First-year undergraduates—apply now for 2027

If you're a domestic student, studying in an eligible subject area, you can apply to spend Trimester 2 of your second year in a new city.

You can choose to study at AUT or University of Otago—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka.

If you're successful, you'll get a $1,200 scholarship to use towards travel or course costs.

You'll also be eligible for a free place in self-catered university accommodation for the duration of the exchange.

There are only six exchange spaces for our students, three at AUT and three at the University of Otago, so apply now.

Questions about the exchange programme

Read the Uni Exchange Aotearoa information document for further detail about the programme.

If you still have questions, contact UniExchangeAotearoa@vuw.ac.nz. The team will get back to you as soon as possible.

2027 applications are open now

Applications for Trimester 2, 2027 are open until 11.59 pm Thursday 17 September 2026.

Apply now

Eligible subject areas

You can apply for the exchange programme if you're studying in one of these subject areas:

  • Anthropology
  • Classics
  • Communication
  • Computer Science
  • Criminology
  • Economics
  • Education (not Teacher Education)
  • Global Studies
  • Greek
  • History
  • Human Resource Management
  • Information Systems
  • Latin
  • Linguistics or Language Sciences
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Mathematics and Statistics
  • Media Studies
  • Politics
  • Psychology
  • Social Sciences
  • Sociology

Suggested courses

Browse the courses that are on offer within each of the eligible subject areas for 2027. You’re free to take courses not included here; however, the courses listed below are most likely to cross-credit towards your Victoria University degree.

Get course advice

Contact your Student Success Adviser for course advice and planning for 2027. They’ll work with you to make sure the courses you take on exchange align well with your degree requirements.

Your Student Success Adviser

Why you should apply

Expand your learning

Enrich your learning by experiencing different teaching styles and academic perspectives at another university.

Grow your network

Connect with peers, lecturers, and professionals in a different region—opening doors to future study, internships or jobs.

Enhance your CV

Demonstrate your resilience, curiosity and willingness to embrace new challenges by learning in a different city and community.

Landscape shot of AUT students walking into campus building, with the sky needle in the background

A semester at AUT

Auckland is New Zealand's largest city, and an economic powerhouse.

It's also the home of Aotearoa's only university of technology, where learning connects you directly to real-world impact.

A large clock tower in the background, with blurred people walking by in the foreground

A semester at Otago

Dunedin is a picturesque student city with stunning beaches, nature trails, and unique wildlife.

At Otago, there are countless ways to immerse yourself in student life and make the most of your university experience.

Meet our students

Current AUT or Otago students

Find out more about your exchange opportunities directly through your university.

AUT students Otago students