[Mrs Pony]

Here in the States my official title (at this University) is Financial Aid Administrator.

Basically I help +-200 students obtain student loans, grants and scholarships so they can pay for school. As well as making sure everything is within the Federal Guidelines aka legal.

Are the University's in NZ set up the same...similar...not even close?

OH knows how to install home theaters and knows all that sound stuff so he's the primary person on our EOI...but I'm just wondering if I will have an easy time getting a job there doing the same thing... or if I'm going to have to start looking for anything that i can get.

Thanks for the help!

[wwwdot]

Hey Mrs Pony

During my job search I noticed that all the university websites have really good lists of general (non-academic) vacancies. There seems to be plenty of admin jobs at the universities; check out for example Auckland, Victoria, Hamilton, Otago, Christchurch, Palmerston North, Lincoln... can't remember others.

Good luck:nice1

[Mrs Pony]

I'll have to agree with you, however, I haven't see anything that involves what I do. I've seen a few things that are financial support type jobs but don't deal with the students, more between departments. I'm sure I would be able to learn how to do that as well...

[wwwdot]

The problem is that student finances in NZ seem to be quite different from the US... The Inland Revenue deals with the student loans and as far as I know there aren't other forms of financial aid or scholarships...don't quote me on this though...

[KerryS]

As wwwdot said, most students finance their courses by obtaining a loan via the government StudyLink programme. Through this they can also obtain funds for living expenses whilst on the course, if they are entitled to.
It may be worth checking the govt jobs website to see if they have the type of work you are looking for there.
There are plenty of scholarships and bursary schemes available, but these are more in-house at each university, and so would be administered by them.
There are only 7 actual universities in NZ - Auckland, Otago, Lincoln, Waikato, Victoria, Massey and Canterbury, but plenty of other tertiary institutions as well.

[Mrs Pony]

ah ha! ok then! Here there are few government loans and most students have to take out education loans through regular banks.

Thanks Kerry & Dot!

[eternalkiwi]

As others have mentioned universities do have scholarship programmes for special merit awards rather than scholarships etc for most students.

One option that may be suitable are roles related to NZAID funding for overseas students from developing countries who come to NZ to study. I expect universities would have staff managing their end of the programme. NZAID and similar NGO/Quasi Govt agencies may also have staff in similar roles.

Shawn

[sweetpea]

Here in the States my official title (at this University) is Financial Aid Administrator. Are the University's in NZ set up the same...similar...not even close?

At least one of the universities here does handle actual US Federal Financial Aid (the one in Palmerston North, where I study :)), because it enrolls American students. I believe I heard they have 70-100 students receiving aid. I think Auckland uni handles US fed aid too.

As far as I can tell, Studylink is how most NZ students fund their education - through the student allowance, student loans and/or scholarships. All of this is through the government - no banks involved. Different departments at the unis also have scholarships available; my impression was that this was handled at the department level, although I could be wrong.

[Mrs Pony]

thanks for all the info! I'll have to check into that... we're trying to get into Wellington since we already have friends there and OH knows the area. We shall see!