Study Abroad at Massey University

Study Abroad at Massey University

4.67 · 18 reviews
Location
  • New Zealand
    • Wellington
    • Palmerston North
    • Auckland
Term
Academic Year, Fall, Spring

Program Details

Program Type
Direct Enrollment
Degree Level
Bachelors Masters
Housing
Apartment Dormitory
Language
English

Pricing

$7,925
Price Details
2025 programme fee: NZ $12,700
What's Included
Accommodation Classes Wifi
Aug 27, 2024
Apr 20, 2026
19 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Massey University is one of New Zealand’s largest universities with more than 25,000 students, including 3,500 international students from over 100 countries. Massey is New Zealand’s only fully multi-campus institution, with locations in Auckland, Palmerston North, and Wellington and is the country’s leading university for Online Education.

We offer more than 100 degrees, diplomas, and certificates through our colleges of Business, Health, Humanities and Social Sciences, Creative Arts, and Sciences. Our research and academic programmes link closely with industry, society, and global issues. Massey graduates are innovative, connected, and creative thinkers

Massey is characterized by the applied nature of many of its teaching and research programs and by its specific expertise in the fields of Agribusiness, Design, Biological Sciences, Business, Creative Arts, Social Sciences, and Sports and Exercise Science.

Program Highlights

  • Internships are available in media companies, for-profit businesses, community arts agencies, sports organisations, government departments, global non-profits, and with our team in Massey’s Office of Global Engagement.
  • Massey offers campus accommodation options in all three cities, including Halls of Residence, Residential Complexes, Apartments, Units and Homestay. Support staff on each of the campuses can provide expert advice on all accommodation options.
  • Global Student-Athlete offers students the opportunity to work with our High-Performance Trainers and the other athletes in the programme while they study at Massey University.

Program Reviews

4.67 Rating
based on 18 reviews
  • 5 rating 72.22%
  • 4 rating 22.22%
  • 3 rating 5.56%
  • 2 rating 0%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.05
  • Support 4.4
  • Fun 4.4
  • Housing 4
  • Safety 4.8
Showing 1 - 8 of 18 reviews
Daniel
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Massey University Study Abroad

Yuka and the international team were second to none.

Palmerston North is well situated to travel the North Island and easy access to the South Island. I would recommend getting a car or befriending someone with one as it allows you to travel around easily.

New Zealand has so much natural beauty to explore. This exchange is perfect for someone adventurous who enjoys the outdoors. I would recommend joining the Alpine Club, I met so many amazing people and they have some great trips.

I would highly recommend studying at Massey, I had an amazing time and met some great people.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
A lot of the classes are primarily online so I would make sure to enrol in more classes with in person teaching in order to meet more people.
Pros
  • Nature
  • Outdoors
  • Adventure
28 people found this review helpful.
Katie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Massey University Study Abroad

I had a great experience studying at Massey in Palmerston North. The orientation week for international students allowed me to meet so many friends and the staff, especially Yuka, were so helpful and welcoming. While there is not a whole lot to do in Palmerston North itself, it is a perfect location for access to so many cool places in only a few hours, such as the Ruahines, Taranaki, Wellington, Lake Waikaremoana, Tongariro, etc. This made weekend trips to explore easy and exciting, though a car is necessary. During the week, there were lots of activities and clubs on campus, and professors were very kind and knowledgeable. Overall, the highlight of my experience was the friends I made and getting to explore New Zealand with them!

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
We got to see wild kiwis in a regional reserve!
Pros
  • Lots of hiking and outdoor exploring
  • Smooth transition moving in with lots of support, resources, and information
  • Diverse courses offered
Cons
  • Limited activities in Palmerston North
  • Frequent rainy & cold weather in Palmerston North
  • Limited options in the dining hall
31 people found this review helpful.
Mia
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Had a great time!

As a zoology student, the professors at Massey's Manawatu campus was perfect for me. If you want a larger campus with a more active social scene, this may not be the place for you, but if you like hiking, the Alpine Club's a great place to meet people and explore the North Island. The challenge of my academic courses varied wildly based off of the level of class, where a 100 level class was perhaps the least I've ever worked on a college class, as opposed to my 300 level class, which saw many afternoons in the library.

