Overview

GlobaLinks Learning Abroad, formerly known as AustraLearn, offers semester and year abroad programs at The AUT University. AUT is New Zealand’s most contemporary university, with a unique profile reflecting our innovative approaches to teaching, learning, and research. AUT University is outward-looking, developing and adapting to the social, economic, and technological realities which shape the world today. As a result AUT students are responsive to the needs of the modern, fast-changing and multi-skilled work place.

AUT understands the importance of building international relationships, and they place a high value on the contribution that international students make to university life. Students from more than 84 countries currently study at AUT and enjoy an inclusive learning environment – one which supports a diversity of people, cultures, and ideas.

Learn more about AUT University:

Location

Location Quickfacts (estimated) Distance to city center by foot: 10 minutes Distance to nearest airport by bus: 45 minutes

About Auckland

AUT has two well-positioned campuses – City Campus in the center of Auckland, and North Shore Campus across the Auckland Harbor Bridge. Auckland is New Zealand’s largest and most cosmopolitan city with a population of 1.4 million. The urban area is twice the size of London and offers entertainment, nightlife, and shopping. The temperate climate encourages an outdoor lifestyle and there is easy access to surf beaches, ski fields and mountains.

Learn more about Auckland>

Academic Highlights

The Faculties of Business, Design and Creative Technologies, Health and Environmental Sciences, Applied Humanities and Te Ara Poutama (Maori Studies) offer a comprehensive range of courses which are popular with study abroad students.

Courses are offered in fields as varied as:

• Applied Humanities: Languages (Chinese, English, Japanese), Creative Writing, Education (Early Childhood, Montessori, Steiner), Social Sciences, Criminology, Hospitality and Tourism studies,
• Business: Accounting, Advertising, Business Economics, Commercial Law, Design, ebusiness, Finance, Information Technology, International Business, Management, Sales, Retailing and HR & Employment Relations.
• Design & Creative Technologies: Communication Studies (Advertising Creativity, PR, Creative Industries, Journalism, Digital Media, Radio, Television), Art and Design (Spatial, Product, Fashion, Textiles for fashion, Graphic Design, Digital Design, Visual Arts), Engineering (Electrical, Electronic, Mechanical, Network and Communication, Computer and Mobile Systems, Construction Management). Computer & Mathematical Sciences
• Health & Environmental Sciences: Health Sciences (Podiatry, Psychology, Sport and Recreation, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Midwifery, Paramedic, Oral Health, Health Promotion, Applied Mental Health, Occupational Therapy, Public Health), Applied Sciences (Chemistry, Mathematics, Microbiology, Aquaculture, Environmental Studies, Food Science, Human Anatomy & Physiology, Medical Laboratory Sciences).
• Te Ara Poutama (Faculty of Maori Development)
  Students are encouraged to take classes from Te Ara Poutama to gain an understanding of New Zealand Culture. Courses such as “Te Ara Pou – Leadership” and “Introduction to Culture and Society” are favorites for study abroad students.  
   

Internship Available

University Services

AUT offers a comprehensive range of support services to make students’ university experience as enjoyable as possible. These include Healthcare, Counselling, Accommodation, Orientation, Learning Support, Student Mentors, Careers Counselling and Campus Activities. Students with a disability have access to note-takers, interpreters and technology assistance. All students receive an AUT e-mail address and have access to word-processing, e-mail, Internet services, and printing on campus.

AUT University has agreed to observe and be bound by the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students, published by the Minister of Education.

The International Student Support team of friendly people welcome you at Orientation and are here to help students adjust to living and learning in a new culture. Assistance is offered with student visas, permits, student support, homesickness and culture shock.

Housing

As a GlobaLinks Learning Abroad student you are guaranteed pre-arranged accommodation to fit your lifestyle. There are a variety of housing options available which you will apply for after acceptance. Read below for more specific options offered at this university:

AUT provides GlobaLinks Learning Abroad students with accommodation in Wellesley Student Apartments in downtown Auckland. This accommodation includes 4-5 bedroom self-contained apartments, which AustraLearn students share with other international and New Zealand students.

The facilities provided are catered to the needs of students, with all rooms fully furnished and each bedroom is telephone/internet ready. Shared accommodation also provides the opportunity to meet students from different countries and make new friends. The support provided by living amongst fellow students helps many new students adjust to studying abroad.

