Study Abroad at Victoria University of Wellington

Study Abroad at Victoria University of Wellington

Location
  • New Zealand
    • Wellington
Term
Academic Year, Fall, Spring
Subject Areas
Arts Biology Business Chemistry Communications Computer Science Cultural Studies Design Ecology Economics Environmental Studies Film Finance Gender Studies Geology Global Studies History Humanities Indigenous Cultures International Business International Relations Māori Studies Marine Biology Marketing Music Natural Sciences Pacific Studies Photography Political Science Psychology Public Health Public Policy Sociology Theater Web Design +25
Merit-based funding, General grants/scholarships
Health & Safety

Program Details

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

Pricing

Starting Price
8300
Price Details
Study Abroad program students pay a single flat fee which covers tuition and fees for a full-time program of study.

Please note that insurance, student levies, accommodation costs and other living expenses are additional to this fee.

Our university offers a Study Abroad Scholarship for up to NZ$1,000.
What's Included
Classes
What's Not Included
Accommodation Activities Airfare Domestic Airfare Airport Transfers Meals SIM cards Transportation Travel Insurance Visa
Sep 11, 2025
Sep 16, 2025
62 travelers are looking at this program

About Program

Located on the southern tip of New Zealand’s North Island, between a beautiful harbor and rolling green hills, the vibrant and cosmopolitan city of Wellington is the political, cultural and creative capital of New Zealand. Study in New Zealand's safest city, coined the 'Coolest Little Capital'!

Wellington’s central location serves as a perfect home base from which to explore the rest of New Zealand. A diverse and welcoming country, New Zealand has an endless list of adventures awaiting any who dare to be bold.

Victoria University of Wellington has a variety of courses available for study abroad students in Science, Architecture and Design, Education, Engineering, Health, and Humanities and Social Sciences, as well as AACSB-approved Business and Economics courses. Take advantage of our support services such as airport pickup and International Orientation week, join the international buddy program, or grow your leadership skills in the Wellington International Leadership Program.

COMMUNITY REVIEWS SUMMARY

Students appreciate the supportive professors, approachable staff, and strong international community, especially through housing and buddy programs.

Video and Photos

Diversity & Inclusion 💙

Victoria University of Wellington's population includes people from a diverse range of communities. We have student support networks like our VIC. Without. Barriers community for Refugee-Background Students, and Māori and Pasifika Hubs for Indigenous students looking to connect with their communities on campus. Student are encouraged to join clubs like the Victoria International Students Association and the Tramping (Hiking) Club, among 100+ other student clubs at the university!
At Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, our lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual/agender (LGBTQIA+), and takatāpui communities are known as the Rainbow community. The University's rainbow and inclusion service supports LGBTQIA+ and takatāpui students and works with our community to make sure our campuses are a safe and inclusive environment for students of all sexual orientations, gender identities, and sex characteristics.
Te Amaru—Disability Services works in partnership with staff, students and the disability community to strengthen Victoria University of Wellington’s culture of inclusion, celebrate disability and ensure students can fully participate and achieve their aspirations. We encourage students with accessibility concerns to register with Te Amaru—Disability Services to receive individualized tailored support and access to key services such as a Disability and Inclusion Advisor, Access Suites, Inclusive Learning Software, Adaptive Technology, and more.

Impact 🌎

Victoria University of Wellington is championing a sustainable future by fostering the leaders of tomorrow, delivering world-class research, and building a sustainable campus. Our university is committed to becoming a net zero-carbon organization by 2030.

We rank #1 in New Zealand for Climate Action and Affordable Clean Energy (THE Impact Rankings). On campus, reusable cups are the norm, and we even have a recycling wall where you can take empty packaging that can be difficult to recycle at home. When you study with us, there are numerous ways you can contribute to our sustainability initiatives, including participating in the University's annual "Growing our Future" tree planting initiative to help restore native forests around the Wellington region.

Program Highlights

  • Engage in student life with over 130 clubs and societies.
  • Centrally located, making Wellington the best place to start your exploration of all of New Zealand.
  • Impact locally and globally, take advantage of our extracurricular leadership program, the Kitea Impact Programme.
  • Study Abroad Scholarship for up to NZ$1,000.

Popular Programs

Students at the waterfront

The Kitea Impact Programme is a free, self-paced program aimed at making participants more globally aware by advancing your ability to engage with global issues. Choose from a wide range of interactive seminars delivered by academics from across the university and visiting experts; experiential learning and volunteering opportunities both on campus and beyond; and speaker events hosted by the University, the diplomatic community, and other international organizations.

Program Reviews

4.74 Rating
based on 130 reviews
  • 5 rating 75.38%
  • 4 rating 23.85%
  • 3 rating 0%
  • 2 rating 0.77%
  • 1 rating 0%
  • Academics 4.05
  • Support 4.25
  • Fun 4.45
  • Housing 4.2
  • Safety 4.8
Showing 89 - 96 of 130 reviews
Anna
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

VUW Study Abroad

This program was simple and easy to follow/navigate the adjustment abroad in finding classes, information, etc. It's definitely pretty expensive for international students, so budgeting becomes very important here. The classes are laid out pretty well, and if you miss something or don't understand they professors are helpful. They have many clubs and organizations to join which is nice and suggested.

