Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington was established in 1899, making it among the oldest universities in New Zealand. Based out of the capital city Wellington, the University campuses are in close proximity to the country's archives and national collection libraries.  

The University enrols over 21,500 students each year including around 3,000 international students from around 80 countries. Over 20 per cent of the Victoria student population is studying at postgraduate level.  

Why Choose Victoria?

• Top-quality programmes across a variety of subjects
• Eight faculties managed by renowned academics
• Study in one of the most beautiful cities in the world
• Four campuses spread across Wellington
• Opportunities for high-impact research in various subjects
• Academic year is split into three trimesters
• Vacations between trimesters to help students explore New Zealand
• Strong community of international students
• Affordable on-campus accommodation facilities
• Dedicated student support
• Generous scholarship opportunities

A degree from Victoria University Wellington is a life-changing experience. It prepares students to face the challenges of a professional life and emerge victorious.

Victoria University has four campuses, three of which are within a 15-minute walk of each other in the city centre. The campuses are:

• Kelburn campus
• Pipitea campus
• Karori campus
• Te Aro campus

Kelburn:

The Kelburn campus is the main University campus and is home to the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Engineering.  The Student Union Building with the office of the Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association (VUWSA) and the Student Health Centre are also located at Kelburn.

Pipitea:

The Pipitea campus is located in the centre of Wellington’s Business District near the Wellington Railway Station. The Campus includes Government Buildings, Rutherford House and the Railway West Wing. Pipitea is home to the Faculty of Law and the Victoria Business School. Approximately 6,000 students are studying at the Pipitea campus.   

Karori:

The Karori campus is home to the Faculty of Education. Incorporating a lot of open spaces, a number of facilities for sports-lovers and athletes are available here. These include tennis and netball courts, swimming pools and a gymnasium. A well-stocked library and a Student Computer Centre are also there.

Te Aro:

The Te Aro campus is home to the Faculty of Architecture and Design and includes a purpose-built learning space, the Wigan Building.

All campuses are designed to be environment friendly and measures have been put into place to reduce the carbon footprint.

Life in Wellington:

Wellington is known for its city buzz, a number of good cafes and lively night life. It is a vibrant, compact city situated at the southern tip of New Zealand's north island, between a beautiful harbour and green hills. Wellington offers a healthy lifestyle in a mild to temperate climate while also acting as a gateway to the rest of New Zealand through one of the busiest airports in the country.

As the nation's cultural capital, Wellington offers access to the country's national museums, libraries and national institutions. Wellington also hosts regular sporting events, cultural festivals, including the New Zealand International Festival of the Arts - one of the top six arts festivals in the world - and the Wellington International Film Festival.

Victoria offers a range of study options: pre-degree English language study and Foundation Studies programme; undergraduate degrees and diplomas including Study Abroad and Student Exchange opportunities; postgraduate study including honours, diplomas, masters degrees and the coveted PhD.

Study opportunities are offered through eight faculties: Architecture & Design, Victoria Business School (Faculty of Commerce), Education, Engineering, Graduate Research, Humanities & Social Sciences, Law and Science.

The Faculty of Architecture & Design's offers undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Architecture, Building Science, Industrial Design and Media Design. Top class facilities include 3-D digital printer, digital laser cutter, a wind tunnel, and other environmental simulation equipment.

The Victoria Business School incorporates the Schools of Accounting & Commercial Law, Economics & Finance, Government, Information Management, Marketing & International Business and the Victoria Management School. With close ties with leading industries students have the opportunity to learn from business leaders.

The Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences is featured in the world’s Top-100 faculties as per the Times Higher Education World Subject Rankings. As Victoria's largest faculty, degrees are offered in popular subjects including the Classics, Asian & European Languages, English, Film, Theatre & Media, Political Science & International Relations, Linguistics, and Nursing & Midwifery.

The Faculty of Education offers a range of programmes related to teacher training in early childhood and primary and secondary areas.  It also delivers a number of undergraduate and postgraduate courses for the professional development of teachers.

The Faculty of Engineering offers programmes at the undergraduate and PhD levels.  The Faculty’s strengths are in the areas of Computer System Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Network Engineering and Software Engineering.

The Faculty of Graduate Research or FGR as it is popularly known as offers doctoral programs in conjunction with the faculties of Architecture and Design, Humanities and Social Sciences, Law, Science, Engineering, Education, and Commerce and Administration. Victoria is ranked number one in New Zealand for research quality.

The Faculty of Law offers study at undergraduate and postgraduate levels.  It has acknowledged strengths in International Law, Public Law and Commercial Law and includes two research centres - NZ Centre for Public Law and NZ Centre for Dispute Resolution and Research.

The Faculty of Science offers study through its Schools of Biological Sciences; Chemical and Physical Sciences; Geography, Environment & Earth Sciences; Mathematics, Statistics & Computer Sciences; and Psychology.

