Study Abroad at Victoria University of Wellington

I have only been living here a couple of weeks, but could not be happier with my decision to move abroad to study in Aotearoa. The faculty during orientation week at VUW welcomed us with open arms and gave us ample opportunities to get to know other international students and explore the city. All the students I have met at VUW have been so friendly and welcoming, but you definitely have to take the first step to build a real friendship. My professors have all been very fun and passionate about what they teach. The school work so far has not proved to be too difficult and the due dates for assignments are few and far between which I feel like has assisted the learning process to be more about the learning and less about the grading. I love living in the city of Wellington and being able to walk to everything I need and explore the cafes and eateries on foot. There is a wonderful bus system as well that has definitely come in handy when you don't want to carry your groceries up huge flights of stairs. The efforts in sustainability here have also been one of my favorite parts of living here as everyone really cares and does their part to reduce their waste. Groceries can be expensive at some supermarkets, so go to the Harbor Farmers Markets every Sunday instead to get cheap produce and then travel to Pak'n'save for the best deals on whatever else you need. My biggest pieces of advice are probably: buy really comfortable shoes (you'll walk a lot), wear a short sleeve under your jacket (its cold but you can be sweaty and places are always warm inside), and bring your own grocery bags. Oh and they don't have drip coffee here- just lattes, americanos, flat whites ect.

I absolutely loved my study abroad experience at VUW. My program is at the graduate level in Canada and undergraduate level in New Zealand, so there was an adjustment going from a graduate to undergraduate program for a semester. But the professors were generally lovely and I learned so much.
Wellington is a great place to live, and a fantastic jumping off point to explore New Zealand further (in-country flights can be very inexpensive!) I completely fell in love with Wellington, and my experience in study abroad was completely fantastic. I would highly recommend studying abroad at VUW for anyone, but especially those who love nature, culture, food, and wine.

Going to Victoria University for my student exchange was truly one of the great things that could have happened to me. I learnt so much - how there are so many things out in the world beyond the shores of my small country; the challenges and efforts of people in bridging Maori and Pakeha relations; the reality that learning does not have to be stressful and only about grades. Staying at Helen Lowry Hall, I've made some awesome friends who showed me how living in a community is about caring, sharing and making connections. Wellington is a really accessible city with plenty of nature trails and walks. All you need is your two feet to get to see some plenty awesome views that'll blow you away. Something that I miss a lot about New Zealand are the natural landscapes and the kind people I've met during my journeys around Aotearoa.

I adored everything about my study abroad. I made most of my friends at my hall. The RAs are incredibly interactive and sweet. The food wasn't amazing but it was still better than most of the food back home. Because of the friends I made, I always had a place to stay when I traveled during the tri breaks. I never had to pay for a hotel, just a bus ride. I was able to see Hobbiton, Rainbow Springs, and the Redwood Treewalk. I was down in Christchurch for a week, where I visited their adventure park, Hanmer Springs and a beach in Sumner. I attempted surfing. The classes themselves were amazing too. If you're sick, they understand you can't come to class. My professors all excelled in the fields they taught and brought in constant real-world expertise and advice. One of my professors was working at Weta, which in general just provides a really cool opportunity to learn from someone active in a field I'm interested in. I took some intense courses so sometimes I was overwhelmed but overall it was a great experience. I love what I learned, the people I met and the stunning views I was able to witness.

My time spent at Victoria University of Wellington was way beyond my expectations. Regarding the academics, the classes were relatively easy and that is even though English is not my first language. The teachers were easy to understand and always open to answer any questions. Also, the workload is not too much which allows you to go travelling and exploring the surrounding nature! The university's staff was always very nice and followed us through the first steps to the last day of exhange. Regarding the accommodation, I was with Stafford House, a university's residence. They organized a lot of activities, mainly in the beginning, allowing international students like me to meet other students and make friends easily. On the social scene, the people in New Zealand and Wellington are very nice, open, welcoming and ready to help. Wellington is the perfect little seaside city; everything is close and there is always something exciting to do. 10/10 for the study abroad program at Victoria University of Wellington, I'll always be grateful for this experience.

Overall, my abroad experience was amazing. I liked my home university more than my host, but for me, school was not the main focus of going abroad. I tried to travel New Zealand with my girlfriend as much as possible, and those trips were the best part of my abroad experience. The New Zealand landscape is incredibly varied, and all of it is beautiful. It also has some awesome wildlife such as dolphins, stick bugs, weka birds, star fish, Kia birds, (not-so-awesome) possums, jellyfish hedgehogs, (extinct) Moa birds, and so many birds in general. The Victoria University of Wellington Tramping Club was my favorite part about VUW. I would recommend it for exchange students wanting to meet new people and get out of the city to hike or rock climb.

From the ocean to the hills to the city skyline, it would be hard to imagine an environment more desirable to study in. Wellington truly has it all. From an American perspective, it boasts a San Francisco look and an Austin feel. Whether it be a beautiful walk down from Victoria's Kelburn campus, a unique concert on Cuba Street, or hanging out at Oriental Bay between classes, my abroad experience felt authentic and surreal. VUW also has a vibrant international student community; one which allowed me to meet many great friends from over seven different countries. This made for awesome travel possibilities, as we could jointly and affordably explore both islands during our stay. The local kiwis are some of the nicest people you will ever meet, and feeling at home in New Zealand is no problem at all. I will be forever grateful for the opportunity.

VicU has amazing faculty and studies! I have learned so much about Maori culture and psychology research there. I genuinely loved the learning experience.
I highly recommend any class with Dr. Peter Adds and Dr. Gina Grimshaw.
They are absolutely amazing lecturers and help you become engaged with the material.
However, it is also very isolating experience, and I had a rough time living at Stafford house.
They were very non-responsive towards our broken laundry and lost my important documents.
I would not have lived there if I had known how terrible it is.
I was struggling a lot with making friends and joining the community.
Even though I signed up with the buddy program, my buddy often flaked on our plans.
For the friends I have made, I got a chance to learn more about New Zealand life style and culture. I am very blessed to have met such amazing people in such a short time.