University of Waikato
*IMPORTANT NOTE: Exchange spaces are not currently available at this partner institution for 2025/2026*
Location: Hamilton, New ZealandWebsite: University of Waikato (see information for exchange students)
Instagram: @waikatouniversity
Language of instruction: English
Terms: Trimester A (February - June) and Trimester B (July – November)
Highlights
- Comprehensive university hosting 12,500 students, including over 2,000 international students
- Small class sizes and student-centered learning environment
- Peaceful: New Zealand is the 2nd safest country in the world according to the 2021 Global Peace Index
- Indigenous culture: The culture and traditions of Māori, New Zealand's indigenous people, are woven into various aspects of New Zealand life
- Hamilton, New Zealand is near New Zealand's biggest city, Auckland, as well as the beach and surf town of Raglan
Accessibility
- Accessibility Services website and contact information
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Although registration is welcome at any time, all students with impairments or support needs are encouraged to register with Accessibility Services before coming to University or very early in their studies. This will ensure the right supports for the students' unique needs.
Area of study
- Humanities
- Science
- Social Science
View the course catalogue for a list of available classes
Credits
Credits at Waikato:
- Full-time option (7.5 UVic units): 60 credit points per term at Waikato
Course Evaluations at UVic:
- Before departure, UVic students will be able to submit exchange courses to UVic for evaluation. The results will indicate how many UVic units each exchange course is worth, as well as the course equivalency.
- Students must use the evaluation results to ensure their exchange courses credits add up to the equivalent UVic units. The total number of units for each exchange term should be 4.5 UVic units for part-time exchange or 7.5 UVic units for full-time exchange.
- This course evaluation process will be made available and explained in detail during the pre-departure session in early October for Spring exchange terms and in late March for Fall exchange terms. Evaluations take 2-6 weeks to complete and will be emailed to students.
- Course evaluations results are tentative until the end of the exchange term, when a second, final evaluation is conducted by OREM using the students’ exchange transcript, and the results are applied to their UVic record.
Exchange credit history
- Click here to check out the exchange credit history of courses that have been previously evaluated by UVic for this host university.
- Students are not limited to this list when selecting courses for their upcoming exchange and should consult the host university’s course catalogue for a full list of offerings.
- Important note: this document is a guide only and previously evaluated courses are not guaranteed to be evaluated in the same way in the future.
- After being accepted into the ICS Exchange Program, students will have the chance to submit exchange courses to UVic for evaluation. The results will provide updated unit and credit equivalency information.
Housing
- On Campus Housing: available.
- Off Campus Housing: may be available. Waikato holds regular information sessions about options including homestay and private rentals.
Medical Insurance, Immigration & Arrival
- Medical Insurance: Mandatory and automatically applied to a student's account. Students will need to pay their insurance fees upon arrival at Waikato. For more information, see Studentsafe - Inbound University Insurance.
- Immigration Documents: Student Visa required (See New Zealand Immigration)
- Orientation: Mandatory. See International Student Experience for information about the International Orientation Event, the International Buddy Programme, and International Day.
How to apply
Learn how to apply or sign up to receive emails about studying on exchange at a partner university. We will send you information about events, application deadlines, funding opportunities, and more!