Orientation

In addition to the GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Bridging Cultures Program which is included in your program fees, all Study Abroad students at AUT participate in an AUT Orientation. This orientation includes sessions covering computer log-ins, time management, assignment preparation, course outlines, campus tours, city tours, the university email system and an introduction to the services and facilities available. Orientation is also a great time to meet staff and student mentors, as well as to socialize with fellow students.

Scholarships Available

In addition to the scholarships offered by GlobaLinks Learning Abroad, AUT supports our study abroad students with three $1,000 NZD awards each year.

Special Programs/Excursions

AUT International Student Noho Marae Weekend

AUT University offers a unique opportunity for study abroad students to experience first hand the rich and powerful Māori culture. Kia ora koutou This is an invitation to all, who want to experience a weekend full of culture, diversity, and fun!

Tuia i runga Tuia i raro Tuia te haere tangata Tena koutou katoa

We invite you to join us at the International Noho Marae. You will learn and perform Māori songs, haka, poi, stick games and enjoy being hosted by Māori staff and students. Make the most of your time in New Zealand, make friends and great memories to last a lifetime.

Nau mai, haere mai E rau rangatira ma

Read about one students experience at the Noho Marae:

Kelsey Ohleger, Appalachian State University

Before I traveled to New Zealand, thoughts of zorbing, lying on sandy beaches, bungee jumping, etc. raced through mind, but I did not really consider the culture and the people who live there.

After arriving and learning about the Maori people (well, first learning how to correctly pronounce Maori – “MAOW-ree”) I became fascinated with their culture. Like Native Americans to the United States, the Maori are the original settlers of New Zealand. The country strongly identifies with their tribal roots and even recognizes Maori as a national language.

One of my first weekends at AUT, I signed up for the Noho Marae without really knowing what I was getting myself into. On Friday, I crammed into the university’s Marae (a traditional Maori complex that accommodates a community and their visitors) with about 130 other international students from AUT. There, we were formerly greeted by the Maori who taught us a few basic things about the culture and encouraged us to meet one another. After brief introductions in small groups, we headed to the Wharekai (dining hall) for dinner. Each student brought a traditional dish from their culture, so the whole place was filled with great food and excited people, at this point I just knew it would be a good weekend.

The rest of the time was filled with new songs, new friends, and eating a lot more food. We were also taught "The Stick Game" which is a hand-eye coordination game to be played with a partner. Elin, from Sweden, and I struggled to stay on beat and kept missing instructions because we couldn't stop laughing.

At one point during the weekend, we were split up so the boys could learn the Haka and the girls the Poi dance. We made a Poi, which is essentially a ball at the end of a piece of string, with yarn and dacron stuffing. The dance that involved hitting and twirling the Poi to the rhythm of a song while moving your hips to the beat. It is actually a beautiful movement if done correctly, but I was absolutely awful and kept accidentally hitting anyone around me with my poi. My lack of coordination did provide a good laugh for everyone and I immediately connected with the other klutzy girls in the back row.

At the end of the final night, we performed our songs, games, and dances to a group of AUT faculty and headed back to the Wharekai for a hangi. A hangi is a traditional maori feast of many different meats, potatoes, pumpkin, stuffing, salad, stew and more. After five months in the country, I can still say that this was the best meal I had in New Zealand. Trying the unfamiliar foods and learning about the culture made it so easy to bond with the people around me. We were all in a strange setting, eager to learn and socialize so after a great weekend, I walked away from the Marae with friendships that not only lasted through my time abroad, but also after returning home.

Get Involved Abroad

Extracurricular Activities

The International Student Support team and Campus Life organize social events throughout the year to make the AUT experience rewarding and enjoyable. These events include a Study Abroad welcome party, bungee jumping, harbor cruises, barbeques, beach activities, Noho Marae (a weekend in a traditional Maori setting – see Special Programs/Excursions section), ski trips, Auckland day trips, concerts, and an end-of-semester lunch.

Community Involvement

While abroad, we recommend getting involved in your local community. It's an awesome way to meet locals, experience the true New Zealand culture, and create long lasting memories. From volunteering to festival-going, we challenge you to make the most of your international experience... See a sample of community involvement opportunities available in Auckland or discover your own upon arrival!

You'll get a taste of how enriching community involvement can be during your first few days in New Zealand on the GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Bridging Cultures Program. The program includes pre-arranged volunteering with the local community. You'll interact directly with locals while giving back to and sharing your own culture with the community that first welcomes you to New Zealand. Plus, you can continue your volunteer efforts later in the semester by signing up for the GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Conservation Volunteer Weekend.

