Study Abroad in Dunedin, New Zealand with WorldStrides

For our program, we had an orientation held in Queenstown, New Zealand where we had an abundance of adventure activities and did a deep dive into the culture of Māori. TEAN helped each and every one of us grow accustomed to the country and helped us learn how to best navigate our study abroad experience. Throughout the semester we were able to take trips provided by the program with our very helpful Dunedin advisor Dee. Dee acted as our New Zealand mom and was there for us through thick and thin.

Going overseas to study in New Zealand was probably one of the best decisions of my life. Not only did I get to meet people from all over the world, but I was allowed to expand my worldview and learn what life looks like outside of the United States. I have so many incredible memories from this journey that pushed me out of my comfort zone and forced me to adapt to new surroundings - I wouldn't change anything about my time abroad! Anyone on the fence about studying abroad should choose not just for the time you travel the world, but for the time you get to find out who you are.

I took 3 classes ("papers") which were great - I recommend Māori 108 ! The uniflats office paired me with great housemates that I got along with and I really liked my house/ location (I thought mine was one of the best) and loved having a kiwi host. TEAN organizes your living through uniflats so you don't have to worry about too many housing logistics before arrival. Dee (program staff in Dunedin) is very kind and helpful! Dunedin provides great access to south island adventures and beautiful scenery. I did lots of beach swimming, hiking, queenstown adventure fun, etc. The otago peninsula beaches are amazing! I felt safe in New Zealand and really enjoyed my time :)

Thinking about my experience studying abroad, I would say that this has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. I got to explore the beauty of New Zealand, learn new things and also meet new friends along the way. The landscape is breathtaking, and weekend trips were one of my favorite memories during my time studying abroad. Most memorable one was when I went to Lake Tekapo and camp at Wanaka. In Lake Tekapo, my friends and I went hiking, swim at a hot spring, and watched the skies filled with stars at night. In Wanaka, while we were camping, I was able to see the beautiful and magical aurora appearing. Although it was freezing cold, it was so worth it. I will forever cherish the moment!

There are so many sights to see and places to go, and I would love to go back to experience more. I would highly recommend Dunedin if you are nature fanatic and want to spend a lot of time outdoors. I loved how much it rained and was luscious with greenery

The Uni of Otago was the perfect place in New Zealand to experience a study abroad semester, especially with my passion for the environment. There is so many activities you can do: beaches galore, the Royal Albatross Center, the OPERA, and Lanarch Castle are just some of the ones I recommend. Dee was an amazing resident director, always there to help and act as a mom figure! The classes were challenging but synced with NZ concepts and I learned so much and got to push myself. The people of New Zealand are the most friendly, always there to help you. The culture and hospitality made me feel right at home even at first moments of arrival in my host city. My kiwi host was lovely and a friend to be there to guide me through this experience. Overall, my experience abroad was the most amazing thing I could have experienced in my undergraduate career. I met so many diverse people, ate local foods, traveled the country, and learned so much from my classes and professors. I truly found a new home in another country, and I am so keen to go visit asap!!!

Studying abroad in Dunedin New Zealand was one of the best decisions of my life! Dunedin is in the perfect location, close to the beach and only a four-hour drive to the west coast, it is adorable and super safe! I made so many lifelong friends during my time studying abroad and met students from all over the world like South Africa, Cambodia, Norway and Sweden! The University of Otago has so much to offer from spike ball club to the ski and snowboarding club and there is so much to explore around the south island itself. My favorite memories were top rope climbing on Long Beach, going on weekend backpacking trips through the mountains with friends, and learning to surf with the sea lions at Aramoana! You won't regret your decision to travel here!

Possibly one of the coolest experiences of my life. Being able to travel half way around the world to a place I had heard of and seen lots about, but experiencing it was an entirely different thing. The people were so kind, especially the head of the program Dee. She was an amazing person that was so helpful and welcoming. My favorite memory from my time there was a road trip to the west coast that a friend of mine and I did. It was my first and only trip over there and wow the scenery was magical. The mountains were stunning, but the coast is really what caught our attention. Being surfers, you're always in search of perfect empty waves. Somehow we got lucky enough to find just that. We didn't know exactly where we were going, but with the little info that we had, we were able to score some of the best waves of our life. I am definitely planning another trip back in the future to stay for as long as I possibly can.

