Study Abroad in Auckland with Unitec

During my studies in Sweden I decided to take an exchange semester abroad and purely from the choice of country I stumbled upon Unitec. After about five short months in New Zealand I can easily say that this has been on of the best experiences of my life.

Starting first with the school. Unitec is a wonderful place to live and study. Housing option were on campus and housed many of the international students creating an amazing community and friend group which I will never forget. In comparison to other schooling I have done, the academics where definitely manageable with plenty of time for weekend trips and other social event. Studying design, the courses were very flexible and I enjoyed everyone single one of my classes and have much to take away from this education. The teaching staff were knowledgeable and always helpful.

Moving onto New Zealand. This country is the most beautiful place I have laid my eyes upon. The trips our friend group went on were fantastic and unforgettable. Even Auckland as a city is a great place to explore but once you leave the city there is so much to do and so much to explore that the five months did not feel like enough. I am planning to return to explore what I missed since I feel that I have missed a lot.

For anyone planning on studying abroad and looking to go on adventures I 100% recommend Unitec.

I decided to come and study in New Zealand for a semester because it was the farthest I could get from home and because I thought I would love it here. Studying here, exceeded my expectations by far. I love everything about New Zealand, except for the weird pineapple lumps, I don't understand the hype. Other than that, New Zealand is the place to be. I chose Unitec as my study abroad institute because it was the only option for me in Auckland. I am so happy I chose Unitec. The staff, students and teachers were all incredibly kind and I always felt I had the perfect school and travel balance. Unitec also offers some great trips for students to travel around New Zealand. Initially I had signed into one and by the end of the semester I actually did them all. They are so much fun! The greatest thing about studying in New Zealand is the proximity of everything. It is not a very big country and getting around it is quite easy. This is great, because every corner of New Zealand is stunning. You can find mountains, lakes, beaches, caves, etc. Basically anything in the recipe for adventure. Auckland itself is a great place to be. This bustling city is surrounded by numerous islands, I love Waiheke. There are some amazing beaches, go to Huia and Piha. Mounts, go to Mount Eden and Cornwall Park. Museums, the Auckland War Memorial Museum is a must! Nightlife, Bar 101 on Wednesdays is the best tradition for any student -there are 3 dollar beers-. If you have the chance, you should definitely visit the South Island of New Zealand. I have no words for this place other than, 'Go Now!' All in all, this experience has been the best of my life. The people I met here will forever have a special place in my heart, the places I saw are permanently engraved in my mind and I will never forget the never-ending happiness I felt here. If you are considering coming to New Zealand, look no further than Unitec, I promise that you won't regret it.

I have had an awesome time studying at Unitec. The class sizes are small which is beneficial when it comes to a more one-on-one learning approach. Everything is hands on, group work is important, and you can expect to develop your presentation skills. Overall, the staff was very helpful in making me feel comfortable in this new environment and I would absolutely recommend Unitec in the future for anyone who is thinking about doing an exchange or study abroad. New Zealand is a beautiful country with so many things to offer. Auckland has everything you would want out of a city and it is easy enough to escape if you're looking for beautiful scenery (which is everywhere). If you're lucky enough you may even make some friends like I did who can take you surfing and sailing. During my time here, I have learned how to surf, how to sail, how to drive on the left side of the road (in Canada it's the right side), some kiwi slang and fell in love (which I don't suggest, because it's really hard when you have to leave) I'm devastated to have to leave and would keep studying here if I had the chance. This experience has opened my eyes to the possibility of travel and the fact that I don't want to stop exploring any time soon. My heart has become full of wonder and love. I've had an experience like no other and have made so many amazing friends along the way. My recommendation to anyone going to another country to study abroad is to put yourself out there and to meet and spend time with the locals. Really immersing yourself in the country and what it has to offer is best done with the people who know it best. Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to see the South Island which is something I'll have to come back and do, but I did get to do a lot of things that many others cant say that they did, like spend multiple nights out at anchor in a bay somewhere in the Hauraki Gulf. The most memorable experience that I had was when I was anchored in a bay, just me and my boyfriend and it was night time (the water here at night time is full of bio-luminescence) and I had come outside for some reason just before dinner and I witnessed a large pod of dolphins racing by, causing the water to light up. I will never forget how it made me feel - I was speechless.

First off, if you're thinking of spending a semester in New Zealand, do it! It's probably the most beautiful country I've ever seen. And if you're looking for a school to go to, choose Unitec! They've got some really great programs (especially architecture, which I studied) and they have a lot of programming and some great staff dedicated to making sure the international students are well-looked after. Academically, this was one of my favorite semesters of my college career. I was pushed in the studio and produced a lot of nice work for my portfolio, but it wasn't so heavy of a workload as I am used to in the US. I still had plenty of time for weekend trips and daily adventures. I even trained for a marathon while I was there. And I got a lot of one on one attention from my professors, which was really valuable. As far as the accommodation goes on campus, it could definitely use a renovation. That being said, I am so glad I lived on campus as it made walking to class a breeze and I got to meet lots of other international students and we made a tight-knit community that really made my semester. Being in Auckland, there's lots of cool things to do around. You can walk to the beach or jump on the bus and be downtown in 15 minutes. And the neighborhood around Unitec is very nice as well. One thing I'm pretty excited about is all the improvements they are doing to Unitec's campus. They should be done this summer and it is going to be really nice. Overall, I definitely recommend studying abroad in New Zealand (particularly if you enjoy the outdoors) and I also highly recommend Unitec. And make sure to sign up for Unitec's Experience NZ trips - they're a great way to make friends and see the country.

Unitec provided comprehensive support in terms of Academic Learning and Career Advise. I visited Learning Centre and Career Centre a lot during my time spent in Unitec.

The course content was well designed and strongly related to the industry. We had lecturers from the industry with over 15 years of working experience which made the class really interactive and practical.

The Career Centre was really helpful and they offered services like CV writing/proof reading, career planning and job searching tips which helped me a lot to get to my permanent role in New Zealand.

It was a really good experience and I strongly recommend Unitec to all of you!