The food scene at Manawatu was about as good as I could have hoped for. There's plenty of cafes to study at and a decent selection of cuisine. When choosing where to dorm, absolutely try to find a dorm that has an en-suite kitchen, as opposed to communal kitchens, which I did not enjoy using. I did not purchase a food pass, and I think that was the right move; I did not hear stellar reviews from Manawatu's campus food.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
- Make sure your credits transfer over the way you want them to BEFORE you leave. DO NOT assume that a class with the same name at one school will transfer for the same credit at your home uni

- Day 1 figure out a phone plan, the bus system, and which ATMs have the best currency exchange rates

- Join the school's outdoor/wildlife/hiking club. They often do field trips and weekend hikes

- If you're ever stuck thinking about whether or not you should do a trip, event, tour, etc. ask yourself when you'll be back. Take advantage of being abroad
Pros
  • Made friends that I still keep in contact with
  • Got to see so much wildlife
  • Learned a lot about how to set up all the essentials when moving to a new place
Cons
  • NZ cuisine can be a little limiting, it's near impossible to find good cuisine from anywhere in the Americas
  • Isolation from friends, family, and support systems caused some mental downers
  • Very chaotic moving in week
27 people found this review helpful.
Melanie
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A good school to attend

I liked Massey University. Given that New Zealand is small, it’s a big school. The actual management was not good. It was extremely difficult to sign up for classes because they did not help. I liked the community but the school was not great. Be prepared to be stressed for awhile if you’re going to attend. Aside from management, the community was great. They are all very welcoming and they have fun residence hall games. The program allowed me to join clubs and experience life in New Zealand. I recommend joining the alpine club as it’s a good way to explore the nature within this gorgeous country.

What would you improve about this program?
The management was not good. I had many issues with classes and even when I was able to get my classes, I had issues with my ID and was unable to use the bus for the first couple of weeks because they make you submit a picture and then take a week to process it. Only to tell you it’s no good.
260 people found this review helpful.
Yihang
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Studying in Massey Univ

International students are welcomed by Massey University. The registry process is smoothful and the classes are interactive and interesting. Preparations for final exams are not stressful at all. Massey University has a very nice library because it is warm and clean at any time. I studied 4 courses from different fields in Massey University and all the professors and course coordinators are kind and friendly. Students feel free to express ideas and ask questions. After class, professors and students communicate by e-mails. The reply letter is within 24 hours for sure. Besides both distance and internal students can start and doscuss a topic in the forums of courses in StreamSite System of Massey University. Massey studetns also have a MasseyUniv App. Students can check the class timetable, campus map and incoming activities. That's convenient.

What was your funniest moment?
The annual Mid-Autumn Festival supported by the Finance College was amazing. Lots of Asian friends came and celebrated this event together. We had fun gussing riddles and eating moon cakes.
252 people found this review helpful.
Response from Massey University

Kia ora Yihang, it's great to hear you enjoyed your time with us at Massey University and enjoyed the academic and social aspects. We hope you treasure your memories with us!

Kind regards,
Shivani Rajan

Maslin
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Life Changing Experience

For me studying abroad was always a dream of mine and I was always tied to going to New Zealand. I didn’t put a lot of effort into finding a school here other than what my home university offered and what classes were offered here. I think I got very lucky with Massey University - Albany. I didn’t realize how small the school was, but I was pleasantly surprised at how nice it was to have a small school while studying abroad. It allows you to meet new people and actually see them again throughout campus. I ended up taking third year courses here which offered up another unique experience for me given most people studying abroad take easy classes and that the people in my classes all knew each other from other classes they were in together. So I had a more challenging time academically adjusting to the new teaching styles as well as finding people to talk to, but all of the teachers were super helpful. The location offered up so many opportunities to get and and do things! The campus is only a 45 minute bus ride into Auckland which offers so many different things to do and there is also a mall right across from campus which made shopping easy. The accommodations are what is to be expected for college dorms, but they make sure you have all the support needed. The food was a little disappointing, but there are lots of other options around. All in all my experience here was one I’ll never forget and I made life long friends here. I made sure to get out and explore NZ as much as possible and I honestly wish I could’ve stayed longer.

