Are there any requirements regarding overseas internships, clinical placements, or work experience opportunities for international students?
I am an international student, but I'd like to gain clinical experience in Aotearoa | New Zealand. How can I approach this?
The Ministry of Health has confirmed that overseas physiotherapy students in New Zealand must abide by the laws of New Zealand.
Accordingly, overseas physiotherapy students seeking clinical placements/internship/work experience as part of their physiotherapy qualifications must arrange this through one of the Schools of Physiotherapy in New Zealand.
If an overseas student is accepted by a New Zealand School of Physiotherapy to undertake a clinical placement, that individual for the period of their placement in New Zealand, is considered a student of the New Zealand School of Physiotherapy, under the direct supervision of the New Zealand School.
If the Schools of Physiotherapy in New Zealand are unable to accommodate your request NO other type of arrangement is permissible. Any physiotherapists in New Zealand independently offering work experience and/or supervision would themselves be in breach of the legislation if the arrangement took place.
Information for Aotearoa | New Zealand physiotherapy clinics receiving enquiries from an overseas student of University
Occasionally, an Aotearoa | New Zealand physiotherapy clinic may receive an enquiry from an overseas student or University wanting to do their clinical placements, an internship, or gain work experience with them.
The Ministry of Health has confirmed that overseas physiotherapy students in Aotearoa | New Zealand must abide by the laws of Aotearoa | New Zealand.
Accordingly, overseas physiotherapy students seeking clinical placements, internships, or work experience as part of their physiotherapy qualifications must arrange this through one of the Schools of Physiotherapy in Aotearoa | New Zealand. You or your clinic must not make any prior arrangements or agreements to the international student or University. The Aotearoa | New Zealand School of Physiotherapy will make the decision on whether they will take legal responsibility of the applicant.
The Physiotherapy Board needs to be assured that students on physiotherapy placement are coming from an academic setting that is similar to ours here in Aotearoa | New Zealand. It is a legal requirement and is protection for the public, student, and supervising physiotherapist that they come under a Board accredited training programme.
The best advice we can give is to please not accept any international students or requests from overseas Universities for clinical placements, internships, or work experience – please contact one of the universities closest to your clinic to discuss this with them directly. Note that there is no guarantee that they will accept them.