MBBS in New Zealand: Complete guide

Shivangi Gusain

Reading time: 9 Minutes

Updated on: 26. September 2025

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Introduction

New Zealand is known as a centre of medical sciences, life sciences, and health sciences. It is the top destination for international students looking for high-quality education. New Zealand MBBS colleges are famous for their world-class universities, globally recognised medical programs, advanced healthcare systems and clinical experience. An MBBS degree in New Zealand MBBS universities is an ideal choice for aspiring doctors. Every year, demand for skilled healthcare & medical professionals rises, which increases the youngsters' interest in pursuing the MBBS degree abroad-especially in New Zealand. In this article, you will explore all about New Zealand MBBS program, the fee structure, scholarships, and much more.

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Why MBBS in New Zealand is best for international students?

Many reasons make New Zealand’s medical colleges a top choice among international students, which include –

Worldwide recognised degree

An MBBS in New Zealand is highly recommended and respected globally. It has the accreditation from the leading global health bodies.

Strong attention to research

The New Zealand MBBS curriculum strongly focuses on medical research. This encourages innovation and real-time learning for international students.

Early clinical exposure

In the early years, students get hands-on training and clinical exposure in hospitals. The program offers a blend of theoretical knowledge and general practical training.

Modern medical infrastructure

The medical colleges of New Zealand provide world-class high quality education with their high-class infrastructure, like advanced labs, modern classrooms, and specialised learning tools.

High-quality student life

Student life in New Zealand is balanced, vibrant, and enjoyable. The country is counted among the world’s safest countries, which offers peaceful and safe learning environments for international students.

Education system for MBBS in New Zealand

The MBBS degree in New Zealand offers an MBChB degree, Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery, different from other countries’ MBBS programs. It follows a different program structure. The degree spans over six years, including the first year of the foundation program in health sciences. There are only two universities that offer this MBChB program – the University of Otago and the University of Auckland. Both Universities follow a strict selection process based on entrance test, academic merit and interviews.

Two major curriculum phases

The medical curriculum is divided into two main phases:

Pre-clinical years – The years 2 and 3 focus on theoretical knowledge comprises basic medical sciences, anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, and introductory clinical skills.
Clinical Years – The years 4 and 5 focus on clinical placements of international students in hospitals and healthcare centres, rotating through departments like internal medicine, surgery, paediatrics, and general practice.

Eligibility criteria

The eligibility criteria for international students depend on the medical colleges. Some common criteria are as follows –

Academic qualifications

Applicants should complete Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
Applicants should achieve an academic merit of minimum of 85-90% marks, especially for international students from India.

Entrance exam

New Zealand universities require students to appear in the UCAT ANZ, the university Clinical Aptitude Test.
The test helps in evaluating critical thinking, problem-solving, empathy, and other traits for future doctors.

English proficiency score

International students need the required English proficiency scores as asked by the medical colleges in New Zealand –

IELTS – Minimum 6.5
TOEFL iBT – 90 -100

Foundation or pre-medical year

The applicants must complete a year foundation or health sciences program.
The entry into the medical program is directly based on the performance in this one-year program.

Interview process

Shortlisted applicants may go through several multiple mini-interviews or a personal interview for better evaluation.
The interview process checks communication, ethical reasoning, and students’ motives for studying medicine.

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Best MBBS colleges/universities in New Zealand

There are two top medical colleges that offer the MBChB degree, which is globally recognised and known for its academic excellence.

University of Otago

Otago Medical School is one of the top medical college, formed in the year 1875. It is the oldest medical institute in Dunedin, Otago.
It is based on the rich legacy of high quality education, strong community partnerships, and multiple hospitals across university campuses, which offer world class mbbs degree along with clinical general practice for the international students.

University of Auckland

The University of Auckland is well known for its global ranking, counted among the top 100 best universities worldwide.
The high-profile infrastructure, innovative research opportunities, and affiliations with leading hospitals are the USP of the university.

