I love New Zealand! (+ am grateful for my program!) July 30, 2025

Academic rigor, intensity, resources, etc.

The academics in New Zealand were far less rigorous than in the States. All lectures were recorded, little homework was assigned, and there was overall less stress, strain, and time commitments. With this, the tradeoff was that a significant amount of the weight was placed on exams and large projects. The exams were challenging and required lots of preparation and effort. You could get away with taking more 'chill' classes, but the higher-level courses offered a great level of intensity. For example, for one of my higher-level biology courses, I wrote a 12-page research paper. The course affiliated with my program was rewarding, as we learned the skills involved in research and met with a mentor, conducted research, and wrote a proper, complete research paper.

On-site administration of your program

The Frontiers Abroad Office/House is adorable, and it was nice that it was so close to our apartments. I knew the support of the on-site administration was there if I needed it, but it wasn't overwhelming, and there weren't too many check-ins throughout the semester.

How satisfied were you with your living arrangements?

I was very satisfied with my living arrangements. I got lucky with great flatmates, and we all got along really well. I enjoyed my room and loved my large window. The kitchen was pretty nice and it was also great to have a patio. Field camp was also a lot of fun (I thought we would be staying in tents, but there were always bunks!).

Food during Field Camp was great, nothing too fancy, but I enjoyed it. During the semester, I cooked for myself a lot which was fun. The food on campus was okay, but I didn’t get it too often. I enjoyed all the cafés on campus and in the city. I also found delicious food in the city!

How integrated did you feel with the local culture?

I loved learning about New Zealand and Māori culture during Field Camp. It was awesome to travel with our professors and experience such immersive learning, especially through Dan, who was Māori himself. I learned more indigenous knowledge and connection during Field camp than I did the entire semester through my Māori course. I really enjoyed the local culture and felt the most integrated in Sumner, Banks Peninsula, and backpacking hut trips.

How well were health issues addressed during the program?

Health care was great. They were super friendly and helpful at the UC Health Center when I needed to get a prescription filled. It was easily accessible if you needed it and much more affordable than the States.

I felt very safe in New Zealand. Unfortunately, a few students had their car broken into so depending on the neighborhood, you have to be careful about parking on busy streets. I also felt very safe backpacking and exploring in the mountains because there are no predators which was cool.

I really enjoyed my program. The first four weeks of Field Camp were amazing and it was incredible to experience such immersed learning. It was also nice to have a program because I made fantastic friends with whom I traveled and explored with for the remainder of the semester.

(1 = not very easy/$200+ on food & personal expenses/week, 2.5 = $100/week, 5 = very easily/minimal cost)

The exchange rate was awesome!

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• Apartment

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• Americans

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• Local Students
• Americans
• International Students

• Nature Immersion (+ Hands on learning)
• Indigenous Learning
• Interconnected approach to learning including many concepts, fields, and learning styles

• More check-ins during the semester (post- Field Camp)

The Avid Adventurer