AIFS Study Abroad Program in New Zealand and Fiji
Come study with AIFS on the Southern tip or the northern island of New Zealand. Victoria University in Wellington is an amazing destination to study abroad, with so many adventures awaiting outdoor travelers. Courses are predominantly based around Maori and Pacific studies in humanities, social sciences and science.
Spend the first 11 days of the trip, prior to starting classes, in Suva, Fiji with a local host family. Explore what these two unique Oceania countries have to offer over the course of your stay. Check out the AIFS website for more information on how to get started today!
Everything you thought you knew becomes slightly different. You realize the things you take for granted. You realize how lucky you are to be alive and have this opportunity. You learn what it means to be alive. - Nicole Francis, AIFS alumna
Reviews
90%Overall
Rating
100%Overall
Rating
I highly recommend going to Victoria University of Wellington. The classes are interesting and while I learned a lot, I would not say it was harder than my home university. The city always has something going on to the beach, shopping, mountains. I made some of the best friends in my life through the study abroad experience. New Zealand truly is one of the most beautiful countries in the world especially Wellington. Wellington is easy enough to get around through the transportation and was always very safe. The housing that Victoria University offers is very different depending on if you want a house, apartment or dorm. There are various housing locations throughout the whole city. Victoria also has student activities and many clubs that students are able to join to make their experience the best imaginable.
Users who viewed this program also viewed...
Alumni Interviews
Interview with Nicole Francis, AIFS alumna in NZ
GO: Why did you decide to study abroad with AIFS at VUW in NZ?
Nicole: I chose to study abroad with AIFS because it is an all inclusive program. It provides me with the support I felt I would need going to a different country. They provided transportation and representatives at each country to meet me at the airport. AIFS also provided opportunities for optional excursions that I took advantage of. A lot of the students that I met in different countries that were studying abraod with different organizations didn't have as many opportunities as I did to immerse myself into the culture tahrough these excursions. Most importantly I knew that if anything went wrong along the way that AIFS would be responsible because I paid them to make sure that everything was taken care of and that I would be safe in my travels!
GO: What made your study abroad experience unique and special?
Nicole: This experience is unique and special for obvious reasons. I lived in a different country on my own for five months. Just proving to myself and others that I could do it successfully means a lot to me. It also proves my independence. Having studied different cultures makes me unique in my field of profession, which is Psychology. It is crucial to have multi-cultural competence in this field of work or any field that involves interacting with diverse groups people.
When applying for jobs and internships, employers are interested in my time abroad. It really makes me stand out when compared to other potential employees or interns. I think it shows a great level of committment to go through with something like this. Leaving behind everything that I have ever known, my home and loved ones was very difficult at times, but ultimately in the end I knew I did this for myself and no one else.
I have interacted and made many friends outside of my comfort zone. It is amazing how close you can become to complete strangers in one semseter. These people become your family. What is really special about this experience is the fact that you get to start a new chapter of your life. You can be whoever you want to be somewhere new with people who you have never met before. Every one of the other study abroad students that I met were also in the same position. It is chance to reinvent yourself and branch out. It allows you to distance yourself from everything you thought you knew and find out who you are and what you stand for. I knew that if I could do this, I could do anything. I am proud of myself and my experiences!
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Nicole: This experience has impacted my life in ways that I cannot even begin to describe in words. When I go to talk about my experience, I become overwhelmed with emotions. I can honestly say that I am so proud of myself for this. When you go to different countries and physically see the differences with your own eyes, you begin to look at the world differently. You gain new perspectives. Everything you thought you knew becomes slightly different. You realize the things you take for granted. You realize how lucky you are to be alive and have this opportunity. You learn what it means to be alive.
Allowing yourself to meet different kinds of people and to try things you never thought you would in your entire life is the best feeling in the world. It is truly liberating. What is so special about this experience is that those memories that you made are your own. No one else can know what you saw and felt while you were doing it. Nobody else I know can tell me what it is like stand on top the Sydney Harbour Bridge looking out at that beautiful opera house when only a couple of years ago that was something I only dreamt of, or what it is like to sit on the top of a moutain in New Zealand after one of the most difficult hikes of my life and look out to nothing but the open ocean and smell freedom. That is what makes me unique.
Interview with Kelley E, AIFS alumna in New Zealand
GO: Why did you decide to study abroad with AIFS at VUW in NZ?
Kelley: I decided to go with AIFS because of the many program opportunities that AIFS offered throughout the semester at VUW. AIFS was very helpful during the process helping students to assist in setting up classes and housing. I went with New Zealand because of the many travel opportunities the country has. New Zealand is said to be the adventure country of the world as well as being the most beautiful country in the world.
VUW was a great school choice because the school environment was great. VUW had events for international students as well as many clubs to join. The main reason I picked my program was for the capital city Wellington. The city is one of the most beautiful places I have lived and the environment was amazing. There was always something going on in the city to keep students busy. AIFS really helped to set up the students very well when we first arrived in our new home.
