Studying over summer
Find out about studying over summer, holiday dates, campus access, and available student support.
Summer in New Zealand runs from December to February, coinciding with Trimester 3 and Trimester 1 study.
Campus closure and access to campus
Undergraduate students won't have swipe access to our campuses from midnight on 19 December 2025 until 5 January 2026.
The Campus Security office is open 24/7 at 4 Waiteata Road. Get in touch if you have any questions and the team will respond to you as soon as they can.
If you’re a postgraduate student, you'll automatically have 24/7 swipe access to the general areas of our campuses. For specific faculties or lab areas, contact your course coordinator or supervisor to check if you have access.
If you’re coming on campus during the closedown period, call the Security Control Room on 0800 842 8888 to let them know where you’ll be located.
Learn more about Campus Security
Postgraduate research over summer
If you’re a postgraduate research student, check the Faculty of Graduate Research’s summer hours. There's support available for you over the university closedown period if you need it.
While you’ll have swipe access during the closedown period, you should only come on campus if you need to, such as accessing a research lab. If you can do your research offsite, we encourage you to do so.
The University expects its staff to take two weeks’ holiday over the closedown period, so your supervisor and administrative staff are unlikely to be available. It’s important for your mental health that you take a break from your research during this time if you can, to spend time with your friends and whānau, or simply to recharge for the new year.
Learn about the services and resources to support postgrad students
Accessing student services during summer
Support is available in Trimester 3. Find out about the student services and their opening hours during summer:
Library
Check the Library’s opening hours over summer for all campuses. The Kelburn, Architecture and Design (Te Aro), Commerce (Pipitea), and Law (Pipitea) libraries will be closed during the University closedown period.
Check library hours and locations:
Mauri Ora—Student Health and Counselling
Mauri Ora—Student Health and Counselling is open during their regular hours in Trimester 3, with reduced hours during the closedown period. If you need support when Mauri Ora is closed, there are after-hours services available.
Learn more about Mauri Ora’s locations, hours, and after-hours support:
University retailers and eateries
For information on the opening hours of University retailers and cafes, visit:
Unichem University Pharmacy at Kelburn campus
The pharmacy will be open reduced hours over the closedown period. Check out their hours over summer. They will be closed from Saturday 20 December 2025 and will reopen on Monday 12 January 2026.
Make sure to stock up on any prescriptions you need before the break. You can order your repeat prescriptions through Mauri Ora’s online form if you’re an enrolled patient.
To check hours or request a prescription:
Admissions and Enrolment
The Admissions and Enrolment team’s hours over Trimester 3 are 8:30 am to 5 pm, and they are available until Tuesday 23 December 2005. Normal hours resume on Monday 5 January 2026.
During Trimester 3, they can be contacted by emailing info@vuw.ac.nz or calling 0800 04 04 04.
University Recreation Wellington
University Recreation Wellington are operating off-peak hours until 22 February 2026. Check University Recreation's opening hours and closure dates:
VUWSA
In Trimester 3, you can still contact VUWSA about the services, campaigns, and other support they offer. They are operating at reduced hours and will be closing on 15 December 2025 and reopening on Monday 5 January 2026.
Check when VUWSA is open:
Pasifika Student Success
The Pasifika Student Success team are available for one-on-one appointments to support your academic study between 9 am and 3.30 pm, Monday to Friday. They are open as normal during Trimester 3, apart from the closedown period.
Contact the Pasifika Student Success team:
Āwhina
You can book a 30-minute in-person or online kaiakiaki appointment with a Māori engagement adviser from 9 am–3 pm, Monday to Friday. Our advisers will be unavailable over the closedown period, but available for appointments from Monday 5 January 2026.
Book an appointment or contact the Āwhina team:
Faculty of Graduate Research
The Faculty of Graduate Research team are available between 9 am–4 pm, Monday to Friday, during Trimester 3. They will be open until Friday 19 December 2025 and then re-open on Monday 5 January 2026. A team member will be available to respond to emails on the mornings of Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 December 2025.
University Kids
University Kids is open during their regular hours in Trimester 3, from 7.30 am–5.15 pm at Clermont Terrace, and 8 am–5.30 pm at Fairlie Terrace. Their centres will be closed during the University’s closedown period, and reopening on Monday 5 January 2026.
Tītoko—Student Success Advisers
For questions about your degree, Tītoko—Student Success teams are available during their regular hours over Trimester 3, and unavailable over the closedown period. Find out how to contact your student success adviser:
International Student Experience
The International Student Experience office is open during regular hours for one-on-one appointments and closed over the closedown period. Book an appointment with an adviser.
For urgent after-hours support, call 027 600 6864 to get in touch with the team.
Student Finance
One-on-one appointments with a student finance adviser are available from 9 am to 3 pm over Trimester 3, and unavailable over the closedown period. You can book online through the booking page.
During the closedown period, if you have to pay for something urgently, have an unexpected bill, or a personal emergency, StudyLink may be able to help.
Student Finance information and services:
Manawa Ora—Student Wellbeing
Activities in The Bubble are not running in Trimester 3 and will resume in Trimester 1. For wellbeing support, check out our online wellbeing resources.
For wellbeing support, explore our online wellbeing resources.
If you're worried about your own or someone else’s acute mental health needs, phone Crisis Resolution Services (CRS) Te Haika on 0800 745 477 (available 24 hours).
To talk to someone about non-crisis wellbeing issues, contact Need To Talk on 1737 (available 24 hours).
Find wellbeing resources and contacts:
Student Learning
You can book an appointment with a student learning adviser for assignment support during Student Learning’s regular hours, excluding the closedown period.
Wellington Careers and Employment
If you need career advice, our advisers are available for appointments during their regular hours in Trimester 3. They are unavailable during the closedown period and their regular hours resume on Monday 5 January 2025.
Scholarships Office
For support applying for scholarships, our scholarships advisers are available for one-on-one appointments during their regular hours in Trimester 3. They are unavailable for appointments during the closedown period. You can book an appointment with them in-person or online.
Find contact information or book an appointment:
Tauria—Student Interest and Conflict Resolution
If you need to discuss conflict, complaints, or issues about a member of the University, our advisers are here to listen. You can request a confidential chat during their regular hours over Trimester 3. The team will be unavailable over the closedown period.
For support after hours to talk about sexually harmful behaviour, contact Safe To Talk on 0800 044 334 (available 24 hours).
Below are links to Tauria—Student Interest and Conflict information for Trimester 3:
Te Amaru—Disability Services
For disability support, our advisers offer in-person appointments. Email disability@vuw.ac.nz or call 04 463 6070 to book an appointment. Our disability and inclusion advisers are unavailable for appointments over the closedown period, and will be available for bookings from Monday 5 January 2026.
Kahukura—Rainbow and Inclusion
Our rainbow adviser will be available for one-on-one support over Trimester 3, with the exception of the closedown period. They have daily appointment slots you can book through their online form.
Support and booking information:
Tauria Konene—Refugee-background students
You can book a one-on-one appointment with our refugee-background students adviser if you're a student who was a refugee or have parents who were refugees. To book, email abdul.haidari@vuw.ac.nz or check out their drop-in hours. Our adviser isn’t available over the closedown period, but they’re available from Monday 5 January 2026.
Student life and wellbeing
Summer is a good time to:
- Prioritise your wellbeing
- Find things to do in the city
- Prepare for the upcoming trimester
What's on in Wellington over the summer
Getting ready for Trimester 1
Check out our information for new students starting in Trimester 1 and New Students' Orientation Week events.