Enhance Your Experience

Global Identity Course

While studying at AUT, you can maximize your study abroad experience by enrolling in the Global Identity course (EdPA 3103 Connecting Your International Experience to Your Future). The course will help you articulate the value of your experience to future employers, demonstrate your intercultural development and skills, and understand intercultural interactions.

This one-credit, online course is offered by the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities exclusively for students studying with GlobaLinks Learning Abroad. LEARN MORE>

Global Citizens Development Modules

The Global Citizen Development modules are online learning components designed to help you explore your study abroad destination and experience at a whole new level. These modules are not mandatory, however we strongly encourage your participation as they will introduce you to the opportunities and challenges you may encounter when participating in a study abroad program, as well as expose you to cultural insights and knowledge about your host country to help make your program abroad even more successful and fulfilling. Through the 3 modules, you will refine your skills in cross-cultural observation, adaptation, and communication.  

Course Catalog

Photo Slideshow

Watch a slideshow of photos higlighting AUT University:

Fees

Fee Includes

Program Fees: As a GlobaLinks Learning Abroad study abroad participant, you will be required to enroll as a full-time student; typically this is 3-4 classes, which is equivalent to 12-16 U.S. semester credit hours. Your program fees are in U.S. dollars and include the host university semester tuition for 4 subjects, university administrative fees, overseas health insurance, the Basic ISIC card, our renowned Bridging Cultures Program on-site orientation and the GlobaLinks Learning Abroad Personalized Support and Service.

With GlobaLinks Learning Abroad you will receive Personalized Support and Service through our four point philosophy to manage your program:

1.) Personal Program Selection & Planning: Personal service & advising, academic planning and credit transfer assistance, program location, housing advice, financial assistance.

2.) Pre and Post Orientation and Preparation: Our MyLearn on-line enrollment information and process, comprehensive program information and departure webinar, immigration visa support and advice, airline ticket and group flight assistance, global citizen development modules.

3.) Cultural Integration: On-site Bridging Cultures Program, on-site resident director services and advising, academic support, guaranteed housing and placement, volunteer and community involvement opportunities.

4.) Reflection and Application of the Experience: Beyond Study Abroad Program, The EnCompass Alumni Program, program evaluation opportunity, resume building and review, alumni handbook and transcript services.

Housing Fees: The Housing Fees are approximates and are in addition to the Program Fees. GlobaLinks Learning Abroad offers you “Housing to Fit Your Lifestyle” and you are guaranteed a placement in a wide variety of quality housing options to accommodate your academic, personal and budgetary needs during your experience abroad. The housing fees listed indicate an approximate cost for the options available on that program which may represent apartments/flats, houses and/or dormitories/residential halls, living within the local community or on-campus with locals and other international students. Private single rooms are standard (although double rooms are available) and are fully furnished, including comfort amenities with access to internet and telephone. Students who choose to arrange their own accommodation upon arrival will be charged the Program Fee only, as they will be responsible for making payment directly to the housing provider once accommodation has been arranged.

Additional Subject & Gym Membership Fees: Additional charges may apply for science, media, fine arts, or journalism subjects at some universities and students who undertake subjects where the university requires additional fees will be billed directly by the home university upon final enrolment. Gym and student union memberships are optional to students. If you wish to join, you may do so on arrival by contacting the international office at your host university.

Fee Advice

Facts

Dates

Entry Requirements

Programs in Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji Coordinator

Name: Christie J. Cutler Title: Senior Coordinator, Outreach and Student Services Department: BIO: Christie manages study abroad admissions and participant pre-trip services for students attending Universities in Australia and New Zealand including Australian National University, AUT University, Griffith University, Lincoln University, Massey University, University of Auckland, University of Canberra, University of Canterbury, University of Waikato and University of Wollongong . Christie graduated with a B.A. in Spanish from Rollins College in 2005. Her study abroad experience in Asturias, Spain sparked her interest in international education. Since college, Christie has run community service programs in Costa Rica and Peru, taught English in Spain, and worked with study abroad and exchange students at Middlebury College in Vermont. Christie holds a Masters in Intercultural Relations, with a focus on International Education, from Lesley University. In addition to her work and study experiences, Christie has also traveled to Argentina, Brazil, the Caribbean, the Dominican Republic, England, Italy, Mexico, New Zealand, Scotland and Uruguay. Advice From The Coordinator: Located in the heart of Auckland, AUT has a wonderful calendar of events planned out for study abroad students throughout the semester. You have the opportunity to do something at least every week, if not more often, and most of the excursions are offered at discount prices.