Schools invited to join the Korea-New Zealand Digital School Exchange Programme

The programme, delivered in partnership with the Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education (Seoul MOE) and Learn English Live (LEL), connects New Zealand students in Years 7-9 with their peers in South Korea through a series of interactive online exchanges.

Up to 10 New Zealand schools will be selected to take part. Each participating group will join four one‑hour Zoom sessions held weekly from 11 May to 8 June 2026. Sessions will be scheduled between 12pm and 3pm NZT to accommodate both time zones. Participation is free of charge.

The exchanges typically involve 20-25 students per school, matching the standard class size of Korean partner schools. New Zealand schools wishing to involve more students may form additional groups of around 20 students each.

ENZ and Seoul MOE work closely with LEL, which coordinates communication with participating schools, schedules exchange times, prepares teachers and students, and facilitates each session. Topics covered range from language and cultural sharing to UN Sustainable Development Goals projects, STEM activities and global citizenship themes. New Zealand teachers have consistently noted the benefit of not needing to prepare or deliver session content themselves.

 Why join? 

• Promote your school to a South Korean audience for free 

• Showcase New Zealand’s unique education environment and culture 

• Engage your students in a hybrid STEM and cultural exchange 

• No added work to your teaching load – LEL takes care of all the admin and logistics, allowing you to simply show up with your classroom and enjoy the global learning experience 

Teachers in previous rounds praised the programme for its smooth delivery and the enthusiasm it sparked in their classrooms, and the programme’s blend of STEM learning and cultural exchange has been highlighted as a key strength.

Check out the story from the previous programme here

Is this right for your school?

The programme is a great fit for schools looking to build long-term relationships with Korean partner schools, particularly those with strengths in social studies, cultural or global studies, languages or global citizenship education.

It also offers a valuable opportunity to promote your school in Korea in a meaningful, low-pressure and no-cost way that can attract potential international students over the long term.

Timeframes

Applications close: Friday, 20 March 2026, 11:59pm

Selection process: 23-25 March 2026

Notification of outcome: Wednesday, 25 March 2026

Next steps: Selected schools will receive a detailed guide from LEL from April 2026

Schools interested in joining the programme can submit an Expression of Interest (EOI) via the link provided or by scanning the accompanying QR code.

Submit your EOI here or scan the QR Code below. 

If you have any questions, please contact ENZ’s Alana Pellow at alana.pellow@enz.govt.nz or Learn English Live’s William Clarke at info@learnenglish-live.com.