English Courses at Kiwi English Academy, Auckland, New Zealand
Your English courses at Kiwi English Academy take place in Newmarket, where the school has taught since 1991. Classes have 15 students at most, your classmates come from more than 25 countries, and the NZQA gives it Category 1, the highest of its four ratings.
1. Tell us your goal
2. We help you find the right program
3. We handle the paperwork
4. Ready to StartTL;DR: Quick summary
Kiwi English Academy has one school, on the ground floor of 27 Davis Crescent in Newmarket, five minutes from the centre of Auckland. It opened in 1991 and chose to stay small: 15 students per class at most, with classmates from more than 25 nationalities. As an adult, you can study General English, exam preparation or a course that mixes classes with volunteering. If you are 14 to 17, you get a school of your own, with high school preparation that earns NCEA credits and places at New Zealand secondary schools. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) rates it Category 1.
Kiwi English Academy runs nine programmes in one school. For adults: General English, exam preparation and a course with volunteering. For teenagers: English + High School in January and February, a junior school for 14 to 17 year olds, high school preparation with NCEA credits, short immersion programmes with local students and a full term at a New Zealand high school. And there is an online academy you can start before you fly.
Classes have 15 students at most, and Kiwi English Academy is a boutique school in the best sense: the teachers know every student by name. Before you start, a short interview confirms your level. And the student support team gives you your orientation in person.
- Classes capped at 15 students, 25+ nationalities
- Adults study 20 hours a week, juniors 9am to 3pm
- One school on Davis Crescent, in Newmarket
- NZQA Category 1, and a pathway visa provider
ViveCampus
ViveCampus is a leading study abroad agency with more than 17 years of experience and over 5,000 happy students around the world. We handle your Kiwi English Academy application for you, guide you at every step, and our service costs you nothing.
Why do students choose Kiwi English Academy in 2026?
35 years in Newmarket, and a school that plans your next step: what comes after the English course. Here is what makes it special.
At Kiwi English Academy, teenagers have a junior school of their own. It is for 14 to 17 year olds, and 12 and 13 year olds can join by arrangement. They have their own timetable, from 9am to 3pm, and teachers who work with that age every day. Guardianship comes through the school’s own pastoral care company. If this is your son or daughter’s first time abroad, they will be at a school set up for their age.
High school preparation goes well beyond English. It also teaches the subjects you will have in a New Zealand classroom: maths, science, economics and accounting, all in English. If you do well, you can earn NCEA credits at levels 1 and 2 while you are still on the course. And Kiwi English Academy offers guaranteed entry into some New Zealand schools, so you finish the course with a real place.
Kiwi English Academy is an approved pathway visa provider. That means one long-term visa can cover your English course and the tertiary study that follows it, with a single application. Through KiwiEdLink, its network of partner providers, the school places students in secondary schools, polytechnics, universities and specialist colleges. So your plan keeps going after the English course, all on the same visa.
At Newmarket, classes have 15 students at most, and Kiwi English Academy is a boutique school where the teachers know every student. You see it in your first week. You have an interview about your level before you join a class, an orientation with the student support team, and counsellors you can talk to outside class. And with more than 25 nationalities in the school, English becomes your everyday language.
The volunteer programme is the one adults remember. You have class in the morning, and three afternoons a week you work at a New Zealand organisation in the field you care about, from 1pm to 4pm. It lasts two to four weeks and only asks for an elementary level. In return you get real-life English: the kind you use when a colleague explains a task and you get straight on with it.
The school is on the ground floor of 27 Davis Crescent, five minutes from central Auckland and a short walk from the Auckland Domain, the museum and Parnell. Newmarket is the city’s shopping and business district. The train station, the cafés and the cinema are a few blocks away, so there is always something to do in the afternoon. Homestays, hotels and flats are close by, and the school arranges the first two.
Kiwi English Academy has taught English in Auckland since 1991. After its 2023 external evaluation and review, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) rates it Category 1. That is the highest of the four bands NZQA gives providers, and the one with the fewest restrictions on enrolling international students. The school has signed the Code of Practice for the pastoral care of international students, and your fees are protected by Public Trust, as NZQA requires. It is also an approved pathway visa provider.