Comparison between the universities in New Zealand

University	Location	Program	Tuition fees	Intake	QS World ranking (2024)
University of Otago	Dunedin	MBChB	INR 17 Lacs – INR 22 Lacs	Approx 282 Seats	101-150
University of Auckland	Auckland	MBChB	INR 20 Lacs – INR 25 Lacs	Approx 260 Seats	90-100

MBBS admission process

International students need to follow the steps below to go further in submitting their application to the New Zealand medical schools –

Choose the university

First, do comparative research on programs, curriculum, fee structure, better career opportunities, and other factors. After that, you can decide where to start your medical education.

Know the eligibility criteria

Applicants must know the exact eligibility requirements for their chosen university. An MBBS in New Zealand requires a Class 12 or equivalent marksheet with high scores in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. New Zealand medical universities require UCAT ANZ and IELTS/TOEFL scores, so students are advised to prepare well to crack these exams.

Apply for the foundation year

Before getting into the 6-year MBBS degree in New Zealand, applicants need to enter a Foundation Year program. After passing the first year of foundation, they can enter the real world of medical education in New Zealand.

Fill your application form

There is no centralised application system for international students in New Zealand. Applicants have to apply directly through the official admission portal of the university.

Be interview-ready

Shortlisted candidates will be called for an interview process or MMI process. It will evaluate the soft skills, candidates' motivation for medical education, and ethics.

Get an offer letter

After completing the application review and interview evaluation, candidates will receive confirmation to join the MBBS program in New Zealand.

Tuition fees & living expenses

Tuition fees of MBBS in New Zealand costs around INR 50 Lacs overall, which includes the tuition fees of 6 years, accommodation, food expenses, travel and personal expenses. Below is the break-up of the MBBS program study expenditure on an annual basis –

Components	Expenditure
Tuition fees	INR 35 Lacs – INR 40 Lacs
Living expenses	INR 7.5 Lacs – INR 9 Lacs
Total annual cost	INR 42 Lacs – INR 49 Lacs

Cons of MBBS in New Zealand

Studying MBBS in New Zealand comes with some cons. Evaluating these advantages will help you in comparing the program with other countries’ medical programs. Below are some cons, including –

New Zealand’s medical college follows a different teaching style and curriculum structure. Adapting this new system during the assessment and matching the academic expectations can be daunting for the students.
The clinical training in New Zealand starts a little earlier, which puts pressure on the medical students. Meeting the professional behaviours and communication according to the hospital norms may affect their mental well-being.
International students can struggle with the different cultural, language barriers. The transition to adapt to the culture of a different place might be challenging for many international students.

Why MBBS in Europe could be your ideal choice?

In the table below, we are sharing a comparison of MBBS in New Zealand with the medical program offered by European medical schools. This comparison will give you a better vision while choosing a study abroad destination –

Components	MBBS in New Zealand	MBBS in Europe
Tuition fees	INR 35 Lacs – INR 40 lacs	INR 2.5 Lacs –INR 13 Lacs
Living expenses	INR 7.5 Lacs – INR 9 Lacs	INR 4 Lacs – INR 9 Lacs
MBBS course duration	6 years (including pre-clinical + clinical)	6 years (Integrated program)
Admission procedure	Competitive (Limited seats are available)	Easy admission process
Global recognition	Limited to 2 universities	Most of the universities have recognition
Clinical exposure	Strong but available to local hospitals only	Available in multiple hospitals and systems

After reading the comparison between the MBBS in New Zealand and with MBBS program in Europe, you clearly get an idea, why Europe is the right place to start your medical journey. The affordable fee structure, better post-study opportunities, transparent policies, and smooth admission process are the factors which make MBBS program in Europe is better fit for you.

Conclusion

Getting a medical degree from New Zealand provides a mixture of academic excellence, real-time practical training experiences, and numerous opportunities. MBBS in New Zealand offers students an innovative atmosphere to grow the best version of themselves. The team of experienced faculty shares not only a strong command of the theory but also valuable healthcare ethics.

On the other hand, the cost is comparatively higher in New Zealand. Also, the limited seats and opportunities to work in the global hospitals make it challenging for students to make the right decision. futureMBBS suggest students to go for MBBS in New Zealand, due to affordability, better career growth, and international medical exposure. If you are tired of doing research on which one to choose, let us make your work easy. Let’s connect to make a better future.