GO: What made your study abroad experience unique and special?
Kelley: Before arriving in New Zealand, I really liked that there was a program stay in Fiji. It was a nice transition to life in the pacific as well as a nice time to bond with the other AIFS students. AIFS also planned trips with our group so we got to see other parts of New Zealand which was a great experience. My experience was so special because of the people I met. I made some of the best friends in my life through study abroad.
The people of New Zealand also helped to make the experience great by being very kind and welcoming. My experience was so unique from other study abroad experiences due to the travel. On my spring break and on many weekends I was able to rent a car and drive around the country. Being able to take the travel experience in your own hands and travel on your own is amazing. I spent two weeks driving around the whole south Island seeing as much as possible of New Zealand.
GO: How has this experience impacted your future?
Kelley: This experience helped my future in many ways. Personally I learned so much about myself, and about the world. Having the opportunity to live on the other side of the world really taught me to be independent and responsible. Professionally I learned more about what I would like to do with my profession. I would love to continue to travel and even go back to New Zealand. On a resume it looks great that I have done a study abroad, and the interviews I have had asked me about my experience. Academically I learned a lot about life in the pacific. I learned about New Zealand history as well as many other neighboring islands. This experience truly shaped my future to a positive one.
Check out Kelley's video of her study abroad experience in New Zealand with AIFS:
Further Info
About AIFS Study Abroad
Founded in 1964, AIFS prides itself as an industry leader in providing summer, semester, and academic year study abroad programs. AIFS sends nearly 5,000 undergraduates every month to study abroad in one of 23 AIFS international campuses.
Programs are available in Argentina, Australia, Austria, Botswana, Brazil, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czech Republic, England, France, Germany, Greece, India, Ireland, Italy, New Zealand, Peru, Russia, South Africa, Spain, Turkey, as well as multi-country programs. AIFS offers Gap Year programs, along with internships and volunteer opportunities abroad. With locations throughout the world, AIFS College Study Abroad is able to offers high-quality, college-level courses in subject areas as diverse as Islamic Studies, French Cinema, business and engineering.
All of Their Programs
Program Information
Related Programs
-
100% Overall Rating - 5 Reviews
-
100% Overall Rating - 5 Reviews
-
93% Overall Rating - 4 Reviews
-
100% Overall Rating - 4 Reviews
-
97% Overall Rating - 3 Reviews
I chose to live in a flat with four other people and learned to love each one of my roommates for their uniqueness and willingness to adventure! My house was located in the hills that looked out around Wellington Harbour. From my back porch I could look down into the city, which was about a 5 minute walk away. The view was absolutely breath taking and I still dream about it to this day! I lived with another student who was from New Zealand, and I found that to be particularly helpful as well. He showed us around the town, and introduced us to other people from New Zealand.
My house was about a 5 minute walk from Victoria University. I attended an international orientation at the beginning of my stay, which was really helpful. We toured the campus and got a feel for where our classes would be. The support that was provided not only through AIFS, but Victoria University was outstanding. I felt comfortable asking for help and being in a different environment.
The course load I found was challenging because the style was not what I am use to. I felt that I completed a lot of essays and research for the majority of my classes. The professors did not really assign busy work at all. I had no problem confronting any of my professors if I needed help. I took a Political course and found it particularly challenging. Being aware of the upper level courses could have benefited me in the long run, however, like I said, the professors were willing to work with me on a regular basis. They found it quite humorous that I ended up in this class without any prior knowledge or understanding of their governing system.
Some issues I encountered were being left in New Zealand and having no means of transportation to the airport when it was time to leave for Sydney. When I arrived in Sydney, no one was there to pick us and no hostel was booked anywhere. We walked around Sydney with our luggage from 5 months. I found this to be quite frustrating and unbecoming of a company whose job is to accommodate and safely guide students in their study abroad experience. In the end, it was all a part of the journey and it is important to know and understand what needs to be done when things like this occur. Students need to be prepared and have the means to provide themselves with food and shelter in situations like this.
I spent some time in Fiji as well. Two of the representatives for AIFS Maina and Lili were absolutely wonderful. They took us and offered advice when we needed it. Being in a country like Fiji can be a little intimidating at times. They did their best to assure us that we would be safe. I still keep in touch with both of these ladies today and consider them to be my really good friends. I stayed with a host family and it was a really interesting and beautiful experience. I was not sure what to expect. My host mother was a professor at the University of South Pacific where I took some crash courses. I felt right at home and Laijipa was so sweet! She provided us with meals and made sure we enjoyed our stay. Some of the other students did not get the luxury of hot water in some of the families that they stayed with.
I had the time of my life and have grown in more ways then I have ever expected. Not in a million years did I think that I would be able to say that I lived and studied in New Zealand. Learning about the Maori culture and way of life was unbelievable.
I would recommend anyone to this program! I would even love to do it again!