Study Abroad at the University of Otago in New Zealand

I started at Otago as a study abroad student from USA in 2023 and loved it so much that I transferred to a full degree! This is seriously the best decision I ever made. I have made the best friends here and I am so thankful for this opportunity! I met New Zealand friends straight away and became best friends with my Kiwi host in Uniflats! Living in uniflats really made my study abroad experience because it connected me with so many people. It is such a unique feature that not many other universities offer. Through uniflats, I immediately made friends with like 15 other abroad students and we hung out all semester! It was awesome meeting people from all over the world, one of my best friends was from Hungry! It's been so amazing getting to experience other cultures, it's truly eye-opening. There are so many activities to do that are so close to the University! The beach is 15 minutes away, there are so many hiking trails, and tons of clubs you can join! There's a snow sports club that goes on trips every weekend to ski and snowboard and you can decide which ones you want to attend! The transportation is SO easy. You can get to so many places using the intercity buses and it's very comfortable and affordable. I've used it like 5 times already to go to Queenstown and Christchurch! It's so crazy beautiful here, you have to come!

i m here for a two-week exchange programme from ShangHai. This is my first time visiting Dunedin. My home stay family is very considerate.They drop me off and pick me up everyday and also cook for me Chinese food.I spent 5 days working in a lab to help them build a frame of a two-wheel car.The professor and student here are really nice to me,very patient.The life here is quite different from the life in ShangHai. Most of the people in ShangHai live under high pressure but the people here in Dunedin seems to be more relax in their daily life.The scenery here is amazing as well and i think Dunedin is one of the most beautiful city in the world.The habor,Baldwin street,St Clair Beach all impressed me a lot. I would strongly recommend this programme to my friends when i go back to China.

We are very lucky to have the opportunity to spend two weeks in the beautiful Dunedin and visit the University of Otago.This program offered us excellent condition so that we can fully experience the local customs and sceneries.Although it is cold winter in Dunedin now,but we still feel extremely warm because of the warm hospitality of the local people.Also we spent time participating in professional activities and that is good for our career planning.
Walking in the beautiful campus of the University of Otago,we can see the hardware facility is really good so that students at here can pour full attention into acadamic.And after taking few classes in the university ,the friendly and enthusiastic atmosphere also impressed me a lot,no matter to visitors or study.Everyone is patient to guide us.
All in all,we were able to exchange the cultures with our friends in New Zealand and make contributions to the friendship of our two countries.

The University of Otago is amazing. The professors are super chill and really want you to learn. My professors were actually some of the nicest people I have ever met. Their passion for their subjects is contagious. I took Bioethics 301, Psychology of Language, and History of Christianity. All highly recommended. The students are also super welcoming and super fun! There is never a shortage of things to do in Dunedin, day or night. Really try to get to know the Kiwis because they are awesome people.
The country of New Zealand is unbelievable. If I had to guess what Heaven is like, it'd probably look something like New Zealand. Actually though. Sometimes I would look out the car window and would not feel like I was actually on Earth. It's crazy how many beautiful and varied places there are within such a small country. This makes it much easier to get out and explore tons of places. I've fell in love with the country and its people so much that I have thought about moving to NZ after graduation, at least for a period of time.
P.S. Do the Copland Track! It was one of my favorite hikes that a lot of people in my program never got around to doing. There's also natural hot pools when you get to the hut after the first day. Pretty neat.

I am originally from the United States and decided to go abroad to New Zealand. I chose Otago out of all the schools because the location and the courses. Otago was perfect for abroad because the academics weren't so hard that I spent my whole time in my room, but also challenged me in ways that my American university hadn't. I took a Maori class which was SO FUN and got to experience attending a bigger university. It has a reputation to be the biggest party school in NZ but I think that between Otago and Victoria (in Wellington) they are about equal. The housing was chilly but was actually really perfect. I got to live with international students and experience the best of NZ. I had a class, though, where the teacher was really aware and open about my "Americanness".. She would continually call me out/ask me to speak about how I felt about America... and to make things worse, I was over there right before the Trump/Clinton election... So she would crack jokes and say inappropriate things about the USA and my heritage.. So I went to the international office and they helped me switch classes really easily. It was hard but it was a really good experience to have under my belt (I mean.. we go abroad to experience new things including stigmas against us.. right?) Overall, Otago was a perfect fit for me (and if I could just transfer there permanently, trust me I would).. but my advice is go to Otago if you want to explore NZ and learn lots about Kiwis.. but don't go if you want a highly academic experience.

By challenging, I don't mean it entirely in the academic sense but in the social aspect as well—trying to remember everyone you meet and putting yourself out of your comfort zone in only 5 months was a challenge. In terms of academics, I decided to take 300 level science classes and the material was a bit challenging for me since I didn’t take the proper pre-reqs but the professors were so friendly and supportive. They offered so much insight and resources to help international students succeed. In some cases they even recommended places to visit in New Zealand, so I definitely recommend introducing yourself or talking to them after class if you have a chance.

The campus is beautiful (despite all the construction), but it felt a bit smaller than what the images on the website and brochures may have evoked in size. The flats on Castle St owned by Uni are homey and spacious. I even had a sink in my room! The flats across the street though, not so much, so you should be prepared to see a lot of broken glass on the floor. Uni has a reputation for its party scene and Castle St. is famous for it. Ironically I didn’t know that before I moved in, so if you prefer a quieter place, make sure to note that in your housing survey. Still loved my flat and my experience on Castle.

Other recommendations: I recommend joining a club on campus if you actually want to meet a good amount of Kiwis. Most of the people I met were international students and a couple Kiwis from my classes.

Oh man where do I start? I have so many beautiful memories from my trip to Dunedin and my study abroad experience at Otago. First of all I would like to thank the wonderful staff the made my trip outstanding, there was a lot of support from the University of Otago from all aspects. From the Uni flats staff to the professors at the University would always be at my service when ever I needed their help or support which is something that I've NEVER experienced at my home university. People are extremely friendly in through out New Zealand and I've made lots of friends while I was abroad. I will truly keep New Zealand very close to my heart for embracing me with open arms! Thank you!

Studying in Dunedin is one of the most kiwi things you can possibly do. Through the flatting system, I got to live with people from all over the world, from Kiwis to Brazilians. Dunedin is not far from some of the most gorgeous scenery in New Zealand- Mt. Aspiring National Park, the Remarkables, etc. and not far from tourist destinations of Wanaka and Queenstown. Dunedin itself boasts some incredible beaches and wildlife, some beautiful hills, and a very fun social scene. The academics can be as challenging or easy as you want depending on the classes you take. UniFlats was awesome and provided tons of support, fun events and meals, and information.