Nursing Study Abroad Programs in New Zealand

This semester was by far my favorite out of all I’ve done. New Zealand is the perfect place to really find yourself, connect with nature and culture. From hiking (or as they say tramping) to learning about Māori culture, I feel as though I got everything I wished for and more out of this experience. You have enough freedom to get up and go on a roadtrip to a lighthouse across the island and stop to see the Milky Way but enough support to get help if you need any. I cannot express how much I recommend Wellington to anyone. It’s a perfect in between point for the North and South Island. One weekend my friends and I hopped on the ferry and went to Kaikōura to go whale watching. There’s access to everything and anything you want with the city right there (in a very manageable size) and nature in your backyard (quite literally too).

Studying abroad in Wellington was one of the best decisions I've ever made. The city is beautiful, the people are super friendly, and Vic is an amazing school to study at. Personally, I'm really into exploring different cafes and Wellington is full of them. No matter where you are in the city, you will be within walking distance of a good latte and pastry. I'm also a really big sports fan and Wellington is home to two really fun teams to watch. The Hurricanes (Rugby) and the Phoenix (soccer) both have discounted student tickets and are a great way to meet new people so if you're into sports Wellington is a great city to be in. TEAN did such an amazing job organizing the program and they will always be there if you need them. The program's orientation is in Queenstown and it was a life changing experience for me. Getting to spend a week in one of the most beautiful places on earth was an amazing way to start my experience abroad.

If you're going to study abroad in New Zealand, do it through TEAN. They provide multiple opportunities to make the most out of your time abroad: orientation in Queenstown, mid-semester excursions, and several cultural events in your host city. They also provide an abundance of support from start to finish. Preparing to study abroad can be overwhelming, but TEAN's website guides you through the process in six easy steps, and they also provide a checklist for documents to submit. Although I would've preferred not to have the virus affect my time abroad at all, it did show how capable TEAN is: I felt like I could trust TEAN when I was deciding on whether to go home or not. They made it clear that they would support students whatever their decision was. Studying abroad with TEAN means unique opportunities and continuous support.

My experience at the University of Otago is by far the best academic experience I've ever had. My semester at the University of Otago was a combination of taking challenging and culturally immersive courses and a very exciting social life. Academically, the University offered culturally immersive courses such as Introduction to Maori culture and society. One particular course that I enjoyed was Adventure Education. This course taught topics related to the psychological and sociological effects of adventure on an individual. Moreover, the University of Otago offers an array of clubs such as outdoor recreation groups (OUTC, OUSSC), social events, and volunteer opportunities. Some of my favorite parts that I loved about the University of Otago is its beautiful campus, friendly community, and the accessibility to restaurants, coffee shops, libraries, and nearby towns. I chose to study with API because of their stress-free application process and support that they have for its students before, during, and after the program. I 100% recommend API to any student thinking about studying abroad!

The entire experience feels like it was a dream. TEAN gave me the opportunity to live in the coolest city and introduced some of the most genuine people I have ever met. The staff at VIC were incredibly accommodating and you could see how much they enjoyed working with the students. Each house in University Hall was unique which just added to the charm of Wellington. I could not recommend this program enough. I felt entirely connected to this program that, even leaving for weekend trips I would always have Wellington in the back of my mind.

My experience with TEAN was extremely helpful and supportive. The people I met in the program became some of my best friends. The TEAN orientation for New Zealand, which brought together students from all of the New Zealand universities, was a huge highlight for me and gave me access to locations throughout New Zealand. Meeting people from all of the New Zealand universities gave me friends to stay with across New Zealand, and I ended up exploring the country with close friends I made there. Once we were moved in at our universities, TEAN was very good at being supportive to us and provided several memorable outings. The outings were really fun and allowed me to do activities and see places that I wouldn’t have seen otherwise. Overall, the TEAN staff and fellow students in my program were crucial to my wonderful experience abroad in New Zealand.

I could not have picked a better program for me in choosing to study abroad in Wellington, New Zealand through TEAN. The program administration answered all questions I had beforehand, and was easy to reach once I got there. The city itself had a great mix of urban and rural activities, there was always something to do. I definitely recommend checking out the farmer's market and the local chocolate factory! Victoria University had all the courses I needed for my major and I found the classes to be very interesting. It was easy to get involved through their club fairs and student hub events. I also found the locals as well as the overall culture to be very welcoming.

