I was at AUT from March to June, that is, from summer to early winter in New Zealand as featured on topschoolsintheusa. The application went completely through MicroEDU , which turned out to be super easy and straightforward. All application documents go through MicroEDU , which really offers impeccable support. It was very pleasant that I never had contact with the university in Auckland myself, but everything went through MicroEDU.
I started the entire application process about 8 months in advance, which was very early on. However, you have to apply for the AUT student dormitory very early to get a place at all. I will go into that in more detail later.
I booked my flights immediately after the approval from the AUT in order to get the cheapest possible offers. I booked the flight through STA, who offer a student discount and also great support.
University
The AUT is really equipped with the latest technology. The group rooms are all equipped with a large TV and PC so that group work can be handled professionally. Some of the classrooms were also equipped with a laptop for each student. Most of the lectures were attended by around 30-60 people. Particularly at the AUT are probably the round tables with 5-6 people each. There will be a lot of emphasis on interactive lectures, which is really possible thanks to the round tables and which is also fun. The AUT has an International Office which organizes various parties throughout the semester. Unfortunately, the university does not offer any excursions, etc. During Orientation Week there are no offers apart from a welcome party from the International Office. I and other students found that to be a shame. The campus really offers everything a student needs. Various bistros and cafés, a fitness studio, doctors, free WIFI and much more. Since I come from a rather small university of applied sciences, this was partly completely new territory for me.
The exams in New Zealand are a little easier in my opinion, but you have a lot more work to do. You not only have a final exam, but also a number of essays, presentations and smaller exams during the semester. So there is a lot of work to do, but it is easy to master. I set my courses so that I only had lectures on Mondays and Tuesdays. So I had a lot of time to travel, but also to write all of my essays.
Living
The theme of living is a little tiresome subject in Auckland. There are basically two options: AUT dormitory or your own apartment. I really can’t say which is better in the end. I chose the AUT dormitory, which I haven’t regretted at all. I lived there with a Brazilian, an Indian, a Danish and an American. This international flat share was really funny. We also did a lot together or cooked together. You also get to know many other international students very quickly. The kiwis who live in the dormitory are all very young, so I actually had almost no contact there. The dormitory was monitored by a security service which was sometimes quite strict, especially at loud parties. But there were never really big problems. The major disadvantage of the AUT dormitory is the cost. It’s really not cheap. Some other friends had their own apartment and paid significantly less for it. The housing situation in Auckland is very tense at the moment, so you really need luck to do something of your own.
Costs
New Zealand is definitely expensive fun. The country is wonderful and perhaps offers more than any other in the world. However, you have to pay a lot of money for this. The flight, the tuition fees and the accommodation alone add up to an impressive sum. But the cost of living is also higher on average than in Germany.
This, however, can travel quite be favorable. What you should definitely do is fly to the South Island. The domestic flights are very cheap if you book early. The bus companies also very often have cheap tickets on offer. With a bit of luck, you can also buy relatively cheap tickets with Air NewZealand or Virgin Australia for the South Pacific islands of Fiji, Samoa or Tonga.
Conclusion
I can really recommend a semester abroad in New Zealand to everyone. This country offers so many beautiful landscapes and the people are incredibly friendly and relaxed. In Auckland the people are sometimes very stressed, like in all big cities, but as soon as you drive a bit into the country, you immediately feel the relaxed way of life. The AUT is also the perfect university for a semester abroad in New Zealand. The campus is in the heart of Auckland and you are really well looked after. In addition, in my opinion, Auckland is the perfect city from which to explore all of New Zealand.
