Plan for work during and after your studies
Most student visas let you work up to 25 hours a week during term and full-time in scheduled holidays. Since 1 April 2026, the adult minimum wage has been NZ$23.95 an hour. After graduating, you can apply once for a Post-Study Work Visa, which gives you open work rights for up to three years. A master’s or doctoral degree, if you studied in New Zealand for at least 30 weeks, gives you three years, and a bachelor’s degree usually gives you a visa as long as the time you spent studying for it. You must apply within three months of your student visa expiring (six months after a doctorate) and show at least NZ$5,000 to support yourself. From 16 November 2026, Indian graduates with a New Zealand PhD will be able to get a visa of up to four years under the India–New Zealand Free Trade Agreement. Jobs on the Green List of occupations in demand can lead to residence. Massey University’s careers service can help you find part-time work, internships and graduate jobs. Immigration New Zealand: Post-Study Work Visa.
Applying for a master’s or PhD at Massey?
Massey offers taught master’s degrees such as the Master of Analytics, Master of Information Sciences and an MBA, which closes for international applicants on 14 December 2026 for Semester One. For a PhD, you’ll need a research proposal and a supervisor. Massey estimates PhD tuition at NZ$8,550 a year for international students studying in New Zealand, compared with NZ$40,010 if you study from overseas. International doctoral students who live in New Zealand currently pay the same tuition fees as New Zealand students, which makes a PhD here unusually affordable, but check the current rules, because this policy can change. See our 50 sample SOPs and free GRE practice tests.
Be ambitious, but apply to a balanced list
Apply to more than one university to give yourself options. Read our guides to the University of Auckland, the University of Otago, Victoria University of Wellington and the University of Canterbury. Our guide to studying in New Zealand explains how the New Zealand system works, and our free study abroad assessment can help you build a shortlist.
Information was taken from Massey University’s official admissions, entry requirements, fees and scholarship pages, Immigration New Zealand and the QS World University Rankings 2027, and checked in October 2026. Admissions rules, deadlines, fees and immigration rules can change, so always confirm the details on Massey University’s website before you apply. StudyAbroadMarket is not affiliated with Massey University.