New Zealand

By selecting a degree programme you are able to see the general content as well as the possible degree programme-specific content. You do not have to select a degree programme to see the Open University's instructions.

New Zealand is a stunning and diverse country known for its breathtaking landscapes, rich Maori culture, and welcoming atmosphere. It offers a unique blend of outdoor adventures, vibrant cities, and a high-quality education system. Students can immerse themselves in various activities, from hiking in national parks to experiencing the life in cities like Christchurch and Wellington. The country is also renowned for its friendly locals and a strong emphasis on environmental sustainability.

The University of Helsinki offers exchange opportunities at the following universities in New Zealand (for students from all faculties; any restrictions are explained in the destination details below):

  • University of Canterbury, University of Otago, University of Waikato, Victoria University of Wellington

Certain fields are not available to exchange students at some universities. Exchange students cannot usually study clinical medicine in New Zealand. In addition, other fields (e.g., law, media studies and psychology) may have at least partial restrictions. Check the information under each university.

Number of courses to be completed in New Zealand: 3–4 courses per term. The course workload is extensive.

In New Zealand, transcripts also list rejected courses and courses the student has dropped out of.

The academic year begins in February and ends in November or December. Some universities use the trimester system. Do not apply for a trimester that overlaps with both UH autumn and spring (e.g. October to February).

You will need to purchase New Zealand health insurance for the entire duration of your stay.

You must pay accommodation and living expenses as well as travel, insurance and visa costs. You must also pay various administrative fees which vary according to university. Field or laboratory courses may include fees that you must pay yourself, as they are not directly tuition fees.

Proof of your level of English is only required after being selected by University of Helsinki.

 

This is a link back to Exchange destinations around the world.

You can find comprehensive instructions for going on exchange under the Study Abroad theme.

University of Canterbury, Christchurch
University of Otago, Dunedin
University of Waikato, Hamilton and Tauranga
Victoria University of Wellington

University of Canterbury, Christchurch

Student testimonials

"Quality of courses quite good, the better the more advanced courses"

Who can apply?

  • Students of all faculties
  • Bachelor’s and Master’s students
  • Students with English skills at least on level B2, preferably C1. Either a language proficiency certificate issued by a Language Centre English teacher OR a fee-paying TOEFL/IELTS test is required.
  • Students with minimum GPA of 3,5

What can you study here?

  • Mainly for Bachelor-level studies (undergraduate courses). In exceptional cases students may be able to take graduate-level courses
  • General information for exchange students and courses
  • Link to the course catalogue
  • In most faculties, the undergraduate (Bachelor) degree is a 3-year degree. This means that 300-level courses are the most advanced undergraduate courses in these areas. 400-level courses in these disciplines are graduate courses.
  • Note, however, that some professional degrees such as Forestry or Social Work and are 4-year degrees and 400-level courses in these areas are therefore classed as undergraduate courses. Students may be permitted to take 400-level courses in these disciplines if they have the necessary pre-requisites and the approval of the relevant department.

The following are not available (see full list from the General information link above):

  • 200 level Law courses
  • Fine Arts (studio art) courses
  • Forest Biology
  • Teacher Education courses. However, Education courses with EDUC course code under the Bachelor of Arts schedule are available to Exchange students.
  • some Physical Education and Sport Coaching courses require police checks.
  • Journalism
  • MBA and Executive Development programmes
  • All clinical practice courses
  • Communication Disorders are open to students who meet pre-requisites except for the clinical practice courses
  • Social Work – field work courses are not open to Exchange students. Entry to other theory courses will be considered case-by-case.

How many credits do you need to complete?

4 courses per semester, 60 Canterbury points = 30 ECTS.
1 University of Canterbury point = 0,5 ECTS.

Terms

February - June / July - November

Housing, costs and fees

Canterbury page on costs

Exchange opportunities available 

1 student for one semester, only for July - November!

University of Otago, Dunedin

Student testimonials

"I found the course quality very good, the teachers knew their stuff and were approachable. I am very satisfied with all my courses during my exchange"

Who can apply?

