Message from the Director

Thank you for your interest in Bethlehem College.  I hope you will find all the relevant information here on our website, including enrolment, study and homestay procedures.

Bethlehem College International believes it is essential for young people to have a fully rounded education during their time with us in New Zealand, not only academically, but sporting, culturally and spiritually.  We have a number of staff who are here to help students achieve this.

As Director of International, I have oversight of the International Division on the Campus.  Mrs Del Miller, my Personal Assistant looks after applications, visas, insurance, timetables and any other queries students, parents or agents may have while Ms Loretta McCready, our Homestay Co-ordinator oversees the pastoral care of our students, with the support of Mrs Ngaire Reimers, Student Services Co-ordinator.  Ngaire also arranges travel to and from the students' countries for mid-year and end-of-year bookings and looks after students' health needs.

Loretta interviews each host family in accordance with the Ministry of Education's Code of Practice to ensure the student placed in their care will enjoy the experience of living with a New Zealand family.  Parents are required to have regular communication with their children and are encouraged to provide their children with calling cards so they can call home whenever they feel they need to.  All details of the host family including work, home and mobile phone numbers will be sent to the parents/agent before the student arrives in New Zealand.   For young students aged 11-13 years, it is a requirement of the Code of Practice for parents to be in telephone contact with their children at least once a week.

On the academic side we have Mrs Esther Blears, our Academic Dean who is responsible for ensuring all students are settled and coping with their courses.  She will also organise extra tuition for students who require it and help students with their applications for tertiary studies in New Zealand.

An Application Form, Fee Schedule, Conditions of Enrolment Form, Homestay Rules & Guidelines and the 2010 Term Dates can be downloaded from this website.  We ask that you read these documents carefully before sending the completed application form  and conditions of enrolment back to Bethlehem College International, along with any school reports or academic records.  Successful applicants will be forwarded an 'Offer of Place', along with an account for fees.

Students from overseas wishing to study in New Zealand must have a Student Visa.  This will be issued when your 'Offer of Place' to Bethlehem College and the Receipt for fees has been presented to a New Zealand Immigration Office, along with a completed application form for a Student Visa.

It is compulsory for international students enrolled at Bethlehem College to have medical insurance.  The school recommends the Uni-care Insurance Policy.  Details of this policy or translations of rates and benefits are available from the website: www.unicare.org/anztrans.html.

The international staff are available 24 hours per day to students and to families should an emergency arise.

We trust that parents will contact us if they have any concerns or issues they would like to discuss about their children and in turn, if we have any concerns regarding a student's well-being or progress, we will contact the parents and/or agent.   

Finally, we believe it is essential for students to be cared for as their family would while they are in these important years of their lives.  As Christians, we do our best to provide a caring, loving and supportive environment for them, not only at school, but also in their homestay families.  We also encourage you as parents to make at least one visit to New Zealand whilst your child is studying here.  It would be a wonderful opportunity to meet and get to know the family your child is living with, as well as visiting the School campus and meeting the teachers and pastoral care staff.

Thank you

Lynn Nicholls

B.Ed (Tchg with Distinction), Post Grad. Dip Second Language Teaching
Director, International
Bethlehem College