Spending a semester abroad was more than just taking courses in another country for a couple of months. The experience impacted me in every way imaginable. I experienced the unknown a lot while I was abroad – public transportation, Kiwi slang, Māori language and culture, Tim Tam Slams – and each of these experiences is a memory I carry that developed me into who I am today and who I will be in the future. Study abroad taught me to be more independent, flexible and fun-loving. The five months I spent navigating the ins and outs of a new country increased my self-confidence and helped me mature as an individual. The curriculum I engaged with while abroad opened my eyes to new ways of thinking about subjects I thought I already knew, and a spark has been ignited in me to follow my passion and do what makes me happy. While my experiences abroad may have shifted some of my plans for my future profession, there are certain qualities I acquired that will be useful no matter what field I end up in. I have a greater respect of people who aren’t the same as me. I’ve always been a tolerant person, but study abroad has helped me to better understand habits and notions of my own culture that were so ingrained in me I didn’t realized they existed. Not only have I earned a greater sense of respect for people, but I also feel more comfortable adapting to new situations and environments. My semester abroad threw many things my way I couldn’t plan for. I had to learn very quickly how to juggle them in order to succeed. As part of my program, we went to Rarotonga, the Cook Islands. The entire trip was unforgettable. IES gave us such an incredible and unique experience that I never would have been able to plan myself. On one of my favorite days, we got to visit a school that had preschoolers through about year eight students. After our introduction and a performance from the children, we got the chance to interact with them on a more personal level. They showed us how to play the drums, husk and grate coconuts, weave plates and make coconut leaf jewelry and I even got the chance to play netball and tips with them on their lunch break. As we were leaving that day, most of the children lined up to give us parting high fives. A little girl that I played netball with grabbed my hand and interlaced our fingers instead of giving me a high five. She had one of the biggest smiles on her face I think I’ve ever seen and at that point I realized I would have been so grateful to just spend every day on our trip playing with those kids. Their lives are so fundamentally different than my childhood was, but their happiness was infectious. I have never been on a holiday where I’ve interacted with the local culture as much as we did that week. Yes, we spent our fair share of time on the beach, but I also left with a greater understanding of what life is like for Cook Islanders. I hope I can do that on all my future trips. A semester abroad is about engaging with the culture of your host country. My program and my semester abroad helped me to do just that. I got the opportunity to embark on road trips with newly made friends, fly to the North Island and set out on an adventure in a very cramped campervan, work on one of my greatest passions (photography) and just see and experience the awesome New Zealand landscape. It seems like around every turn in the road there’s something new and overwhelming you get to take in. I spent a lot of my time abroad just feeling small in such a grand landscape. It was refreshing. I had my life turned upside down in the Southern Hemisphere and realized that it was exactly what I needed for a lot of pieces in my life to slot together. I don’t think I’ll go a single day in my life where the impact of my semester abroad doesn’t somehow play a role in how I interact with this world. Study abroad is important. It opens new pathways and changes perspectives. Study abroad enabled me to learn about marine biology, evolution, Māori culture, and land ethics. It enabled me to learn about what it means to engage with your surroundings. It enabled me to learn about how I think about the world and what I can do to be a better global citizen. My experiences during my semester abroad are unparalleled to any method of learning I have previously been a part of. Not every moment was perfect, but I experienced so much sheer joy in the five months I spent abroad, I know I’m going to look back on those memories in the future and just soak in that happiness again. I am so immeasurably grateful for the opportunity to study abroad and I can’t wait to continue traveling in the future.

I had packed my 2 suitcases and headed to the other side of the world, not really knowing what to expect. From the hustle of city life in New York to the laidback one-large-village vibe in New Zealand, my world was flipped upside down. Study abroad was the time to experience many firsts- camping, climbing mountains, diving, whale-watching, white-water rafting, glowworm cave hunting, traveling independently, driving on the left side of the road, operating on island time, and many many more. Throughout the ups and downs of study abroad in Christchurch, IES faculty had been a solid foundation through which all of my concerns were answered thoroughly. I cannot recommend it enough. Study abroad. Do it.

Growing up in the middle of farmland leaves you wanting a different setting for yourself. This is why I chose New Zealand for my study abroad experience. New Zealand is known for its beautiful mountains and extensive nature. I craved a new view. New Zealand brought me this and so much more. I was fortunate enough to partake in study through IES Abroad whose advisor was of Maori culture. Throughout the semester I became immersed in the Maori way of life; learning about their values and history. I learnt more about myself the first two days on Waiheke Island than I had in a lifetime. However cheesy it may sound, I made lifelong friends and pushed myself in ways I could only do there. I welcomed the feeling of learning a new campus with new classes and people. The University of Auckland offered all the courses I needed and challenged me just as much as I am at my home university. Being time zones away from my family was new to me, but I have never felt such a true happiness that I felt being in New Zealand.