Source: Kiwi English Academy
Auckland, seen from Newmarket
About a third of New Zealand’s population lives in Auckland, and most international flights land here. But the part you will enjoy most is your own neighbourhood. Newmarket is a few minutes south of the centre: shops, cafés, offices and a train station. On one side you have the Auckland Domain and the museum, and on the other Parnell, the oldest street in the city. You can walk to most of it.
The rest of Auckland is a short train or ferry ride away, and that is the big reason to study here. You have beaches on two coasts, islands in the gulf and volcanic cones right in the suburbs. There is part time work, and universities that take students on from here. It is a city where you can arrive alone in January and have a whole life by March.
What English courses does Kiwi English Academy offer?
Nine programmes in one school, for adults and for teenagers. Before you start, a short interview confirms your level. Classes have 15 students at most, and adults study 20 hours a week, Monday to Friday, 9am to 1:20pm.
Kiwi English Academy’s summer programme for teenagers: two experiences in one trip. In January, 4 weeks of English at the school in Newmarket, with outings and activities every afternoon. In February, 4 weeks as a student at a New Zealand state high school, in class with local students and studying the subjects you choose. Homestay, insurance and the school uniform are all sorted for you.
It is the course most adults choose, and you can start as a complete beginner. You work on grammar and the practical English you need to use it, across reading, writing, listening and speaking. It follows the Common European Framework, so the level you reach is recognised wherever you go. Classes run Monday to Friday, 9am to 1:20pm, 20 hours a week. You can stay for two weeks or most of a year.
For the certificate a university, an employer or immigration is asking you for. Kiwi English Academy prepares you for IELTS (Academic and General Training), Cambridge B2 First and C1 Advanced, TOEFL and TOEIC. That is a very complete range for a school of its size. IELTS preparation runs all year. The others have set dates and need a minimum number of students, so it is worth booking early. You can join from pre-intermediate (A2 and above on the Common European Framework).
Two to four weeks of English combined with real work at a New Zealand organisation, chosen around what you really want to do. On Mondays and Fridays you have class all morning. Tuesday to Thursday you study from 9am to 11am and then volunteer from 1pm to 4pm. You only need an elementary level. It is the fastest way we know to stop translating in your head, because you work side by side with local people.
The junior school is for students of 14 to 17, and it takes 12 and 13 year olds by arrangement. Classes run Monday to Friday, 9am to 3pm. The day is longer than the adult one because the afternoons are part of the programme. Your son or daughter can start as a complete beginner. They work on grammar and the four skills, with a strong focus on speaking. The school arranges homestay and guardianship through its own pastoral care service, so one organisation looks after your son or daughter from the airport onwards.
If your plan is a New Zealand secondary school, this is the course that makes it happen. It combines academic English with the subjects themselves: maths, science, economics and accounting. So on your first day at a New Zealand school, you already follow a maths lesson in English. If you do well, you can earn NCEA credits at levels 1 and 2 during the course. And Kiwi English Academy offers guaranteed entry into some New Zealand schools. You can join from pre-intermediate.
Two short programmes to enjoy New Zealand beyond the classroom. Kiwi Buddy runs for 4 weeks during term time and pairs you with a local high school student. It is the best way to make friends your own age as soon as you arrive. On the study tours you have class from 9am to 12:20pm, and the afternoons are for hiking, sailing and Māori culture. There is Summer Fun in January, Autumn Fun in April and May, and Mid-Year Fun in July and August.
A term or a whole year inside a New Zealand high school, from 1 to 4 terms. You live with a homestay family and study alongside New Zealand students. The school handles the placement, the accommodation and the guardianship, exactly what a family needs sorted from abroad. It is the natural next step after high school preparation, and the reason many families choose Kiwi English Academy.
Kiwi English Academy’s online academy, for students aged 13 and over. It is perfect if you are waiting for a visa or a term to start and want to make the most of those months. High School Foundation Online gets you ready for school before you travel: academic English, the vocabulary of your subjects and enough New Zealand geography and history to follow your first weeks of class. There are also private lessons, one to one or in a small group, arranged around your timetable. You can try a free trial class and a free level assessment.