My semester abroad with TEAN was life changing. Upon arriving, I was welcomed by TEAN staff and spent a week with other students at orientation in Queenstown, helping me to make friends and adjust to life abroad. TEAN supported me before, during, and on my way home, which made the whole process super easy and a lot less scary. A semester abroad was way out of my comfort zone, but New Zealand quickly became my second home with stunning landscapes, happy people, and a unique culture!

Living in New Zealand for a semester was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I met friends that I will have for a lifetime and left a bit of myself in that beautiful country. Before going, though, I was definitely a bit nervous as I contemplated all of the unknowns. TEAN made the entire process manageable and their staff was so much more helpful than I ever could have imagined. From advising me on which university to go to, to helping me get classes pre-approved, to answering all of my other questions, the TEAN staff was so kind and patient with me. They responded to my emails very quickly and gave me many useful resources and advice. Upon getting to New Zealand, TEAN staff met me right in the airport and brought myself and some other TEAN students to our hostel. I could tell that they cared about us and wanted us to have the best experience possible. Their enthusiasm was contagious. The TEAN staff periodically checked up on us throughout the semester and asked all about what we were doing, what we were learning, and what we were going through. They were so kind and available! I felt as if I could go to the staff in my host city with any problems and they would help me through it.

I must start by saying that my time abroad in New Zealand was absolutely the best experience of my life. I traveled all around the country, made some of my best friends ever, and had incredible outdoor experience (walking on a glacier, surfing, canyoning, etc.) I stayed there for the full 6 months that my student visa allowed me to, and I am so grateful to have gone through TEAN's program. TEAN was absolutely amazing. They were always just a quick email or phone call away if I needed anything. My university did not have any courses pre-approved for the University of Otago, but TEAN helped me immensely throughout this pre-approval process. Additionally, I was very unsure about what university I wanted to study abroad at in New Zealand. I switched around three times before settling on the University of Otago! TEAN was so incredibly flexible and understanding and helped me ultimately decide on Otago (which was undoubtedly the right choice for me). The TEAN representatives at the University of Otago were also outstanding. They were Kiwis (from New Zealand), and were a great resource for any questions about Kiwi culture, recommendations for travel, food, or just about anything! They went above and beyond to plan fun outings for their TEAN students. What I really appreciated was that they were there if we needed them, but they also let us explore and have our own individual experiences. Planned events were frequent enough to keep in touch and check in, but spaced out enough to let us explore on our own. I really can't say enough good things about how TEAN takes care of its students while they are abroad, while still allowing them to be independent with their experience. Thank you TEAN!!

TEAN was an amazing program to go to an amazing country with. They supported me from pre-departure to arrival and all the way through the semester. If I ever had a question, there were plenty of people to ask that would get me the right answer. Dunedin itself was a dream. I never thought I was one to enjoy the ocean, but I miss having it 15 minutes away. The mountains were a little more of a drive, but the drive never felt long because of all of the beauty along them. If you wanted a night out, the Octagon had plenty going on. I've been home a few months and already have a list of things to do when I go back. It's impossible to do everything.

Studying abroad in New Zealand through TEAN (The Education Abroad Network) was hands-down one of the best academic decisions thus far. As an outdoorsy person, Dunedin was a perfect match. Almost everyone at the university loves exploring which makes it super easy to find an adventure to a nearby glacier, mountain, or beach most weekends. On top of that, having an American-Kiwi transplant residential advisor nearby at all times made my semester 110% better. My TEAN RA was like a supportive aunt for all of us; she was always there to get a meal or talk if we needed a hug or any advice but wanted us to have our own adventures separate from the other American students we came over with. I couldn't have asked for a better semester abroad experience.