What is your advice to future travelers on this program?
Find the balance of fun and study. Of course when studying abroad, most don’t come to study very hard, but I learned a lot about myself and different cultures just from being in classes in another country. Being able to see how an education system works compared to what you are used to changes perspectives on a lot of things and teaches you a lot about what countries find important in their education systems. Given that, it’s also important to not spend your whole time abroad studying. After all you are going to a different country, so actually get out and enjoy/explore the country that is your new home for an extended amount of time.
242 people found this review helpful.
Response from Massey University

Kia ora Maslin, it's great to hear you made the most out of your experience at our Albany campus. It sounds like you ultilised all of the great things about studying abroad and overcame the challenges you faced too. I hope you look back on your semester abroad with fond memories!

Kind regards,
Shivani Rajan

Hannah
3/5
No, I don't recommend this program

Massey University Study Abroad

Studying at this school was nothing like how I expected. I should have done more research before going to a school like this. It was very small, with few helpful support staff, and absolutely nothing to do in a 45 minute radius. It also had classes that were extremely underwhelming in respect to how challenging they were. I was only in class 6 hours a week, and became very bored very quickly with the great lack of things to do in Palmy. They also allowed 2 weeks for fall break, and 3 weeks for finals, which seemed like a waste of time to me personally. I wish I had chosen to study in Europe, or at least a university with more things to do than just to leave campus and travel elsewhere. There is also very little history and culture in Palmy, at least to someone coming from a hometown established in the 1630s. This university would appeal to people who enjoy a small-town scene, drinking and hiking; none of which I am fond of.

If you did this all over again, what's one thing you would change?
I would definitely try harder to try new things and create my own fun.
258 people found this review helpful.
Response from Massey University

Kia ora Hannah,

Thank you very much for your honest review and we are sorry that you did not quite enjoy your stay with us here in Palmerston North.

We are very small compared to US universities/colleges as you can tell from the population differences but, we believe, this size creates the closeness within the student and university community. We are surprised that you only found a few helpful staff members as we’re normally known for our friendly support, we regret that we missed the mark. I also see that the difference in academic systems did not meet your expectations. The academic structure of NZ universities caters towards growing the independence of each student. If you wish to discuss this further, please feel free to get in touch with us via the contact details on our website.

Norbert
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

The end of the world/New Zealand

Hey guys I'm Norbert. I spent one exchange year at Massey University in 2018/19. One of my best year of my life. The university was very good and kind I felt they were welcoming me and they are as happy as me to host me for one year. The staff was professional and helpful, every classes were good and interesting. During lab works they taught us new useful informations. I studied marine ecology as part of my degree and it was bloody good. If you wanna learn about whales and dolphins this is the place to go. Marine ecology is also very good and modules such as quantitative marine ecology helps you avoid flipping burgers and do all the cool sh*t that marine biology can offer you. Overall uni life is really good, night life not so. There is a bar/club on campus but come on I'm from Eastern Europe that's party not what New Zealand has haha. On the other hand outdoor adventures are absolutely amazing. You can literally do anything here. Catching huge monster fish from Auckland harbour or climbing active volcanos in Tongariro National Park, New Zealand can offer you anything. With this exchange year and the 3 months long summer break you have plenty of time to explore and enjoy NZ. The university is very close to east coast and about an hour from west coast with world famous surf. I learned surfing there and loved every second of it. If you thinking to take an exchange somewhere consider Massey because its amazing
Thanks for reading
Follow me on instagram for more amazing adventures
🤟 @lifeof_norbi

What was the most surprising thing you saw or did?
People are very very kind. They will help you instantly and won't let you down. It is easy to make new friends if you are not a dickhead :D
269 people found this review helpful.
Response from Massey University

Kia ora Norbet, thanks for your honest review. Although we couldn't compete with the Eastern European party scene, I trust you had an enjoyable all rounded time in NZ nonetheless! It sounds like you made the most out of studying, sight seeing and socialising. All the best with your future studies and travel!

Kind regards,
Shivani Rajan

Questions & Answers