Most adults start with General English. About half the school is 14 to 17, getting ready for a New Zealand secondary school
Source: ViveCampus
English + High School: a New Zealand summer at Kiwi English Academy
Eight weeks that give your teenager the full Kiwi experience. First, a month of English with classmates from around the world. Then a month as a real student at a New Zealand high school, living with a homestay family the whole time. A rare combination, and a summer your teenager will talk about for years.
- Ages 13 to 17
- 8 weeks, from early January to late February
- 4 weeks of English and activities, then 4 weeks at a local high school
- Upper elementary English and above, with a level test before you enrol
- Homestay with a New Zealand family
January: English and adventures in Auckland
Four weeks at Kiwi English Academy in Newmarket: English classes in the morning and, in the afternoon, cultural outings, sightseeing and fun activities around Auckland.
- Small classes of up to 12 students
- Experienced, friendly teachers
- Classmates from many countries
- A family-like atmosphere with full student support
February: life at a New Zealand high school
Four weeks as a student at a New Zealand state high school, sharing lessons, breaks and school life with Kiwi teenagers. The perfect way to put a month of English straight into practice.
- Co-educational state schools
- Schools in locations throughout New Zealand
- Classes alongside local students
- Choose the subjects you like
Included in the programme
Flights and the transfer to and from the homestay are booked separately, and we can help you with both.
Source: Kiwi English Academy
What should you know before applying to Kiwi English Academy?
What is worth settling before you book. We took it from the school’s own enrolment pages and from what people ask our advisors every week.
Costs, Dates, Application Process and other Considerations
Application Process - Send us the contact form and an advisor gets back to you with the steps for your country. The school’s own process is short and simple. You send a copy of your passport, plus your school or university transcripts if you are heading into secondary or tertiary study. The academy replies with an offer, a contract and an invoice. Once you sign the contract and pay the fees, you sit a Cambridge placement test online, and your accommodation is arranged at the same time. We prepare and send your application, and our team does the translations your file needs.
Dates of the Program - General English, exam preparation and the junior school start every Monday of the year. English + High School runs in January and February. Other programmes have set dates. The seasonal study tours are Summer Fun in January, Autumn Fun in April and May, and Mid-Year Fun in July and August. The high school immersion follows New Zealand school terms. And the Cambridge, TOEFL and TOEIC courses run on set dates and need a minimum number of students. The school closes on New Zealand public holidays, for about two weeks over Christmas and for a week in June.
Length of the Program - General English and the junior school run from 2 to 48 weeks. English + High School lasts 8 weeks, the volunteer programme 2 to 4 weeks, and the study tours and Kiwi Buddy 4 weeks. The high school immersion goes from 1 term to 4. Adults study 20 hours a week, Monday to Friday, 9am to 1:20pm. The junior day runs from 9am to 3pm, because the afternoons are part of the teaching. Tell us how many weeks you have and we will tell you what fits.
Costs - What you pay depends on the programme, the number of weeks and the accommodation you choose. Use the form at the bottom of this page and we send you a written quote before you commit to anything. It covers tuition, the enrolment and placement fees, accommodation and this month’s promotion. And here is something reassuring: as NZQA requires, your fees are held by Public Trust, so your money is protected. Our cost of studying abroad calculator puts course, accommodation and living costs side by side.
Health Insurance - New Zealand law requires every international student to have current medical and travel insurance, and the academy asks for it when you enrol. Your policy needs to cover treatment here, hospital care and repatriation. The Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) covers accidents for anyone in the country, visitors included. Your insurance takes care of everything else. We arrange your cover with the enrolment, so it is in place the day you land.
Minimum Age - Adults from 18. The junior school is for 14 to 17 year olds, and it takes 12 and 13 year olds by arrangement. English + High School is for ages 13 to 17, and the online academy starts at 13. If your son or daughter is under 18, they live in a homestay the school chooses and monitors, with guardianship through the school’s own pastoral care company. That is what New Zealand requires, and it is why so many families send younger students here.