The New Zealand School of Music (NZSM) has been established by combining Victoria University of Wellington and Massey University's strengths to offer students opportunities for comprehensive study unique in New Zealand. The NZSM takes a holistic approach to music, placing equal value on composition, musicology and performance.

Victoria University of Wellington is consistently ranked among the top research-intensive universities in the region and offers an excellent selection of PhD opportunities across subject categories. The University hosts seven Centres of Research Excellence and over 30 research institutes. Some of these are:

• Ferrier Research Institute
• Centre for Biodiversity and Restoration Ecology
• Alan Wilson Centre for Molecular Ecology and Evolution
• Centre for Building Performance Research
• Centre for Logic, Language and Computation

Recent Research Victories:

Some key research projects in which students and staff have found success are listed below:

New Bone Healing Treatment - Victoria biomedical science graduate Kerry Hilligan was part of a research project partnered by IRL and Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research, A*STAR. Her research output led to the creation of a new product that helps injured bones heal faster.

Saving the Kiwifruit - The kiwifruit is popular the world over for its unique taste and myriad health benefits. Victoria University researcher Dr. David Ackerley is working to combat the PSA disease that has ravaged New Zealand’s $1 billion kiwifruit industry.

New Perspectives on Computer Networking - A group of computer scientists at Victoria are working on a project that enables computer networking through pre-defined software. The results of this project could very well change the face of computer networking as we know it today.

The Faculty of Graduate Research at Victoria manages admissions and funding for all potential PhD aspirants. Additionally, a number of Sumer Research Projects are also available for students to work on short-term projects. Victoria researchers have won major grants in a highly competitive environment and publish in leading international journals and with top academic publishers.

Students aspiring to study at Victoria University of Wellington should complete the application form and send it with certified copies of all relevant documents to the International Admissions Office. With three intakes every academic year, applicants should make a note of the last dates for receipt of application forms as listed below:

• Trimester 1 (February) - December 1 of the previous year
• Trimester 2 (July) - May 1
• Trimester 3 (November) - September 1

Academic entry requirements vary from course to course and applicants are advised to read the programme descriptions before submitting an application. The minimum English language requirements for the various levels of study are listed below:

Foundation Programme - IELTS - 5.5 (no sub-score below 5) or TOEFL - 525 Paper-based/195 Computer-based/ 70 Internet-based.

Undergraduate Degrees - IELTS - 6 (no sub-score below 5.5) or TOEFL - 550 Paper-based/213 Computer-based/ 80 Internet-based.

Postgraduate Degrees - IELTS - 6.5 (no sub-score below 6) or TOEFL - 575 Paper-based/237 Computer-based/ 90 Internet-based.

Costs and Scholarships:

The tuition fee varies from programme to programme and can be verified by using the fee calculator. On an average, the cost of accommodation and food and living costs will work out to about US$16,000 per year.

A number of scholarships, primarily for postgraduate and PhD students are available for international students. The Victoria International Excellence Scholarship offers $20,000 over a period of three years to selected students. The Warren Trust Scholarship is awarded to students enrolled on the Master of Architecture programme. The Ernst and Young Scholarship is offered to second year undergraduate Accounting students.   

Services & Facilities:

The International Office at Victoria includes a dedicated, award-winning Student Services Team. The Services team oversees arrival and orientation, insurance and visas and has Student Advisors available to assist with any issues students confront.

Accommodation:

Students have the option to choose from 15 residence halls that offer a mix of catered and self-catered accommodation. The residence halls are located in close proximity to all campuses and give students the security and convenience of a community living experience. Students may also choose to live in private flats and houses. International students are advised to register for a place and apply well in advance.

Food and Drink:

Be it vegan, halal or diet-friendly food, a number of options are on offer for students at the Kelburn campus. The other campuses have a number of cafes and restaurants around them. Additionally, vending machines are placed at strategic points across the campuses.

Clubs and Societies:

There are over 130 student clubs at Victoria that cover topics like socialising, sports, cultural, religious, martial arts, performance, film and media. Each of these groups offers its own blend of Victoria club culture.

Gym and Recreation Centre:

The Kelburn and Pipitea campuses offer a gym and recreation centre. Facilities on offer include - fitness centres with weight training and cardio equipment, space for tennis, football, rugby and netball and group exercise classes. There are also a number of ‘Outdoor Adventure’ activities like sailing and trekking that are planned and executed on a regular basis.

Health and Wellness:

The University is committed to ensure that students have a pleasant time when studying and a number of counselling and health services are available that students can avail. ‘CALM’ - Computer Assisted Learning of the Mind - is a web-based tool designed to help students and staff tackle stress and depression. It is easy to use and completely free to access.

Students at Victoria University of Wellington share their experience of living and studying in New Zealand. Click on the names of the students below to see them speak!

• Aiko from Japan
• Ching from Malaysia
• Anja from Germany