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5 Best Music & Performing Arts Universities in New Zealand

University of Auckland tops our list of 5 Music & Performing Arts universities in New Zealand at #65 in the QS World University Rankings 2026. Next come University of Otago (QS World #197) and Massey University (QS World #230). Across the whole list there are 10 courses to choose from.

5 universities · ranked best first

how we rank
1Best overall
AU University of Auckland logo
QS World #65 #1 in New Zealand Auckland, New Zealand

University of Auckland

Public University · 5 courses in Music & Performing Arts

All 5 courses →
NZD 36,500 – NZD 49,500/yrTuition (indicative)
1883Founded
46,000Students
9,000International
Admissions open
#65 QS World University Rankings 2026
#1 in New Zealand
3Top pick
MA Massey University logo
QS World #230 #3 in New Zealand Palmerston North, Manawatū-Whanganui, New Zealand

Massey University

Public University · 1 course in Music & Performing Arts

NZD 31,000 – NZD 41,500/yrTuition (indicative)
1927Founded
30,000Students
4,000International
Admissions open
#230 QS World University Rankings 2026
#3 in New Zealand

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How these universities are ranked

4 of these universities hold a QS World position, from #65 (University of Auckland) to #240 (Victoria University of Wellington); they are listed first, in that order. The rest are ordered by research impact. University of Auckland has the largest research record in this group, with 10,118,145 citations and an h-index of 772.

Public, private and where they are

The split is 5 public to 0 private institutions. By location, Auckland (1), Otago (1) and Manawatū-Whanganui (1) account for the most of those we can place. The oldest is University of Otago, founded in 1869. University of Auckland is the largest, with 46,000 students.

What the courses look like

The usual length is Full-time: 3 years; Part-time: Varies and Full-time: 4 years; Part-time: Varies. 100% are full-time. Start dates lean to Spring (100% of courses with a stated intake) and Summer (83% of courses with a stated intake). University of Auckland offers the widest choice, with 5 of these courses.

What it costs

We hold indicative fees for 4 of these universities. Massey University is the least expensive at USD 22,000 a year and University of Auckland the most at USD 26,000; the middle of the range is about USD 24,000. Check each university's own fee page before you budget — figures change every year.

Frequently asked questions

What are the top universities for Music & Performing Arts in New Zealand?

University of Auckland (QS World #65), University of Otago (QS World #197) and Massey University (QS World #230) lead this list. QS World positions come first; the rest are ranked by research impact.

Which is the cheapest university for Music & Performing Arts in New Zealand?

Of those with published fees, Massey University is the least expensive at about USD 22,000 a year. Fees are indicative — confirm on the university's site.

How many public universities offer Music & Performing Arts in New Zealand?

5 public and 0 private universities are on this list.

How long does a Music & Performing Arts course take in New Zealand?

Most listed courses run Full-time: 3 years; Part-time: Varies, with Full-time: 4 years; Part-time: Varies the next most common.

When do Music & Performing Arts courses start in New Zealand?

Spring is the main intake — 100% of courses with a stated start date begin then, and Summer is the second.

Which university has the most Music & Performing Arts courses in New Zealand?

University of Auckland, with 5, ahead of Victoria University of Wellington (2).

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