Bachelor of Education in New Zealand
Shape the next generation. Teaching is a Green List career.
What you study
A Bachelor of Education prepares you to register as a teacher. You study curriculum and subject knowledge, child development, assessment, inclusive education and classroom practice, with supervised teaching placements in schools each year. New Zealand programmes teach Te Tiriti o Waitangi obligations, te reo Māori and tikanga as part of practice rather than as an optional extra, because the Teaching Council requires it. You choose a primary or a secondary pathway early.
The Bachelor of Education is a Level 7 Education qualification we help international students apply for at accredited New Zealand institutions.
Does the Bachelor of Education lead to residence in New Zealand?
Working here after you graduate
This is a degree at Level 7, so graduates can apply for a post-study work visa of up to three years and work in any job, anywhere in New Zealand. Immigration New Zealand only restricts what you may work in for non-degree qualifications at Level 7 and below, which does not apply here.
Points towards residence
The Skilled Migrant Category is a threshold of six points, not a score to maximise: once you reach six, more points earn nothing. A New Zealand bachelor's degree is worth 5 points, so one year of skilled work in New Zealand takes you to the 6 needed.
A qualification earned in New Zealand is worth more than the same level earned overseas, which is one of the few concrete advantages of studying here rather than at home.
The Green List
Graduates in this field commonly work in these roles, which are on Immigration New Zealand's Green List:
- Primary School Teacher Tier 1, Straight to Residence
- Secondary School Teacher Tier 1, Straight to Residence
This role is regulated, so you also need registration with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand before you can work in it.
Immigration New Zealand names the Bachelor of Education directly against both teaching roles. Teaching Council registration is required before you can teach.
Our study to residence pathways page sets out how the post-study work visa, the Green List and the Skilled Migrant Category fit together.
Who can advise you on this. Student NZ is an education advisory service. Joy helps you choose the course and the institution, and helps you prepare a student visa application. Advice about your own residence prospects has to come from a licensed immigration adviser, so we connect you to ProVisas' IAA-licensed advisers (Licence 201301110) for that part.
Green List roles are from Immigration New Zealand's list effective 23 March 2026; points are from its Skilled Migrant Category rules. Checked 17 September 2026. Immigration rules change, so confirm against the Green List and the Skilled Migrant Category before making a decision.
Where graduates work
Graduates teach in New Zealand primary and secondary schools, in both state and private settings. Primary School Teacher and Secondary School Teacher are both Tier 1 Green List occupations, the straight to residence tier, and Immigration New Zealand names the Bachelor of Education directly against both. Registration with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand is required before you can teach.
Questions about the Bachelor of Education
Can I teach in New Zealand with an overseas teaching degree?
The Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand assesses overseas qualifications and decides whether they meet its requirements, sometimes with additional study. If you are not already a teacher, a New Zealand Bachelor of Education is the direct route, and Immigration New Zealand names it against both Green List teaching roles.
Do I need Teaching Council registration?
Yes. You cannot teach in a New Zealand school without registration and a practising certificate from the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. The Council decides which initial teacher education programmes it approves, so confirm your programme is one of them.
Should I choose primary or secondary teaching?
Both are Tier 1 Green List occupations, so the immigration position is the same. The choice is about the work: primary covers the full curriculum for one class, secondary covers one or two subjects across many classes. Secondary shortages in New Zealand are concentrated in maths, science and technology.
Other qualifications to compare
The level a qualification sits at decides what you can apply for once you finish, so it is worth comparing a few before you enrol.
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