Study Abroad at AUT University in New Zealand

Living in hostels is the best way to make friends, but also the worst way to study. Plan out as much as you can before you arrive (living arrangements, work/money, phone plans, etc) so your time abroad can be spent having fun instead of struggling to survive.
I am proud to say attending AUT was the highlight of my journey! The staff are very helpful and friendly and the school offers a very positive and welcoming atmosphere.

Travelling to New Zealand on my own was one of the biggest challenges of my life. I had mixed feelings about it, however, most of them were positive. Today, I can say that it was the best decision I have ever made, because that expirience has made me stronger and more confident. New Zealand is an amazing and open country with plenty of different nationalities, where you don't feel like a stranger, because everyone is so warm and helpful. AUT is a very modern, business minded university. The focus lays on teamwork and continuity. Furthermore, the university takes really good care of the international students, doing everything for them to integrate with each other. One of the events created by AUT that made the international students really close to each other was the internatiolan Noho Marae, which is a weekend where you learn about Maori (Native New Zealanders) culture. From the very beginning we were treated as a part of the family and all the social barriers disappeared. We have learned Maori songs, dances and did other activities with the other students and I think all of us will remember this weekend for the rest of their lives with a smile on their faces. Moreover, the staff at the international center are very friendly and helpful, which makes the process of applying and the stay at AUT much easier. I would highly recommend AUT to everybody, because I believe that this university suits any individuals' needs.

When it comes to choosing a location to study abroad, I do not regret coming to New Zealand. As an American, being able to experience the unique landscapes and mentalities that this region provides was incredible. When it comes to academics, the Maori papers I took changed my perspective on so many aspects of my life and I couldn't recommend them any more. The only downsides that I found during my time here was the lack of activities to do inside the city during my free time. AUT does not offer many extracurricular clubs which makes it difficult to become involved in things and meet many kiwis outside of your living arrangements. The other struggle is that Auckland as a city is not very big and in order to truly experience what this country has to offer you need to get outside the city limits. However, the public transit here is not very conducive for doing this or leading you to sites for tramps or camping so often I have found you will need to rent a car in order to get to these places. These trips add up very quickly so make sure to try and fill your car and condense as much as you can into your trips. Must do: Tongariro Crossing!

The university is very modern and have good facilities. There are silent study areas at the library, group study rooms, and a lot of computer labs equipped with Mac computers and all necessary programmes (Adobe, Word, Excel etc.). Also, there are cafes, food shops, and a book store on campus.

AUT is a multicultural university with students from all over the world. There are always many people at the university, and students are often working until late at night. The atmosphere at AUT makes you want to study hard.

Generally, I believe the academic level is high. One of the most challenging parts of my papers, Journalism, PR Communication, and Reputation Management, was that all examples, cases, discussions etc. in class were from New Zealand. That they only used examples from New Zealand sometimes made it difficult for me to understand what they talked about and to participate in the discussions. I never thought about this before leaving to New Zealand. It was challenging but I learned a lot from it.

The International Office was very helpful and created a Facebook page for all exchange and study abroad students. Here you could ask questions and etc. Also, the staff answered quickly when contacting them by email.

AUT organised a Noho Marae Weekend for International students, where we learned about the Maori culture. Students taking the Noho Marae paper had priority and the rest of the places were filled out afterwards. This semester it was the 30th Noho Marae, and we had dinner at AUT Saturday night, where we performed with singing and dancing. In the beginning of June, the people who participated had a farewell dinner together.

AUT has been one of the best experiences in my life.

I've really found a whānau at AUT. It's a place where I've made lasting not relationships and had an experience of a lifetime. I am an abroad student who has never felt safer at a university than I have here. It's a place that values cultural reciprocity, it's students, and engaging students in meaningful academics. The international Noho Marae class was really powerful for me because I was able to immerse myself in the native culture of New Zealand and create a whānau that would support me for the rest of my journey here

Kia Ora! Studying abroad here at AUT in Auckland has been amazing! It has been far better than I could have ever thought and it makes me sad to think I have to leave this country to to back to America. I have been able to travel around New Zealand, create new memories, and meet people from all around the world! I took International Noho Marae and Te Ara Pou Leadership, which were both the best courses I have ever taken. I learned so much about the Maori culture, and would do the international nohoe mare weekend all over again! Thank you New Zealand for an incredible journey and experience that I will always hold close to my heart!

-Alex J.

I really enjoyed my semester at AUT! It was one of the best experiences I've ever made!!
Even though the way of teaching is completely different from what german unis do, , I got used to it within the first few weeks! Almost all of the lecturers were really helpful and understanding!
Especially labs, tutorials and projects helped me to get a better understanding of problems!
Semester is almost over and I don't want to leave! I met some really awesome people I can call my friends now and I'll really miss them !!

When I look at my semester at the AUT my conclusion is really good . Especially the work of Kenneth and Sam is one of the best experiences. Both did a really good job at supporting my study. Furthermore I like the techlab of the university. It is alway a PC ready to be used and you don't have to wait. Moreover the different locations like the library, treehouse and the sections I between have a good design and help to motivate for the paper and a create location for group work. Obviously the housing condition is a huge drawback of the university and the support of the university to find suitable houses is maybe 10%. In addition the information flow if assignments are passed is sometimes bad. To summarize the experience was good the lectures are willing to help, there is enough time for exploring nz and the support of Kenneth and sam is perfect. 10/10