My experience at Vic was wonderful not only for the beautiful, easily accessible campus, but the extremely friendly and knowledgeable professors. The city of Wellington itself was so fun to live in as it was extremely walkable yet filled with a variety of restaurants, cafes, shops, museums, and other activities. Everything the city had to offer was colorful and unique and there was never a shortage of things to do! Being at the southern tip of the North Island made Wellington the perfect home base for travelling throughout New Zealand. I can attribute my preparation beforehand and comfort throughout the experience to the kind and helpful TEAN staff who were always accessible and happy to support their students in any way possible. The program provided an unforgettable experience that I would recommend to anyone looking to go abroad!

My overall educational experience at VUW was really amazing - the teachers were all incredibly accomplished and easily accessible and the classes themselves were interesting. In addition, the administrations of both VUW and TEAN were absolutely amazing. Everyone with whom I spoke was kind, knowledgable, and very willing to help. TEAN did a fantastic job of preparing me for the specific program, so I really had all the information I needed. The only thing is that I wish I had known how amazing the food was going to be in Wellington, because I would have budgeted more money per week to eating out. In terms of opportunities, both TEAN and VUW provided experiences to interact with the culture. For example, during TEAN's orientation in Queenstown, the staff there had made arrangements for a professor from the University of Otago to come and teach us all about Maori culture. VUW offered many different events also related to Maori culture and discussion about it. Wellington itself is also a diverse and culturally rich city, with tons of different museums and cultural immersion opportunities. I felt very strongly that both TEAN and VUW encouraged participating in those opportunities, and I spent most of my off days doing so. I loved TEAN, VUW, and Wellington and would recommend the program, the university, and the city to absolutely anyone.

I really appreciated my time in Auckland. Bianca, the program adviser, is absolutely wonderful. Experiencing Maori culture by taking us to her own community was so amazing. However, I think it was definitely necessary to explore campus and the region on your own. I have a lot of close friends from the US that I hung out with in Auckland, but fewer from New Zealand itself. Branching out by yourself is a really important thing to do, and I feel like it could have been stressed a little more. Also, we technically weren't supposed to rent cars. Everyone did anyway, because it is the best way to see New Zealand, and I don't really think this rule should be in place. Housing was average, and an unfortunate roommate situation wasn't the best, however, I was out exploring enough that it didn't make too much of a difference. I met some really amazing people and explored some really cool landscapes out there! The clubs in Auckland are really awesome and I recommend that you join as many as you can to meet people. I definitely would do this program again, it was a really life changing period in my life!

I could not be happier with my choice to study abroad in New Zealand. Wellington especially! Coming into my abroad experience, I knew that I wanted to explore as much of the beautiful landscape as I could, and I was not disappointed in the slightest. New Zealand is a true backpacker's dream and has supplied me with some of the most amazing landscapes I have ever seen. Some of my trips including seeing Mount Cook, hiking past Mount Doom, and also trekking across the Southern Tasmanian Coastline. It's so easy to get around a travel for cheap in New Zealand as well. Wellington itself is such a gem of a city. It is a perfect little San Francisco with a vibrant waterfront, coffee culture, and great food and craft beer. It is a very liveable city with lots of cultural events and activities. Check out the Sundays Farmer's Market, such a great time! Overall, TEAN as a study abroad aid was instrumental. They made it so easy to know exactly what was needed to be done before departure and their orientation provided a good transition into the study abroad lifestyle and definitely got some of the jitters out. We even got to go to Milford Sound! All my questions were answered promptly and accurate before and during the program. Highly reccomend TEAN and can't wait to go back to New Zealand again!

I had such an amazing experience with TEAN and my amazing host country, New Zealand. TEAN was amazing and provided me with so many resources to seek out scholarships and through there resources I applied with the NZ education department and received a stipend to do social media marketing and received a letter of recommendation from them in return. TEAN provided me with an efficient and useful orientation and were incredibly reachable but they also let me personalize my abroad experience and do my own personal travel. It was nice to be able to meet all of the NZ students so that we were able to network and couch surf the country to save on travel costs. It was also really nice to be able to lean back on a TEAN advisor in my home city where she would take us out on coffee check ins, day trips to Weta workshop or Zealandia and a beautiful farewell dinner. A day has not gone by where I do not wish i was back in my flat with my amazing friends in Aotearoa.