Studying abroad in New Zealand was the best choice I made during my college career. I was able to explore the majority of both of the country's largest islands and see natural beauty unlike anything I had ever seen before. Being based in Dunedin gave me a great deal of flexibility in terms of travelling to some of the foremost hiking locations that the country has to offer. Weekend trips into some of the South Island's National Parks were an integral aspect of my time spent in New Zealand. I visited Abel Tasman National Park, Fiordland National Park, Mt. Aspiring National Park, Mt. Cook, The Lakes District and several other ridiculously beautiful regions. TEAN was a massive help in preparing me to move abroad as well as settling in once I got there. I wouldn't change anything about how they handled the process and would absolutely recommend their services to any potential future students.

I studied abroad in Dunedin, New Zealand during the spring semester and I have TEAN to thank for how smooth and stress free my travels were. I felt more than prepared packing up and traveling across the world by myself for 5 months with all the help and support I received from the TEAN staff. I was fortunate enough to make lots of friends during my week long pre-semester orientation in Queenstown which made my transition to a new school that much easier. The program staff was always checking in and treating the group to lunch as a way to catch up and see how everyone was doing. By the end of the semester, we had become a close knit group who were always looking out for one another which made this experience so special.

TEAN is an amazing program. They go above and beyond to prepare you for your trip abroad. I went to Dunedin NZ for a semester abroad and the TEAN staff is so supportive. They prepare you very well before departure and help you get to know fellow study abroad students. The orientation program when you first arrive in your country is full of fun and educational experiences. TEAN goes above and beyond to make sure you are prepared and enjoying your experience. There is staff present in your country who plan activities and are there for support. I highly recommend you study abroad through TEAN.

I loved studying abroad with TEAN! I was super nervous to go all the way to New Zealand for a semester last fall, but TEAN made my experience really enjoyable. The first week/orientation was primarily meeting other students in the same program and learning a bit about the culture in New Zealand. The fact that I was able to know a bunch of students before actually going to class was so helpful because I was able to recognize people on such a large campus. Additionally, TEAN was very organized and really cared about their students. Every month, we had the opportunity to meet with our Resident Advisors for food or for an event and just talk with them about life and things we were doing which I truly enjoyed. Words cannot describe everything that TEAN did for me!

Before traveling abroad I was definitely nervous about the process and meeting new people. The Education Abroad Network helped that by making the process a smooth transition and gave me a good group of people to make a basis of friends with. From form completion to arrival at the airport, orientation and even during the semester. Someone was always available to assist whenever questions arose. Once settled in, the experience was absolutely amazing. The support provided from TEAN allowed me to have to confidence abroad that was a life changing experience.

I had an incredible experience studying in New Zealand with TEAN! From the moment I arrived in the airport, I was welcomed by a TEAN representative and guided through the foreign country. TEAN really does think of every detail; they provide you with a SIM card, and place you in intentional housing so you can like with like- minded others! TEAN's orientation program is unparalleled, it included a weeks worth of great food, bonding with others, cultural lessons, safety tips, and an overall perfect balance of structure and free time to explore. TEAN representatives were always available when I was in need of advise; I met with one of my local representatives and she helped me plan my semester break road trip! Overall, I have nothing but great memories with TEAN.

Going abroad to the University of Otago in Dunedin New Zealand with TEAN was the best choice I have ever made. There are many like-minded amazing students who are also embarking on this adventure right alongside you. TEAN does a great job of helping organize the logistics of studying abroad and always made me feel supported without ever taking away my freedom. It was hard to decide what to do each weekend between camping in beach caves along with penguins, hiking amazing mountains, swimming in clear blue rivers, hanging out in the awesome college-town of Dunedin, and more. I met some of the most amazing peers I have ever met in my life. TEAN provided us with a week to get to know one another in an orientation before the semester started. This made such a difference because once I arrived at school I already had 40 amazing new friends. During the semester I also traveled with TEAN to Thailand and had an amazing time on that trip as well. I am so glad that I took the leap and went abroad to the University of Otago with TEAN.