WHEN she was considering sending her daughter overseas to study, Anna Chang took into account three areas of consideration: the cost and quality of education, the welfare of her daughter and the living standards of the foreign land.
Invercargill, the largest city in New Zealand’s Southland region, easily ticked all these boxes.
Not only is the cost of living there relatively cheap compared to other parts of New Zealand and to countries like Australia and Singapore, the Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) in the city also offered her daughter Cornelia Chin a scholarship for her three-and-a-half years course in nursing.
With the scholarship, SIT pays for a quarter of Chin’s full education fees, making it more affordable for Chang. SIT also offered Chin the opportunity to study and further develop her English language skills with English classes for six weeks.
“Even before we received news that my daughter had successfully been offered an SIT scholarship, we had already applied for her to study at SIT in Invercargill. This is because after we had done our research, we found that the tuition fees and cost of living there are affordable.
“It also helps that the city is small, which means that getting around from one place to another is convenient. As a parent, this is also important to me as it means that my daughter does not have to spend a lot of time travelling to school and home, and when she is getting her daily necessities,” explained Chang.
She shared that she is also impressed by the safety and peace around the city, which gives her ease and comfort despite having her daughter so far away. Furthermore, the management team at SIT had ensured Chang that the welfare of Chin would be well taken care of throughout her study period.
“When my daughter first arrived in Invercargill in May last year, she had no friends or any contacts from home. Understanding this, the SIT management team introduced my daughter to another Sarawakian girl who has been living in Invercargill with her family for a couple of years.
“Cornelia is now good friends with her and family, and it makes me feel safe knowing that there is a family of similar local background helping me take care of my daughter while she’s there.
“The fact that there have been no reports of major crimes throughout the one year that my daughter has been in Invercargill also ensures me that she’s in a safe place,” said Chang. Chin is currently pursuing her Certificate in Pre Entry to the Bachelor of Nursing. Following these six months of study, she will then progress on to the Bachelor of Nursing course. On her education in SIT, Chin and her mother raved about the quality of teaching and the relationship that the tutors strive to build with their students.
“The tutors at SIT are always available to support students with our problems, and their way of teaching is easy to understand,” shared Chin. Chang added that she is also impressed by the modern facilities provided by the institution and the close relationship her daughter has with her tutors.
“The facilities available at SIT ensure that students can hone their practical skills to the best of their abilities, which will be extremely helpful when they enter the workforce. With constant support from the teachers at the institution, I’m sure that my daughter is having a good educational experience there.
“For parents looking to send their children for overseas studies, I will definitely encourage them to consider Invercargill as an option. The serenity in the city, its safety and the convenience in getting around makes it a good place for study,” said Chang, who is also now considering other parts of New Zealand for her younger daughter’s overseas education.
“My younger daughter is interested in aerospace engineering and right now, I’m looking to see which universities in other New Zealand cities would be the best option for her. At this stage, I’m certain that I will definitely be sending her to New Zealand for her studies so that she will not only be close to her elder sister, but also because it’s affordable and I’m confident of the quality of education she will be receiving,” she said.
Information on study options in New Zealand can be found at www.studyinnewzealand.com.