Study Abroad | Wellington

Housing

Student Residence

In Wellington, you will live in a residence hall which offers a supportive, friendly environment and a chance to meet students from New Zealand and around the world.

• Double rooms
• Shared fully-equipped kitchens
• Shared living area and bathroom with 3-5 other students

Internet access is included in all AIFS housing in Wellington. Single rooms may be available for a supplement. Contact the AIFS Program Advisor for details.

Transportation Subsidy

AIFS students receive a transportation subsidy when in Wellington for use on the excellent public transportation system.

City Facts

Geography

Wellington is the political and cultural heart of New Zealand as well as the geographical center of the country. More than 400,000 people live in Wellington which is situated on the southern-most tip of the North Island, set between a beautiful harbor and rolling green hills. 

Cuisine

Wellington is also known as the culinary capital, famous for tucked-away bars, quirky cafes, award-winning restaurants, curly fries and really good coffee.

Site Staff

On-Site Program Coordinator, Academic Year and Semester Programs

Rajneet Kaur

Kia Ora! I’m excited that you are looking to study abroad in New Zealand. I moved to New Zealand in 2015 to study masters and had a great experience studying abroad. I am dedicated to ensuring that all of our AIFS students have a similar life-changing experience.

I work as part of the International Student Support team as an international student adviser. I help all our current and returning international students to make the most out of their time at Victoria University.

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions you have, happy to help!

The AIFS Program Director provides academic advice, introduces you to the community and handles communication with the University.

Cultural Activities

A cultural calendar of activities and social events is included in your program fee. These activities will include both typical tourist sites and attractions and lesser known visits which take advantage of the expert knowledge of our local AIFS staff and give you a more authentic and insightful view of “Kiwi” life. The university itself has over 100 social, sporting, religious, cultural and ethnic clubs for you to join. Past events and activities have included:

Lord of the Rings Location Tour

Follow in Frodo’s footsteps through Hobbiton Woods in the heart of the real Middle-Earth, Wellington. Visit Wellington locations used in the filming of “The Lord of the Rings”, learn little known facts about the movies and then travel to Miramar, home to Sir Peter Jackson’s and Weta New Zealand’s studios and post-production facilities. Visit Weta Workshop for a guided tour of the physical prop-making and make-up work of the studios followed by behind-the-scenes insight into the digital special effects side of the studio.

Pamper Your Palate

Explore the compact capital on foot, learning about and sampling Wellington’s lively food scene while meeting makers, roasters, brewers and chocolatiers. This guided tour will introduce you to some of the city’s best kept foodie secrets and gourmet go-to hideouts.

Explore a Nature Lover’s Paradise

New Zealanders are passionate about the environment and Zealandia is a great example of their dedication to ecological restoration and living with nature. This must-see eco-attraction is home to some of New Zealand’s rarest birds, reptiles and insects living wild in their natural environment. A Zealandia guide will provide an overview of the sanctuary’s conservation efforts and share curious facts about the sanctuary’s inhabitants which include little spotted kiwi, tuatara and hihi.

Island Excursion

Get out on the water, enjoying a ferry ride across Wellington harbor to Matiu/Somes Island, one of the city’s most important conservation sites. A ranger will introduce you to the history of the island including its use as an animal quarantine station and military defense base. You will also learn about the unique and unusual native inhabitants of the island and the initiatives being undertaken to help endangered native creatures. Relax with a picnic lunch before returning to the city.

Wellington Rugby Experience

Immerse yourself in Kiwi culture cheering on either New Zealand’s national rugby team, the All Blacks, or local legends, the Hurricanes, at Wellington’s Westpac Stadium – affectionately known as the Cake Tin.

You may be asked to pay a small supplementary fee for some of these events.

Additional Programs

Global Leadership and Service Learning: Wellington Plus 

Wellington Plus is a free service-learning oriented extra-curricular program which improves leadership, social responsibility and employability skills. Make connections with other students, employers and people in the not-for-profit sector across Wellington and gain valuable experience, broadening your thinking and learning, and reflecting on your selfdevelopment throughout the semester. Wellington Plus is focused on personal and professional development, offering a range of workshops and seminars on leadership and social responsibility, and personal and career development as well as an ePortfolio tool providing insight into your abilities and preparing you for résumé writing and interviews. The one semester Certificate version of the Wellington Plus Award is open to study abroad students. 

The Wellington International Leadership Program 

The award-winning Wellington International Leadership Program (WILP) is a free, self-paced extra-curricular program aimed at exploring the leadership challenges around global issues, building global competency and employability. Students have the opportunity to engage in meaningful ways with staff and students from across the university community, the Wellington diplomatic community, not-for-profit organizations and the commercial sector. The program is oriented around seminars, speaker events and experiential activities which inspire students to think creatively about how to address global leadership challenges. A one-semester Certificate version of the WILP is open to study abroad students. 

International Buddy Program 

Get the insider’s view of life in Wellington with a pre-arranged and matched local student contact. Students are paired up with current students based on a few common interests in order to extend friendship and peer support on a volunteer basis. Buddies have the opportunity to “meet” via email prior to the start of the semester. Victoria University of Wellington International hosts a welcome event and a variety of other events for all buddies throughout the semester. All local buddies receive support training to assist in their role, and on-going support is provided for all students through Victoria University of Wellington International and the Buddy Program Coordinator. 

Find out more 

Sports Facilities

There are gyms located on the Kelburn and Pipetea campuses with weight training and cardio equipment, indoor and outdoor sports areas for volleyball, soccer, basketball and tennis. The Kelburn Recreation Center offers group exercise classes and also runs a variety of sports leagues and outdoor adventure excursions.