  • Students of all faculties
  • Bachelor’s and Master’s students
  • Students with English skills at least on level B2. Either a certificate of language proficiency which can be issued by the International Exchange Services OR high school diploma OR a fee-paying TOEFL or IELTS test.
  • Students with minimum GPA of 3,5

What can you study here?

  • Faculties of Otago
  • Courses (called "papers"): go to Subjects and papers in  A-Z, select the study field, select Papers and after that select See the full list of.
  • Undergraduate students can only select undergraduate-level courses.
  • Graduate students can take undergraduate courses.
  • Introductory papers are called 100-level papers, and you move on in subsequent years or semesters to 200-level and 300-level papers. Usually students take a mixture of 100, 200 and 300-level papers in their semester at Otago. Papers beyond 300-level are normally postgraduate papers and require an advanced background.
  • Entry to any course (except 100-level) is based on relevant academic background.

The following are not available

  • Medicine, Dentistry, Psychiatry, Physiotherapy, Pharmacology, Pharmacy or any other clinical course.
  • Some Otago courses (degree programs) such as MBA, Wildlife Management and Master of Science Communication are restricted in admissions.

How many credits do you need to complete?

At least 3 courses per semester. 3-4 courses (papers) = 54–72 Otago points (each paper 18 points) = 27-36 UH credits.
1 University of Otago point = 0,5 ECTS.
The course workload is extensive.

Terms

February - June / July - November

Housing, costs and fees

Otago page on costs
The overall living costs including housing for one semester are about 6,500€.

Exchange opportunities available 

1 student for one semester

University of Waikato, Hamilton and Tauranga

Student testimonials

"Very high quality, but rather fast-paced teaching. The courses consisted of lectures, exercises and practice. There are six months' worth of exams to take, so it's worth taking notes and making the effort to study."

Who can apply?

  • Students of all faculties
  • Bachelor’s and Master’s students
  • Students with English skills at least on level B2. Language proficiency certificate issued by a UH Language Centre English teacher.
  • Students with minimum GPA of 3,75

What can you study here?

Course codes refer to the study years they are intended for:

100-level = 1st year ... 400-level = 4th year

Levels above 500 are typically postgraduate courses in New Zealand but check the course information.

How many credits do you need to complete?

3-4 courses per term (depends on Waikato credit amount). One course (= paper) is 12-15 Waikato credits or 20 Waikato credits.
Either take 4 Waikato 12-15-credit papers = 48-60 Waikato points = 24-30 UH credits (ECTS).
OR 3 Waikato 20-credit papers = 60 Waikato points = 30 UH credits (ECTS)
1 Waikato point = 0,5 UH credits (ECTS)
The course workload is extensive.

Terms

February - June / July - November

Housing, costs and fees

Waikato page on costs

Exchange opportunities available 

1 student for one semester

Victoria University of Wellington

Who can apply?

  • Students of all faculties
  • Bachelor’s and Master’s students
  • Students with English skills at least on level B2. Either a certificate of language proficiency which can be issued by the International Exchange Services OR a fee-paying IELTS test is required.
  • Students with minimum GPA of 3,5

What can you study here?

  • Faculties of VUW
  • Courses
  • There are restrictions in every faculty. More information in Course restrictions
  • Undergraduate courses (except Law and Engineering) are marked by codes (3 digit numbers) beginning with 1XX, 2XX, or 3XX.
  • Postgraduate courses (except Law and Engineering) are marked by codes beginning with 4XX or higher.
  • Law and Engineering undergraduate courses are marked by codes beginning with 1XX, 2XX, 3XX, and 4XX. Postgraduate courses are marked by codes beginning with 5XX or higher.
  • Note: There are no postgraduate (LLM) exchanges accepted in the Faculty of Law.

How many credits do you need to complete?

At least 3 courses per term.
3-4 courses = 45-60 VUW points = about 22,5-30 UH credits (ECTS).
1 VUW point = 0.5 UH credits
The course workload is extensive.

Terms

February - June / July - November

The academic year is divided to trimesters. You can apply to trimester 1 (February - July) or trimester 2 (July - November).
Trimester 3 is the Summer School of VUW and you can’t apply to this trimester.

Housing, costs and fees

VUW page on costs

Exchange opportunities available 

No places available in the October 2025 application round