Minimum English Level - For General English you need no level at all: you can start as a complete beginner. The same goes for the junior school. Exam preparation starts at pre-intermediate (A2 and above), the volunteer programme asks for elementary, and high school preparation runs from pre-intermediate to intermediate. Before you travel, you sit a Cambridge placement test online, and when you arrive a short interview confirms your level. So from the first morning you are in the right class.
Visa Regulations - If your course lasts up to three months, you can usually study as a visitor. If you are from one of the many countries that qualify, you only need an NZeTA to board, not a visa. For longer courses you need a student visa. And there is a third option worth asking about: the academy is an approved pathway visa provider, so one long-term visa can cover your English course and the study that follows it. We prepare and file whichever application fits you. The school asks for your flight details at least two weeks before you arrive, so someone meets you at the airport.
Working While You Study: - Yes, in most cases. If you study full time for 14 weeks or more at a Category 1 school like Kiwi English Academy, you can work up to 25 hours a week. Before you book your flight, we check with you what your visa allows. And Auckland is the best place in New Zealand to find work: a third of the country lives here, so there are cafés, restaurants and shops looking for students everywhere. If you are under 18, the plan is simply to focus on your studies.
Accommodation - A homestay is the usual choice, and the school arranges it through its own pastoral care service. The school chooses and monitors every family, and guardianship is included for students under 18. If you are an adult and want more independence, you can take a hotel or a flat near the school: Newmarket has both within walking distance. Accommodation is arranged as part of your enrolment. If you want to change it, just give a week’s notice, and there is a small administration fee. Write to us and we will price each option for your dates.
Extra Curricular Activities - The academy runs its own activity programme, after school and at weekends. There is sport for junior students, excursions around Auckland and longer guided trips through the North and South Islands. In a city this size, that makes all the difference: from your first weekend you already have plans and friends. The junior study tours have their own timetable of hiking, sailing and Māori culture built into the course.
Airport Pickup - The school arranges your airport pickup and the transfer to your accommodation as part of the enrolment. That is why it asks for your flight details at least two weeks ahead. Auckland Airport is about 40 minutes from Newmarket without traffic. On your first arrival it is well worth it: someone is waiting for you and takes you and your luggage straight to your new home.
First day of classes - You start with a short interview to confirm your English level. Then comes orientation with the student support team: how the school works, your wifi password, your accommodation and how to get around Auckland. You will already have sat the Cambridge placement test online before you arrive, so classes start straight away. Bring your passport and your insurance certificate.
Keep in mind that the biggest cost is usually not the course itself, but living costs. So before you choose the cheapest school, look at the whole picture
Source: ViveCampus
A school on the ground floor in Newmarket
Kiwi English Academy is at 27 Davis Crescent, on the ground floor, right in the middle of Newmarket. You get classrooms, a student lounge with a microwave and a vending machine, computers, free wifi and a small library. Your teachers also post work on an online learning platform. The train station, the cafés and the shops are a few minutes’ walk away, and central Auckland is five minutes away.
Address: Ground Floor, 27 Davis Crescent, Newmarket, Auckland 1023, New Zealand
About Auckland and Newmarket
About a third of New Zealand lives in Auckland. The city sits between two harbours, built over some 50 volcanic cones, and almost every international flight lands here. Newmarket, where the school is, is just south of the centre. It is everyday Auckland, where people live: a district of shops and offices around a train station. On one side you have the Auckland Domain and the war memorial museum. On the other are the old villas and galleries of Parnell, and Mount Eden is a short walk further on. From there, the rest of the city is a train or a ferry away. The east coast beaches are half an hour away, the black sand of the west coast about an hour, and Waiheke Island 40 minutes by ferry. For a student, it is the most practical city in the country. You get the widest choice of part time work, the universities most pathway students are aiming for, and buses and trains that mean you do not need a car.
