International Welcome

"My time at Newlands College has been a wonderful experience. When I first arrived, I was worried about my studies and making friends, but I met great people and the teachers were always kind and supportive. At first, my English was not very good and I found it hard to communicate, but over time I improved and became more confident. This experience helped me broaden my horizons, and I’m very grateful to my teachers and friends at Newlands College for their support."

"My years at Newlands College have been the most enjoyable time of my life so far. The International Student Department has been incredibly friendly and supportive, which has helped me settle into both school and the city. My host family has treated me like their own kid. I have felt welcomed and cared for by the whole school community. One of my highlights here has been playing for the school football team. This also gave me the opportunity to go further and join a local club team. I have built lots of unforgettable memories with them. I am currently living the kind of life I had been dreaming for. Studying at Newlands College has genuinely been one of the best decisions I’ve ever made."

"I have been studying at Newlands College for almost three years now, and I truly enjoy my life here. The students and teachers in school are friendly and always willing to help. I have also received a lot of support from the international staff team. They are very understanding and genuinely care about international students."

"I have been an international student at Newland College for four years. These experiences helped me adjust to a different culture and education system. Through it, I have become more confident speaking in English for both academic and social situations. Living away from home has taught me independence and responsibility."

"I studied at Newland College in New Zealand for three years as an international student. During this time, I improved my English skills and adapted to a new learning environment. I get to learn about different cultures and backgrounds. I also became more independent by managing my daily life and studies. This experience has helped me grow both personally and academically."

"Studying at Newlands College for 2 years has been the highlight of my studying abroad journey. As an international student, I have received lots of assistance from school. I also made friends from different countries in the Pavilion, which widened my knowledge about the cultures of around the world and improved my English skills. The teachers were also incredibly considerate and have helped me a lot in my study. Beyond the classroom, school activities such as Tabloids and Year 12/13 Ball were fantastic opportunities to make more friends and learn new things. My time at Newlands College was definitely wonderful and it taught me many essential skills that I will carry into my future career."

"My two years at Newlands College was a wonderful and amazing experience. The International Student Department as well as the whole school have always been supportive for international students and their integration into the school and New Zealand culture. All of the teachers are very helpful and kind to me, which allows me to adapt to the new academic environment and learn more about the subjects more easily. All of these have allowed me to take on and be successful at difficult challenges such as getting a chemistry scholarship during Year 12. There are also lots of activities outside of school such as sports and scholarship classes that help me make friends with new people and widen my skills. Therefore, I'm very grateful and happy with my chance to learn at Newlands College. I'm sure that I will remember these two years at Newlands College for many years from now."

"I came to New Zealand last year and that was my first year to live outside of Japan. Even though I was so nervous and worrying about everything, all of my friends welcomed me so warmly. Now I have so many friends from a different place; that is one of my most important treasures in New Zealand. Newlands College students are super kind to everyone so if you are planning to come here and feeling nervous, don't worry. Here would be the best house for you in NZ. "

"I have been with Newlands College for nearly three years, where I have enjoyed new experiences and memorable moments at this school. The teachers have consistently provided valuable opportunities and offered steadfast support. Reflecting on my journey, I realise how much I’ve grown alongside remarkable people and dedicated teachers. In the end I was able to make new connections and friends thanks to this school."

"I studied at Newlands College for five years and had an amazing time. The best part of this school is the diversity of students.This really allowed me to make so many different kinds of friends each with their own different lives, bettering me as a person. I also love how there are many opportunities to be offered. I was the International Student Representative on the School Executive Committee and was able to become the leader that I've always dreamed of being. I will definitely remember my five years at this school."

"New Zealand was just the best place for my exchange year; I had an awesome time at Newlands College. I felt welcomed right from the first day I arrived. I got two buddies on my first school day that I’m still friends with a year later. I was never scared to be alone at lunch because people are so welcoming and we have the pavilion where most of the Internationals spend their break with friends and other internationals. The pavilion has a kitchen for people that bring food they want to heat up or food they want to make. It’s also right next to the International Dean's office so you can always just drop by if you have a question or a problem. My teachers always made time for my questions and even though I don’t know every single word, I completed most of the exams and even got an Excellence grade on some of them. I made the most amazing friends who showed me around and introduced me to new foods and places. My favourite one here is probably the waterfront or the beach. I can only recommend staying in New Zealand and Newlands College."

