Details

• New Zealand
• BaWiSo-23
• Undergraduate
• SoSe 2026
• Time spent at the partner university: 5 months
• Contact: Login to see contact information

1. Preparation

When preparing for a semester abroad in New Zealand, you should make sure to apply for your visa as early as possible. You can only apply for it once the partner university sends you the Offer of Place. I received mine only shortly before the start of my semester abroad, so you shouldn’t worry if it takes a little longer. You can take out and pay for overseas insurance in person on the first day at the university. For my outbound flight, I flew directly from Vienna via Singapore to Christchurch. Both flights took around 10 hours, which was still quite comfortable. For my return flight, I flew via Dubai. The return journey was significantly longer and is not necessarily recommended.

2. Accommodation

The university provides housing options for exchange semester students. However, you should make sure to apply for them in good time, because after a certain deadline you no longer have priority and therefore basically have no chance of getting a housing option through the university. I would not recommend other options apart from the university’s offer, as they are significantly more expensive and require more organizational effort. Christchurch in general is a safe and pleasant environment.

3. Academic life at host university

The campus is quite large and offers many places to spend time, with nice green areas and cafés. Compared to WU, the academic environment is much more relaxed and slower-paced. Almost no lecture has mandatory attendance, and most of them are recorded so that you can watch them at home. However, there are some individual workshops within courses where attendance is mandatory. The professors are quite comparable to WU professors, although overall they perhaps have a slightly more relaxed teaching style. I chose the courses MGMT100 Fundamentals of Management, MGMT230 Business, Society and Environmental, and MGMT221 International Business. I can especially recommend MGMT100 and MGMT230 to students who want to gain a deeper understanding of management practices in New Zealand and the connection between business, society, and sustainability. MGMT230 is particularly interesting as New Zealand is often considered a leading example in this field. Both courses are well-structured and still leave enough time to experience the country and culture beyond university. MGMT221 was somewhat more challenging due to the professor’s teaching style, but overall it was still a valuable course.

5. Every day life in the host country

New Zealanders are very open to meeting new people. It is easy to make contacts and, through them, take part in various activities. Even though Christchurch does not have a big party scene compared to Vienna, there are still always different events you can attend. The university also offers various cool events, and there are several student clubs you can join. Overall, New Zealand, and especially Christchurch, is a very safe place. In Christchurch, you can get around very well by bus. For this, I recommend the Metrocard, which you can top up with credit and then use to take the bus. You can buy this card at the information desk at the Christchurch Interchange. For travelling within the country, people in New Zealand generally use planes almost exclusively. Accordingly, the cost of domestic flights is not too high, and flying is much more relaxed than in Europe.

6. Testimonial

By far the most special thing about New Zealand is its nature. I went on a beautiful road trip around the South Island in a campervan. There, I saw everything from stunning beaches to glaciers. What left a particularly strong impression on me was that no matter where you are in New Zealand, there is always something scenic to admire.