Weather in Auckland
Auckland is subtropical: mild all year, and a bit wetter than the photos suggest. Summer, December to February, sits at around 20 to 25 degrees, and the whole city heads for the beach. Autumn, March to May, stays warm well into April, and many locals say it is their favourite season. Winter, June to August, rarely drops below 8 or 9 degrees and almost never freezes, but it does bring rain and wind. New Zealand houses are less insulated than you may be used to. Spring, September to November, is changeable. Our best tip: bring a waterproof jacket rather than a thick coat, and expect sun and rain in the same afternoon.
Auckland in images
A harbour on each side of the city, volcanic cones between the suburbs, ferries out to the gulf islands and a neighbourhood you can walk across. In Auckland you always have something to do after class.
Source: Auckland NZ
Kiwi English Academy in images
How ViveCampus can help you
A ViveCampus advisor helps you find the right programme for you, based on your goals, needs and budget.
Our advice is completely free, and the process is 100% transparent. You make all your payments directly to Kiwi English Academy.
When you apply through ViveCampus, you get support from both the school and our team. We help you through the application, the visa, the accommodation and your arrival.
You also get an international student card with thousands of discounts, plus other benefits your advisor will explain.
Steps you should follow
1. Tell us your goal A short chat about your needs, level, budget, dates and what you are looking for.
2. We clarify your doubts We answer all your questions about costs and requirements.
3. We handle the paperwork Application, letter of acceptance and the documents your visa or permit needs.
4. Ready to Start Accommodation confirmed, payments processed, and someone to call whenever you need a hand.
Frequently Asked Questions
What people ask our advisors before booking a course at Kiwi English Academy: entry, levels, visas, sending a teenager, getting into a New Zealand high school, and what your first week looks like.
Do I need a visa to study at Kiwi English Academy?
It depends on how long you are staying and what comes next. For up to three months you can normally come as a visitor. If you are from one of the many countries that qualify, you only need an NZeTA to board, not a visa. For anything longer, you apply for a student visa. If your plan continues at a school or university here, ask us about the pathway visa. The academy is an approved provider, so one long-term visa can cover the English course and the study that follows, with no new application at each step. We prepare and file whichever one fits you, and our team does the translations free of charge.
How much does Kiwi English Academy cost?
It depends on the programme, the number of weeks, the accommodation and whether you need guardianship. Send us the contact form and we send you the full figure in writing: tuition, the enrolment and placement fees, accommodation, transfers and any discount for your dates. Something reassuring to know before you pay: as NZQA requires, student fees at this school are held by Public Trust, so your money is protected. For a rough total first, try our cost of studying abroad calculator. Our help is free.
What level of English do I need to start?
For General English and the junior school you need no level at all: both take complete beginners. Exam preparation starts at pre-intermediate (A2 on the Common European Framework), the volunteer programme asks for elementary, and high school preparation runs from pre-intermediate to intermediate. Before you travel you sit a Cambridge placement test online, and when you arrive you have a short interview. So your level is clear before your first class.
How big are the classes?
15 students at most at the Newmarket campus. Kiwi English Academy is a boutique school where the teachers know every student, and at this size you notice it from day one. In a typical month there are students from more than 25 nationalities. The mix changes through the year, and in your class you meet people from all over the world and speak English all day.
Can this school get a teenager into a New Zealand high school?
Yes, it is one of the things the school is built for. High school preparation combines academic English with maths, science, economics and accounting. If your son or daughter does well, they can earn NCEA credits at levels 1 and 2 during the course, and Kiwi English Academy offers guaranteed entry into some New Zealand schools. On top of that, with Kiwi High School Immersion your son or daughter studies inside a New Zealand secondary school for 1 to 4 terms. The academy’s own pastoral care service arranges the homestay and guardianship. Its partner network also reaches polytechnics, universities and specialist colleges.
When can I start at Kiwi English Academy?
General English, exam preparation and the junior school start every Monday of the year. IELTS preparation also runs all year. Cambridge, TOEFL and TOEIC have set dates and depend on a minimum number of students. English + High School starts in early January and runs until late February. The seasonal programmes have their own calendar: Summer Fun in January, Autumn Fun in April and May, and Mid-Year Fun in July and August. The high school immersion follows New Zealand school terms. The school closes on public holidays, for about two weeks at Christmas and for a week in June.
