Becoming a foreign exchange student means living abroad with a host family, attending a local high school, and immersing yourself in a new language and culture, typically for a summer, a semester, or ... read
What is high school like in New Zealand? A student guide to Christchurch
What is high school like in New Zealand? A student guide to Christchurch
Attending high school in New Zealand is very different from visiting the country on vacation. You become part of a local school community, follow a regular schedule, and meet classmates every day. You also live with a New Zealand host family.
Through Nacel's high school program in Christchurch, students between the ages of 13 and 18 can study for a term, a semester, or an academic year. They attend a local coeducational secondary school and live with a host family in the Christchurch area.
If you are considering studying abroad in New Zealand, you probably have some practical questions. What is the school day like? What subjects can you take? How easy is it to meet people? What is it really like to live with a host family?
This guide provides insight into the experience from a student’s perspective.
Starting school in Christchurch
The first few days are usually spent getting used to a new routine.
At Nacel’s partner high school in Christchurch, the school day begins at 8:45 a.m. and ends at 3:10 p.m., with six periods throughout the day. The timetable includes Form Time or assembly.
One of the first visible differences you will notice is the school uniform. Students in grades 9–12 wear a regulation uniform as part of the normal school routine.
International students are not placed in a separate environment. You participate in the broader school community and receive support with orientation, subject selection, academics, and overall well-being.
Before classes begin, you receive guidance about your course of study and how the school operates. This information is useful because even small things, such as classroom routines, timetables, and how teachers expect you to participate, will differ from what you are used to at home.
The first week will feel unfamiliar, but that is part of the experience of studying abroad. You gradually learn how the school functions and become comfortable with the daily routine.
Learning in a New Zealand classroom
The school offers grades 9-13 and a wide variety of subjects.
Students typically study English alongside several other subjects. In the upper grades, options will include the arts, sciences, foreign languages, social sciences, and technology.
Your exact timetable depends on your age, grade level, academic background, and subject availability.
For international students, the difference is not always in what they study. It can also be in how the subject is taught.
One former student from Japan was surprised by how interactive the classes were. The lessons included individual exercises, videos, and group work. The student found this approach to be more engaging than expected.
This does not mean that every class will feel completely different, but it does give you the opportunity to experience another educational system firsthand.
What subjects can international students study?
There is no single list of subjects that applies to every student.
The selection of subjects is more flexible for older students, while younger students usually follow a wider curriculum. The school offers academic subjects, as well as arts, technology, and other options.
It is worth being open-minded when choosing classes. Sometimes, a subject you would not normally take at home becomes one of the most interesting parts of the experience.
Life beyond the classroom
School life in Christchurch offers more than just lessons. The school has traditionally given students the opportunity to participate in a wide range of extracurricular activities, including sports, music, drama, cultural groups, and other clubs. Sports options include basketball, cricket, football, hockey, rowing, rugby, skiing, surfing, swimming, tennis, and volleyball.
If you prefer music or performing arts, you will find options such as choir, orchestra, jazz groups, rock bands, drama, debating, or photography.
These activities can vary from year to year, so it is better to see them as opportunities rather than guaranteed program features.
Joining an extracurricular activity can also make school life easier socially. It gives you a reason to spend time with classmates outside of class and can make conversations more natural.
If you are nervous about making friends, this can be one of the simplest ways to become part of the school community.
Outdoor education and the New Zealand lifestyle
Outdoor education is one of the features that can make a New Zealand high school experience feel different from school at home.
Depending on the season, activities will include kayaking, climbing, snow activities or mountain biking.
Christchurch is well placed if you enjoy outdoor activities because the city is close to beaches, hills and the wider landscapes of the South Island.
You do not need to be sporty. The school also offers plenty of indoor, artistic and cultural activities. The important point is that students have opportunities to participate in school life beyond the classroom.
For many international students, this is where they start to feel less like a visitor and more like a regular student.
Jojanneke is the Nacel Educational Travel Team Manager and has been working with Nacel since February 2022.
She communicates with students from all over the world to understand exactly what they are looking for and to advise them on the programs that best suit their interest and their budget. She feels very fortunate to have had the opportunity to travel to many different countries and work in the Netherlands, Guatemala, Spain, Portugal, France, Bulgaria and Luxembourg. She studied at a Dutch university.
Jojanneke also participated in a Spanish language stay in Guatemala and has studied in France. This is why she knows perfectly the needs of future exchange students. But as a mother herself, she also understands the needs and concerns of parents who send their child abroad. She provides the empathy and understanding that parents and students need throughout the process of their project.
