Whitecliffe began as an art and design school, and its Auckland campus in Parnell is still where the studio-based courses are taught. Students take fine arts, fashion and design, and there is a postgraduate arts therapy programme that trains clinicians. It is a private tertiary provider, so classes are small and staff are practising artists and designers. The city centre and the Auckland Domain are both a short walk away.
Auckland, New Zealand
Official website: whitecliffe.ac.nz
Private tertiary provider
Art, design and arts therapy
Parnell, Auckland
NZ$25,000 – NZ$33,000
International students, degree programmes, per year
NZ$20,000 – NZ$25,000
Rent, food and local transport
Approximate figures for 2026-27, please verify. Fees change every year and vary by course, so check the latest amount on whitecliffe.ac.nz before you apply.
Bachelor of Fine Arts
Bachelors DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Feb, Jul
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0
Bachelor of Fashion Design
Bachelors DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Feb
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0
Bachelor of Design
Bachelors DegreeDuration
36 Months
Intake
Feb, Jul
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.0
Master of Fine Arts
Masters DegreeDuration
12 Months
Intake
Feb
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5
Master of Arts in Arts Therapy (Clinical)
Masters DegreeDuration
24 Months
Intake
Feb
Exam Score
IELTS: 6.5
Studio teaching in small groups.
One of few arts therapy clinical training programmes in New Zealand.
A fashion school that runs end-of-year graduate shows.
Fine arts and design graduates work as artists, designers and studio assistants.
Arts therapy graduates work in schools, health services and private practice.
Eligible graduates can apply for a New Zealand post-study work visa.
Undergrad
Main intake
Postgrad
Main intake
Undergrad
Selected programmes
Postgrad
Selected programmes
Parnell is one of Auckland's oldest suburbs, with galleries and cafés along Parnell Road and the Parnell Rose Gardens nearby. Parnell train station connects to Britomart in the city in a few minutes.
Auckland is New Zealand's biggest city, spread across volcanic cones and two harbours. Rent is the main expense, and many students share flats in inner suburbs like Grafton, Newmarket or Mount Eden.
Offer of place from Whitecliffe
Proof of NZD 20,000 per year
Tuition fee receipt or evidence
Medical and chest X-ray certificates
Police certificate, if required
Passport valid three months beyond stay
Whitecliffe takes applications all year, but studio places are limited and portfolios are reviewed as they arrive. Apply four to six months ahead to allow time for the student visa.
The main intake is in February, with a July start for some undergraduate programmes.
A Fee Paying Student Visa from Immigration New Zealand. Show your offer, tuition payment and NZD 20,000 a year for living costs, plus medical and police certificates if asked.
Fine arts, fashion, design and the arts therapy master's are the main choices. Undergraduate applicants send a portfolio, secondary school results and IELTS 6.0. Postgraduate applicants need a relevant degree and IELTS 6.5; arts therapy also looks at interviews and relevant experience.
Whitecliffe has some scholarships and fee discounts for international students. Ask the international team which ones are open for your intake.