Can I work while I am studying?
Yes, if you are an adult on the right visa. If you study full time for 14 weeks or more at a Category 1 school, you can work up to 25 hours a week. Before you book your flight, we check your case with you. Auckland is the best place in New Zealand to look for work: about a third of the country lives here, so there are cafés, shops and hotels hiring students everywhere. And the minimum wage is set nationally, so it is the same wherever you work. If you are under 18, the plan is simply to focus on your studies.
Is it safe to send a teenager on their own?
Kiwi English Academy is the school we suggest most often for that, because everything is organised. If your son or daughter is under 18, they live in a homestay the academy chooses and monitors. Guardianship comes from the school’s own pastoral care company. The junior timetable runs from 9am to 3pm, so the day is covered, and the activity programme fills the afternoons and weekends. Someone is responsible for them from the airport onwards, and there is an after-hours number for emergencies. Tell us their age in your first message and we will explain exactly what is included.
What accommodation is available?
A homestay is the usual option, and the one we recommend for your first stay. The school’s own pastoral care service arranges it, choosing and monitoring every family, with guardianship included for students under 18. You also speak English at the dinner table every day, which is where you make the most progress. If you are an adult and prefer independence, you can stay in a hotel or a flat near the school: Newmarket has both within walking distance. Accommodation is arranged with your enrolment, and if you want to change it, just give a week’s notice. Ask us for a quote and we will price it for your dates.
Where exactly is Kiwi English Academy?
Ground floor, 27 Davis Crescent, Newmarket, about five minutes from central Auckland. Newmarket is the city’s shopping and business district, so the train station, the cafés, the cinema and the shops are all a short walk away. On the other side of the motorway are the Auckland Domain, the museum and Parnell. The school has classrooms, a student lounge with a microwave and a vending machine, computers, free wifi and a small library. Auckland Airport is about 40 minutes away.
What else comes with a course at Kiwi English Academy?
The placement test and the interview that put you in the right class, orientation with the student support team, and counsellors you can talk to outside class. The activity programme runs after school and at weekends, with sport for junior students, excursions around Auckland and longer trips through both islands. The school arranges your homestay, guardianship and airport transfer for you. Your fees are protected by Public Trust, and there is an after-hours number for emergencies.
Is Kiwi English Academy accredited?
Yes. After its 2023 external evaluation and review, the New Zealand Qualifications Authority rates it Category 1. That is the highest of the four bands NZQA gives providers, and the one with the fewest restrictions on enrolling international students. The school has signed the Code of Practice for the pastoral care of international students. It is mandatory in New Zealand and sets out how a school looks after anyone under 18. And student fees are protected by Public Trust under NZQA rules.
Why Auckland rather than a smaller New Zealand city?
Because of everything around the course. Auckland has the part time work, the universities pathway students are heading for, the international flights and a transport network that means you do not need a car. And at Kiwi English Academy you practise English all day, with classmates from more than 25 nationalities in classes of 15 at most. Newmarket helps too: it is a neighbourhood with a life of its own, so your daily routine is short walks.
How do I apply to Kiwi English Academy from my country?
Start with the form on this page. A ViveCampus advisor replies in your language with everything that depends on where you live: the documents you need, how long each stage takes, how the New Zealand student or pathway visa works, the total cost and which start dates still have room. If it is for someone under 18, we also set out the guardianship and homestay arrangements in writing, so parents can read them before deciding. You do not need to prepare anything for that chat, and it is all free.
What is the English + High School programme?
It is Kiwi English Academy’s 8-week summer programme for ages 13 to 17. From early January, your son or daughter spends 4 weeks at the school in Newmarket, with English classes in the morning and activities in the afternoon. Then, in February, they spend 4 weeks at a New Zealand state high school alongside local students. Homestay, insurance, the school uniform and the afternoon activities are included. Fill in the form and we will send you this year’s dates and price.
Can’t see your question here? Send it through the form below and a ViveCampus advisor will answer you directly. Asking costs nothing and commits you to nothing.
Source: ViveCampus
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