What would you improve about this program?
I think more immersion with the locals would be nice, such as living in a flat or dorm with more locals rather than mostly international students. I feel I mostly only know international students besides a very few locals, so it would be nice to be more engaged in the actual culture.
95 people found this review helpful.
Lillian
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

My Semester Abroad at VUW

I can't say enough how amazing my semester at Vic in Wellington has been, and I'm only halfway over. The city is fantastic and very student friendly. The people are kind, curious, and friendly. The food and drink culture is phenomenal. There are so many places to see and things to do. The classes at Vic (that I took) were interesting and fun. I love my house and flatmates. I have no complaints. I love it!

What would you improve about this program?
N/A
111 people found this review helpful.
Delaney
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

School with all the Adventure I had Planned

Hello! I am an engineering student who came to Vic to fulfill my humanities credits, and I must say, it was a brilliant choice. The school is beautiful, and I adore all the people here. Everyone is so nice and chill, and it was not challenging to meet people. I took 3 classes, each worth 20 papers, but I didn't find them particularly challenging, or at least not anymore challenging than the classes I would take back home. There are fewer assignments per class, however they are graded much harder, but if you put in the work, you will be pleased with the scores you get. I was very lucky to take an "Animals and Monsters of ancient Greece and Rome" class, and I loved that class so much that my required readings became my pleasure readings. The best part of only taking 3 or 4 classes here (which is the norm) is that there is a lot of time for exploring the incredible city of Wellington (seriously, Welly is like the best city in the world) and all of the beautiful parks and eco reserves around. Beyond that, it is not hard to plan a weekend trip to the south island or to head farther north (perhaps you would like to see some Hobbits in Hobbiton, or search for the elves in Kaitoke where they filmed Rivendell?). Whatever your reasons for considering studying in New Zealand, I really recommend Victoria University. It is the perfect fit if you want manageable and quality classes, while also having time to explore, live your life, become a part of the Kiwi culture, and have brilliant adventures.

97 people found this review helpful.
Elizabeth
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A wonderful, chill, and beautiful time

Wellington and the rest of New Zealand is a lovely place to study abroad! Everyone has been so friendly and chill. Wellington is a vibrant city to live in, and New Zealand is an amazing place to explore, especially if you love outdoor adventures. Victoria University of Wellington is an impressive university that offers plenty of opportunities for exchange students. The staff is helpful and provides plenty of support to all students.

110 people found this review helpful.
Vera
4/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Victoria's oppertunities

I would recommend an exchange to everyone. Victoria University was the perfect choice for me because it is such a well-organised place with much freedom for the students. There are countless options for students regarding courses, sports, events and other social activities. You feel like you're never alone because there is always someone to help you, like the health service, study advisors or your kiwimate.

Although I thought the level of study was a bit lower than I am used to, this was mostly compensated by the fact that there are much more assignments and essays during the course, which makes sure you fully engage with the study material. The teachers are also really helpful and interesting, and easy to approach. Only the accent takes some time to get used to ;) Overall a great experience!

What would you improve about this program?
The exams and exam preparation could be better. As a foreigner it was hard to adapt to the way of examination. I also think it is strange to be able to choose which questions you want to answer, it allows a whole different way of studying and no need to know it all.
111 people found this review helpful.
Luisa
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Great Time

Going to Wellington for my semester abroad was the best choice I could make! Victoria University is a great school that has a lot to offer and it cares a lot about its international students. I was impressed by the atmosphere in the Uni especially at Kelburn Campus. Everybody is really friendly and helps you out when there are any problems.
Wellington in gernal is a great city. It offers everything you want: culture, a great nightlife, stunning nature and great people. There are a lot of really nice places to go such as the Te Papa museum, the Botanical gardens or the harbour. We also did a lot of great hikes in the area of Wellington. It is really a place where you stay or get fit.
I lived in one of the Uni Hall houses which was a great experience since I was not used to live with so many people in one house. We had a lot of fun, parties and I made some great friends.
All in all I would recommemd everyone to do this experience at Victoria in Wellington- it was really great!

What would you improve about this program?
Actually I really have nothing in my mind to criticise!
82 people found this review helpful.
Hester
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

Exchange at Victoria

Studying at Victoria in Wellington is one of the best decisions I made! The city is great and its inhabitants are very welcoming. UniHall is a good accomodation provider and organizes more than enough social events, especially in the beginning of trimester. In UniHall, the most friends you make are other internationals and it can be quite difficult to make Kiwi friends in class. However, joining a club will bring you in contact with a lot of locals, id especially recommend the Korfball club, a very friendly bunch of people!

What would you improve about this program?
In middle of the trimester, less social events are being organized, it would have been nice if the trend at the beginning had been followed through.
87 people found this review helpful.
Grace
5/5
Yes, I recommend this program

A wonderful Semester at Vic!

My stay so far at Vic has been the adventure of a lifetime! I love the inter national program at Vic- being able to socialize and live with people from all over the world allows me to get to know so many different cultures.

91 people found this review helpful.

Questions & Answers

Tuition for study abroad students is $13,500 NZD per semester - typically between $8,000 - $9,000 USD. This does not include student fees, insurance, or living expenses.

Depending, courses are 15/20 points. The normal thing is to choose 3 or 4 depending on the number of points it has. So around 50/60 points would be the normal thing

How was the workload in maor 123? I'm currently taking it, hoping it won't be too difficult. I have a chem lecture that sadly has a final exam... which sucks but hopefully I should be able to do alright.

The hall is around 4.000 NZ $ and you have to pay it all together at once before coming and obviously the flight is also a bit expensive but once here you won't spend much. Traveling is cheap, food is at european price more or less... But there is always a cheap option. It depends on you. I live in a catered hall so food is included so i don't spend more than 50$ per month.