I studied abroad in Auckland from July to November (UoA's "semester 2") and had an amazing time. I took a rather relaxed course load so I could focus more on the "abroad" part of study abroad- joining clubs, making new friends (local and international), and traveling around the country on weekends. Afterwards, I was able to spend a month backpacking around the South Island of New Zealand and another 10 days in Thailand and Cambodia- I would highly recommend all of this. Since the semester ended in November and my next semester didn't start until January in the US, I was able to go on this incredible adventure at the end of my trip.

I'll have to admit I never thought of New Zealand as somewhere one could "Study abroad." To me, Europe was were you went to study abroad and New Zealand was reserved for magical journeys such as your honeymoon or an Eat, Pray Love situation. When I discovered I could study abroad in New Zealand I had no idea what to expect. The whole moving to a new country with nobody I knew was more intimidating than I'd like to admit to my family and peers who consider me an adventurous and responsible character. Nevertheless, I summed up the courage and applied and soon I found myself climbing off a plane onto the streets of Auckland, New Zealand. My housing situation was more than ideal; clean and comfortable and within easy walking distance of the school. I was also next to a large park which was great for running. The IES program I was on met within my first days here and it was here I met the most important factor of my experience; my friends. I'll spare you all the various details of our countless adventures and developments but in summary, together we set out to explore NZ and explore we did. The classes I took were interesting (I had the luxury to have a relatively flexible schedule) and so I took some novel courses. One thing I appreciated was that all of the lectures were recorded and uploaded online so I could review them before an exam. Another thing I noticed was that the coursework here was very writing heavy and some even included hand-written in class exams! Anyways, I could write pages upon pages about my experiences here however as far as a recommendation I could not recommend New Zealand (and IES specifically) more. IES provided me with the stability and comfort I required in order to make the most of my time abroad and I never once felt alone or anxious about my possibilities for I always knew where to turn. If you have ever felt the urge to sit alone on the beach staring at the milky way one weekend and climbing a mountain to look at some snow capped crystal blue pools the next (all the while taking courses and gaining college credit of course) New Zealand is the place for you.

I participated in IES Christchurch, direct enrolment into the University of Canterbury(UC) last semester and could not have been more pleased. The program coordinator was the most down to earth woman who made the transition into the Kiwi life super easy. All of my UC classes were 20-ish students because I was taking junior-level courses. The courses were challenging but very manageable compared to what a junior level Biology course at my home university would require. I had the opportunity to get to know my professors and other students in my classes. Not to mention, the south island of New Zealand is a prime location to study abroad for the outdoor adventurer. I'd go back in a heartbeat!

Travelling to New Zealand, a country on the other side of the world, was more than just a far-away country with new accents and foods. I wasn’t just on the other side of the globe – I was upside down and backwards. From navigating the airport and making my way to my new school, to walking on the other side of the street and greeting “Kia Ora!” to everyone I met, little things added up to create an upside down and backwards world. Even though everyone still spoke English, the language was different – and I don’t just mean the accent. Going to New Zealand with IES, though, gave me a steadfast support structure and people to help me navigate everything new. Our program director was there for any and every question I had, and the other people there with IES were immediate friends. Going abroad with IES gave me an invaluable entry into Kiwi society that I would not have been afforded otherwise. In both New Zealand and during an IES sponsored trip to the Cook Islands, the IES Christchurch program gave me the opportunity to converse with local figureheads about social, economic, political, and environmental issues. Moreover, our program director from IES took us on amazing trips throughout the semester to a wildlife sanctuary, showed us hidden highlights of the city, and brought us to a Marae. (A Marae is a Maori community meeting place, and you have to be invited to a Marae by one of it's members in order to visit. Once there, we got to learn about Maori songs, language, art, traditions, and modern day culture.) All of these trips were just a few ways that I was welcomed into the Christchurch community that I would never have glimpsed if I hadn't gone with IES.

It's hard to have any boring experiences when traveling in New Zealand. That being said, IES Abroad made my adventure so much more worthwhile. They truly made every single experience I had full of cultural learning and meaning, and that has made all the difference. I truly felt like I was a part of the culture around me, not like I was paying someone to perform their culture for me, an that was extremely important to me. IES took us to the Cook Islands, which is where I truly felt this way; that I was participating and learning rather than being a vacationing tourist. I believe that the unique connections IES has within these international communities is what made these experiences possible and significant.