Albany Junior High School（奥尔巴尼中学）New Zealand Study Guide: Programs, Entry Requirements, Costs and Student Life

This guide is for international families considering Albany Junior High School（奥尔巴尼中学）, a state junior high school in Auckland, New Zealand, for a student in Years 7 to 10. Every fact below comes from the school's official website and its 2026 International Students Arrival Booklet, accessed on August 5, 2026. One boundary to keep in mind throughout: what Albany Junior High School says about itself can only describe the school itself — it is not evidence for rankings, cross-school comparisons, or industry conclusions. ## Albany Junior High School at a Glance: A Junior High on Auckland's North Shore Albany Junior High School (AJHS) is a New Zealand state junior high school in the Albany suburb of Auckland's North Shore, at 19 Appleby Road, Albany, Auckland 0632. It teaches Years 7 to 10 — the two-year intermediate block (Years 7–8) plus the first two years of secondary schooling (Years 9–10). The school describes its community as celebrating more than 40 nationalities and cultures, with an international student body drawn mainly from Korea, Japan, China, Thailand and Russia, according to its own website. Albany Junior High School also maintains a sister-school relationship with Aoba Elementary School in Fukuoka, Japan. Contact details published on the site are +64 9 415 5473 and office@ajhs.school.nz. The school runs an international department with a director, a homestay coordinator, ESOL teachers and liaison staff, and its 2026 Arrival Booklet lists a 24/7 emergency contact line (+64 9 414 4455). ## Curriculum and Programs: From Integrated Years 7–8 to Option-Based Years 9–10 Albany Junior High School structures its learning in two stages. In Years 7 and 8, students are taught in homerooms for English, Social Studies, Physical Education, Health and Performing Arts, with specialist teachers for Mathematics, Science, Music, Visual Arts, Technology and Languages. The school says its English programme is underpinned by Structured Literacy in both years, using explicit, systematic instruction to build reading, writing, spelling and oral language. In Years 9 and 10, Albany Junior High School moves to a more traditional senior-school model: every subject is taught by a specialist teacher, with a weekly core of Mathematics, English, Science, Humanities and PE, plus six option subjects chosen by the student — three in the first semester and three in the second. The school also runs a four-year Education Outside the Classroom (EOTC) programme that includes a camp at every year level, and provides an ESOL programme for international students, with a dedicated ESOL head and teachers listed in the international department. ## Entry Requirements and the Application Process for International Students International students apply through the international forms on the school's website rather than the domestic enrolment system. The enrolment page asks all applicants to upload documents labelled as ID, proof of address and school report, in JPG, PDF or Word format and no larger than 8MB each, before an interview; the interview is held at school with parents and the student, and Albany Junior High School asks families to bring an in-person translator if their English is not yet sufficient. The school says students who want to be considered for its enrichment classes must enrol before October of the calendar year and sit the entry tests. For domestic applicants, the school's enrolment page explains that out-of-zone places are decided by ballot, with the 2027 ballot closing at 3pm on Wednesday 2 September 2026 and drawn by randomised software the same day; international families follow the international application route instead. On arrival, new international students join an orientation programme that typically includes an English test to determine their level, a school tour and their timetable. Albany Junior High School's 2026 Arrival Booklet states that international students are required to maintain 100% attendance. ## Term Dates 2026 and the Shape of a School Day Albany Junior High School publishes its term dates for 2026 as follows: Term 1 runs 30 January to 2 April (new students and Years 7 and 10 start on 30 January, all students from 2 February); Term 2 runs 20 April to 3 July; Term 3 runs 20 July to 25 September; and Term 4 runs 12 October to early December, with year levels finishing on 8, 9 or 10 December. Public holidays noted on the school's calendar include Waitangi Day (6 February), ANZAC Day (27 April), King's Birthday (1 June) and Labour Day (26 October). The school day runs from an 8:40am Whānau (tutor group) period through five periods to a 3:15pm finish, with interval and lunch breaks; the Arrival Booklet gives the full weekly timetable. Whānau groups also serve as the pastoral home base, and the school notes in its health pages that its Health Centre, staffed by a Student Health Coordinator, is open daily from 8:30am to 2:00pm. ## Costs for 2026: Tuition, Administration Fee and Homestay Albany Junior High School publishes its 2026 international fee schedule on its International Fees page. Tuition fees are NZ$20,000 per year, payable annually in advance. A non-refundable administration fee of NZ$2,000 (15% GST included) covers school administration, the school ID card, the yearbook, a student organiser book, a subject fee (textbooks and stationery not included) and the basic uniform (two shirts, one pair of shorts, one PE top and shorts, and one jacket or hoodie). The school also lists a government levy of NZ$440.20 per year. International students are not asked to pay school donations. Additional compulsory costs vary by year level and include medical and travel insurance depending on the policy selected, the yearly school camp fee, subject stationery, school trips, and travel to, from and within New Zealand; extra-curricular activities are user-pays. Homestay accommodation costs NZ$420 per week, which includes a $20 contribution supporting the homestay programme; there is also a one-off homestay placement fee of NZ$450 per year (GST included) and a designated caregiver application fee of NZ$450 per year. Host families receive $400 per week, per the school's homestay information. ## Student Life: Homestay Living, Transport and Everyday Routines Most international students at Albany Junior High School live with a New Zealand homestay family, matched by the school's homestay coordinator to preferences noted in the enrolment application. The 2026 Arrival Booklet explains the practical side of living with a host family: your host provides all meals, you make your own lunch, dinner is typically between 5pm and 7pm, and students are expected to help around the house as a family member would. Homestay students must arrive home by 6pm — or before dark in winter — unless at a pre-arranged activity approved by the caregiver and the international office, and need permission to travel outside Auckland. For getting around, students use the Auckland Transport AT HOP card for discounted bus, train and ferry fares, and can register for student concessions with their school ID card. Medical and travel insurance is compulsory for all international students while in New Zealand, and the booklet explains how to claim through the school. The school also describes sport and music options — sports registration is handled through the sports office, and most sports fees are paid separately from international fees. ## Support, Pastoral Care and Where to Take Concerns Albany Junior High School structures international support around its international department, whānau leaders, guidance counsellors and ESOL staff. The school's website lists its pastoral resources, including the pastoral care requirements of New Zealand's Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021, the International Student Contract Dispute Resolution Scheme and the iStudent Complaints website. The Arrival Booklet advises students on who to see for academic, homestay, social or health concerns, and states that an independent adult advocate is provided during any complaint investigation. The school also sets out a staged discipline framework in the booklet, from teacher- and homestay-managed minor issues through to formal monitoring and, in the most serious cases, termination of enrolment. Albany Junior High School encourages students to join sports teams, cultural groups and trips, and its website notes the school community's focus on academic achievement, ESOL programmes and pastoral care for international students. ## Timeliness and Next Steps All facts in this guide were taken from Albany Junior High School's official website pages and its 2026 International Students Arrival Booklet, accessed on August 5, 2026 — the school's fee schedule, term dates and enrolment arrangements can change with each school year, so please treat the school's latest published version as authoritative before making decisions. Albany Junior High School's application path differs by year level, arrival date and accommodation choice, and the 2026 fees above are for the calendar year 2026. If you would like help mapping your own timeline, materials list or homestay questions, our advisors can walk through the specifics with you.