Study Abroad at AUT University in New Zealand

The past 5 months living and studying here in Auckland, New Zealand has been the best experience of my life. AUT is unlike any other university and definitely prioritizes the well-being and academic success of it's students. If you are looking to study the Māori culture, AUT has one of the best Māori and Indigenous departments with great faculty that will give you an unforgettable experience. Kenneth Holt and his team at AUT's International Program are incredibly helpful and will go above and beyond to help you make a smooth transition to NZ. The campus is beautiful and it is right in the heart of the city so you have access to many things. There's nothing else quite like it! Studying at AUT is what made my study abroad experience the best!

New Zealand is an amazing country to study abroad in; I immediately felt at home. The country is small, but it has so many areas to explore, even within Auckland. The friends I have made here are amazing, and the experiences I have had are indescribable. After the first week of classes, I attended the International Noho Marae weekend which was one of the coolest events I have gone to here. The large group of international students and I spent the whole weekend learning about Maori culture while immersing ourselves in their traditions. This has been the longest period of time I have spent outside of my home country, the US, but it has had more impact on me than all of my time spent back home. And for those of my fellow right lane drivers, driving on the left side of the road is not as difficult as you may think. If you are even considering studying abroad in New Zealand, do it!

This program was amazing! I learned a lot about myself and would highly recommend it to everyone. I made so many new friends through my classes and travels, and it was so much fun to travel and see a different part of the world. Also, coming from America, it was amazing to see a country that actually cares about the environment and takes steps to see that it is taken care of. Kiwis are amazing to get to know, and they have such an amazing sense of humur. If you decide to come here, make sure to take classes that wouldn’t be available in your home country. Learning about Maori culture has been a huge highlight of my time here. If you are unable to take a class in Maori culture, AUT provides a weekend overnight to learn about it which is highly recommended by anyone who participated.

I am a student from the University of Vermont in America and I studied at AUT for semester 1 2019. The communication with all of the staff was great and very quick. The application process was a bit confusing but I got the help I needed from the international office. The housing accommodation at WSA is a wonderful atmosphere because people are always there having a good time. I travelled almost every weekend and got to see so much of New Zealand. Peterpans was my biggest go to for helping plan my adventures. I cannot wait to come back here one day and see even more of this beautiful country. I loved all of my classes and living in Auckland and I’m definitely upset to be leaving so soon. I’ll always be an AUT student and I’m thankful for my time here.

Overall, studying abroad at AUT has been a great experience. Through my program I was able to meet a lot of new people while also met many people on the first day of orientation. Even though orientation is a good way to meet new people, I felt that the workshops were not very helpful for students that are above first year because we had already learned this from a previous university. I also think that the AUT international club is a great way to meet new students from all around the world while also make the semester more exciting by doing the events coordinated. It was also nice having two full weeks for spring break to be able to plan travel to a new place to explore. I am grateful for having the opportunity to study abroad in New Zealand and make memories that last a lifetime.

The Study Abroad international department at AUT with Kenneth Holt is exceptional. For the Industrial design department, the lab staff and technical aids are also incredibly helpful, making it possible for you to be productive and create many ideas and products, bringing them to fruition. The School is centrally located and busses greatly aid transport to and from housing, even if you choose to live off campus in Auckland CBD. It is incredibly expensive for internationals, but to get outside your home country and explore New Zealand makes it a worthwile, once in a lifetime experience.

I would greatly recommend a working holiday Visa, as this allows you to also experience the work life in New Zealand which is unique. Getting to understand Kiwis on an occupational level.

Getting in to AUT, is like all other universities a process. But AUT have made it easy with a very nice and present staff group for international applicants. Not only are they good and fast at answering questions, but they also remember you and get to know you when you arrive to Auckland.

Studying at AUT gives you a broad insight of New Zealand. Both from classmates and in class. You learn a lot about the culture, the Maori history, and as a health student i now know a lot about the NZ health- system, and problems.

AUT create a space for all exchange and study abroad students to meet. They facilitate social gathering and events.

AUT offers a wide variety of papers, making it possible to select appropriate subjects for your major, while also allowing fun papers. However, some subjects are '' locked '' and cannot be taken by exchange and abroad students.

To understand my story it is necessary to explain that back in Germany we have also several campuses and as lucky as I am, I have the possibility to study at the oldest building the university have.

So I arrived in Auckland and was so impressed by the huge building WT building at the corner Queenstreet/Wakefieldstreet/Rutlands Street. Then...when I needed to wait at the main entrance for an appointment and nobody came, I asked google for more of the AUT.

My friend google told me that the main city campus was a few meters further. And than I recognize that the AUT is more than just one building. Okay, maybe my preperation before was weak. I was just so surprised about the campus that I was sending pictures to all my friends and family where I'am going to study. And believe me, if I am looking forward to study everybody is confused, but when they saw the pictures they could understand me. So then after this first impression, my first classes started. I was very nervous, because I was just thinking how I would understand the lecturer . I had 3 courses and after I had understand about 90% of the lecture I was surprised. I mean, I was thinking I'm great ! After I recognized that my lectures are not Kiwi's I understood that I am less great, but it was still fact that my anxiety not to understand them was for nothing. Also I never hear a international student saying, that they can't understand the lecturers.

So the biggest anxiety was gone and there was one more...the social aspect. How I can get friends, what should I talking about ? And that was the third surprise for me. The AUT has such a big and great support for international students. Not only that Kenneth, our abroad supervisor help me every time with all questions, the international students support at the AUT organized the whole semester events for us. So its was easy to meet new people and make friends.The first week was an introduction week. This was the first time you can see all students who are beginning their study and also were new at the university. Not only abroad students.This week was a very big help too. The university inform us about everything what was important for us such medical support at the campus, searching a accommodation, international support, the campus at self and much more. A further very great help for the AUT and for the abroad students are got the get out ! There is a great and strong cooperation between the AUT an got to get out, so the students get the opportunity to meet new people on outdoor trips, while surfing hicking or sailing or do many other things. Sure, everybody can be a part of this trip, but I think I would never know about such trips, if I wasn't a student of AUT. Also many of the trips are currently around Auckland.

So the anxiety not to be social left me fast. One more big and great thing is the facebook group for abroad students. Especially for the beginning it is a great help to find new friends and to ask question to other abroad students. It is such a place where you can find help from people which do the same as you. In particular at the beginning of the semester everybody wants to find new people and many people ask for for others who want to joint them to go out, to drink a beer, to hike, to make a weekend trip. So to sum it up. I came as a freelancer to the AUT, that means that I did not have the support from my home university. But I recognize fast that I do not need it. because the support of the AUT was so strong that it was more then enough. Every question was answered by lecturers, the "supervisor" and the international office on the campus. They even help me to find the right courses, suggested opportunities and even send me my schedule in advance. If I would tell you what you else have at the university it would be to much. This was just short and a bit of this what you get at the AUT. But this is what is very important for abroad students.