"I attended Year 11 where I made a lot of amazing friends at Newlands College. When I came to New Zealand my English was really bad, but with the help of teachers and friends, I improved my English a lot. Right from my arrival at school, I was welcomed with great affection and attention! I was quickly a part of the Newlands 4 Volleyball team, and the International Students’ Committee, where I was treated with great affection and respect. I did a lot of things while at Newlands College, for example, I went to the School Ball in Te Papa Tongarewa, where I could improve my English with a lot of people , dance a lot, and eat as much food as I liked! It’s a wonderful experience where I could go with my friends. These are some of the wonderful experiences that Newlands College can offer you!"

"I attended Newlands College for six months. My life at Newlands College was really fulfilling. I got the best buddy, and he took care of me a lot, right up until my last day. He introduced his friends, and I could make new relationships. In this country, there are many kinds of people and they all are so friendly, so they welcomed me immediately. I had been worried about making friends, so I was relieved. We often play UNO and cards between classes, so I had fun learning English while speaking. By the way, I think the quality of teachers is also good, and the teachers in the International Department are especially kind. I often went to consult them, and they gave me a lot of advice. I really recommend coming to Newlands College."

"My year in New Zealand was such a great time in my life. I made many friends at Newlands College who showed me the school and made my time even better. The teachers were all really kind, and I was never scared to ask a question if I had one. One of my favourite experiences at Newlands college was probably the Senior Ball where we all got dressed up. There was also food, we danced and took lots of souvenir photos. It was a very special experience and a lot of fun. New Zealand was the perfect place for my exchange year because it has really beautiful nature, and the people are all really nice. I‘m really happy that I stayed at Newlands College because I had great opportunities and played volleyball for the first time on a team, which was a really fun experience."

"My time in New Zealand at Newlands College was amazing. The people at school are so nice and don’t mind helping when you need it, and the teachers are always supportive and happy to help you anytime. There is a wide variety of cultures allowing you to make friends from several different countries. I have many amazing memories, like teaching my Physical Education class how to say some things in Portuguese. However, the ball will always be marked in my mind because of the delicious food, the dancing, the many pictures I took, and the chance to talk and hang out with all my friends. If you are thinking about doing an exchange in Wellington, Newlands College is a great school option."

"From the moment I stepped foot on Newlands College, I was immersed in a vibrant, globally-connected community that opened my eyes to new perspectives, ignited my intellectual curiosity from a range of subjects, and inspired me to go beyond my own comfort zone. Sometimes the new culture, language, and way of living was both exhilarating and daunting to me but those challenging moments strengthened my knowledge and pushed me through my potential. Several indelible events such as being part of art awards, public speaking competition and school production definitely allow me to grow in the way that I cannot imagine. Looking back on my journey at Newlands College with immense gratitude, it has undoubtedly shaped me into the person I am today."

"I came to Newlands College in Year 12 and it was the two best years of my college life. As an actor, Newlands College is a great college that offers many opportunities for drama such as the Improv Club, Sheilah Winn Shakespeare competition and the One Act Competition, which all helped to develop me into who I am today. There are many fun subjects to choose from such as Art, Media, Physics or Economics. As a Vietnamese international student, I felt super lucky to be offered such a diverse range of subjects as we do not have them in my country. The students and staff were really friendly and always offered help when needed. Overall, I have made many memorable memories and important relationships at Newlands College in particular, and New Zealand in general that I will treasure for the rest of my journey."

"I had a very comfortable transition into my new welcoming environment at Newlands College. I made friends very quickly; my buddy was awesome and very helpful. He introduced me to his friend group so I quickly built connections with a wide range of people. My host family were amazing, they embraced me into their family and showed me many different sights around the Wellington region. They looked after me, the food they provided was delicious. They were open minded and took extra care of me.Newlands College provides an excellent working environment; the teachers were friendly and experts in their field. The International Team went above and beyond to look out for me, they were approachable and provided a safe, caring environment.Overall, I would highly recommend to everyone who is open minded to have an experience such as mine."

"During my stay, Newlands College provided me with many great extracurricular opportunities such as programming competitions, debating and organising a TEDx event. I was incredibly well supported by professional, knowledgeable and caring teachers throughout my school journey."

"I had a good experience in Newlands College. My three years here have been fun. I hung out with friends and participated in school’s activities. People were nice, and teachers were encouraging and very understanding."