An online bachelor's degree with a New Zealand qualification is a programme in which part of the degree is studied at a distance and the degree is awarded by a New Zealand provider. A fully online New Zealand degree does exist, but it gives you neither a student visa nor a work visa: a post-study work visa requires at least 30 weeks of on-campus study in New Zealand. For anyone who wants to work in the country as well as hold the degree, the realistic model is an online start and an on-campus finish. That is how the joint bachelor's by Nairi International University (NIU) and ICL Graduate Business School works: the first year online, then on campus in Auckland, leading to a level 7 degree of 360 credits.
Updated 30 September 2026. Visa and cost figures are taken from official sources on that date.
At a glance: the New Zealand bachelor's degree
| Item | What applies | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Level | 7 on the NZQCF (formerly NZQF) | NZQA |
| Size | at least 360 credits; professional degrees can be 480 | same |
| Credit | 1 credit = 10 notional hours of learning and assessment; a full-time year ≈ 120 credits | same |
| Length | usually 3 years full time | same |
| English for international students | IELTS Academic 6.0, bands ≥5.5 (NZQA minimum) | NZQA |
| University fees | ≈ NZD 35,000–55,000 a year | Education NZ, March 2025 figures |
| Visa after study | the length of study for the qualification, up to 3 years | INZ |
Fully online or online plus on campus: the difference
Before choosing a programme, decide what you need at the end:
| Fully online | Online start + on campus in New Zealand | |
|---|---|---|
| Degree | a New Zealand degree, if the programme awards one | a New Zealand degree |
| Student visa | not needed and not issued | needed for the on-campus stage |
| Work during study in NZ | no | up to 25 hours a week during study |
| Post-study work visa | no — the 30-week on-campus rule is not met | possible if INZ requirements are met |
| Family move | no | under INZ rules for your level |
| NZ living costs | none | only during the on-campus stage |
The 30-week rule comes from the Immigration New Zealand requirements for the post-study work visa: for a degree at level 7 or above you must study full time in New Zealand for at least 30 weeks (INZ). Online study does not count towards those weeks.
The joint NIU and ICL bachelor's: how it works
The Bachelor of Business Information Systems (BBIS) is a joint programme by NIU and ICL Graduate Business School that combines IT and business.
| Item | BBIS |
|---|---|
| Level and size | level 7, 360 credits: nine level 5 courses, nine level 6 and five level 7 |
| Structure | 180 credits at NIU, 180 credits at ICL |
| Length | three academic years compressed into 24 months: six trimesters of 16 weeks |
| First academic year | at NIU by distance, from home, no visa needed |
| Second stage | on campus at ICL Graduate Business School, Auckland |
| To enrol | a school certificate |
| To move on to ICL | a completed first year, the NIU certificate and IELTS Academic 6.0 (no band below 5.5) |
| First-stage cost | USD 7,500 per academic year; the on-campus stage is costed individually |
| Basis | an inter-institutional agreement between NIU and ICL and recognition of prior learning (RPL) |
ICL Graduate Business School is registered with NZQA as a Category 1 private provider, rated Highly Confident on both measures at its latest external evaluation (NZQA register, checked 30.09.2026).
Who this format suits
- School leavers who do not want to move straight away. The first year is at home, and by the time you move you are already a student and have improved your English. You can enrol with a school certificate; see Entry requirements.
- Working adults. The online year needs no move and no break from work, and you can decide about moving once you see how your studies are going.
- People who want New Zealand, not just a degree. The on-campus stage brings a student visa, the right to work during study and the chance to apply for a visa after graduation.
The work visa after a bachelor's: what to know in advance
After a bachelor's, the post-study work visa lasts as long as your study for the qualification, up to 3 years, as confirmed by the provider from the duration in your offer (INZ). That differs from a master's, where 30 weeks of on-campus study leads to a 3-year visa.
For a programme with an online part, the visa length therefore depends on how long you study on campus in New Zealand. That is why we do not quote a "standard" visa length for the BBIS: it has to be calculated for your schedule, and an adviser will do that before you enrol. The rules and the changes from 16 November 2026 are on the Post-study work visa page.
There is another difference from a master's: a level 7 bachelor's gives a partner an open work visa only if the qualification is on the Green List or the post-study work visa list (INZ). That is not guaranteed for the BBIS; see Studying with your family.
What it costs: the budget
| Item | Amount | Source |
|---|---|---|
| First BBIS year at NIU (online) | USD 7,500 | programme page |
| On-campus stage at ICL | costed individually | NIU adviser |
| Living-cost funds for the student visa | NZD 20,000 for each on-campus year | INZ |
| Student visa | from NZD 850 | INZ |
| For comparison: a New Zealand university bachelor's | ≈ NZD 35,000–55,000 a year | Education NZ |
During the online year you pay no New Zealand living costs: no rent, transport or insurance. As a reference, the median rent for a room in central Auckland is NZD 250 a week (Tenancy Services, February–July 2026). The full calculation is on the Cost of study and living and Online stage vs fully on campus pages.
How to apply: the steps
- Consultation and programme choice. We look at your school certificate, English and goals: whether you need New Zealand or just the degree.
- Documents for NIU. Your school certificate with an English translation, and your passport.
- The online year with NIU. Study in English while preparing for IELTS Academic 6.0.
- The NIU certificate and IELTS. Both are needed to move on to ICL.
- The ICL offer and a student visa. Documents and NZD 20,000 for a year of living costs — see Student visa.
- The on-campus stage in Auckland and your degree.
Other bachelor's degrees in the catalogue
If the BBIS is not your field, the NIU catalogue has level 7 bachelor's degrees at other providers, studied on campus in New Zealand from the first year:
- Bachelor of Business Information Systems (Healthcare) — ICL — information systems in healthcare;
- Bachelor of Business — AIS, Auckland;
- Bachelor of Information Technology — NMIT, Nelson;
- Bachelor of Applied Computing Technologies — Whitecliffe;
- Bachelor of Nursing — Whitireia & WelTec.
All programmes are in Programs and courses.
Sources
All links checked on 30 September 2026.
- NZQA — The New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (1 July 2025): https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/assets/Qualifications-standards/Understanding-NZQF/The-New-Zealand-Qualifications-and-Credentials-Framework.pdf
- NZQA — English language entry requirements for international students: https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/tertiary/english-language-entry-requirements-for-international-students/
- NZQA — ICL Graduate Business School in the provider register: https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers/details.do?providerId=754840001
- INZ — Post-Study Work Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/post-study-work-visa/
- INZ — How long you can stay on a post-study work visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/work/requirements-for-work-visas/how-long-you-can-work-on-work-visas/how-long-you-can-stay-on-a-post-study-work-visa/
- INZ — Partner of a Student Work Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/partner-of-a-student-work-visa/
- INZ — Fee Paying Student Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/fee-paying-student-visa/
- INZ — Student fund requirements: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/process-to-apply/applying-for-a-visa/providing-evidence-and-documents-to-support-your-visa-application/student-fund-requirements/
- Education New Zealand — Cost of living: https://www.studywithnewzealand.govt.nz/en/plan-your-studies/cost-of-living
- Tenancy Services (MBIE) — Market rent, Auckland Central: https://www.tenancy.govt.nz/rent-bond-and-bills/market-rent/?location=Auckland+Central