The University of Auckland

The University of Auckland, located in one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world, is the only university in New Zealand to rank within the world's top 100 institutions (QS World University Rankings 2025). Home to over 40,000 students across seven campuses, the university has gained a reputation as a world-leading education institute.

More than 8,000 international students from over 100 different countries are welcomed onshore and online to the university each year.

The University of Auckland is New Zealand's top university for graduate employability and ranks 1^st in New Zealand for graduate employment comes (QS World Rankings 2025). This year, the university has maintained a top place (13^th) in the Global Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, acknowledging progress made towards Sustainable Development Goals.

With 10 subjects placed in the top 50 of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2024, the university offers students an indisputably high-quality learning experience. Some of these subjects include anthropology, English language and literature, education, civil engineering and psychology. Students and graduates are highly employable both nationally and globally, and are connected to experienced professors who are global leaders in their field.

With over 60 research centers and institutes, the university prides itself on educating students to a high level and empowering them to contribute to and create the global, social, economic and cultural future. Students can also immerse themselves in the university community by joining any of the over 200 diverse clubs and societies.

Stunning natural beauty in all directions combined with the energy of a bustling cosmopolitan city makes Auckland a sought-after place to live, work and study. Auckland boasts a subtropical climate, with mild winters and warm humid summers, and is one of the sunniest main centres in New Zealand.

As New Zealand's largest city, Auckland contains approximately one third of New Zealand's population. Around 400,000 live in the city itself and 1.7 million live in the greater Auckland area. With over 40 per cent of Auckland's residents born outside of New Zealand, the city is joining the ranks of the world's superdiverse cities.

Picturesque islands and a harbour-side location enhance the scenic beauty of the city, which is also dubbed the ‘City of Sails' owing to the large number of yachts sailing in the harbour and the nearby Hauraki Gulf. The Waitākere Ranges rainforest to the west is a natural gateway to the spectacular surf beaches of the west coast and numerous bush walks.

Auckland offers a wonderful range of entertainment, sport and recreation possibilities for students to explore. While the many theatres and art galleries cater to the artistically inclined, the vast scope for activities such as swimming, kayaking and hiking means those who prefer the outdoors will not be disappointed. Sports lovers can also catch live action from rugby, soccer and cricket matches at the international stadiums.

Auckland is developing an international reputation as a business hub and is home to the greatest concentration of New Zealand's entrepreneurs and innovators. Many international graduates choose to make the city their home to take advantage of employment opportunities, both during and after their studies.

The University of Auckland has a number of campuses and other institutes around the city and Auckland Region. The main campuses are:

City Campus

Located in the heart of Auckland, the City Campus provides many amenities, including cafes, health services, libraries, childcare facilities, and a recreation centre.

Grafton Campus

Home to the Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, the Grafton Campus is situated opposite Auckland City Hospital.

Newmarket Campus

This five-hectare campus houses state-of-the-art equipment, laboratories and structures designed to support research activities for the faculties of Engineering and Science.

South Auckland Campus

Te Papa Ako o Tai Tonga, the university's campus in Manukau, Auckland, reinforces its commitment to high-quality, local education and study-support services for South and East Auckland students.

The University of Auckland offers a diverse range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes for international students. At undergraduate level, many of the programmes give students the opportunity to expand their learning by choosing from courses outside of their main focus in areas such as the arts, sciences, medicine, engineering, education, law, and much more.

Students can choose a specialisation, a single or double major, a major and a minor, or a conjoint degree. This determines the subjects and courses to focus on for most of the degree as students pursue their chosen area to the most advanced undergraduate stage.

Master's programmes are generally offered as either research or taught programmes. Taught masters aim to provide students with advanced specialist training in their chosen field, and are usually completed by coursework only, although they may in some cases involve a dissertation. Many of these qualifications can be completed in 18 months or less.

Doctoral programmes, leading to the award of a PhD, are generally undertaken over a minimum of three years full-time. They require students to prepare a substantial thesis of original research that contributes significantly to knowledge and understanding in that discipline, followed by an oral examination.

The PhD is available in 100 different subjects and offers a wealth of research opportunities, including the chance to work in cross-disciplinary projects.

New international PhD students pay the same annual tuition fee as New Zealand PhD students for most programmes. Financial aid, in the form of various scholarships, is available at all levels of study for international students.

The University of Auckland is committed to cutting-edge research and identifies research-led teaching as a primary responsibility of its academic staff, in addition to publishing and disseminating research of the highest international quality.

The university has the most research activity in the New Zealand tertiary sector with 25 per cent of all research-active staff and 35 per cent of the top A-rated academic researchers in New Zealand coming from the University of Auckland.

Research centres include:

• Auckland Bioengineering Institute
• Liggins Institute
• James Henare Māori Research Centre
• Public Policy Institute
• Koi Tū: The Centre for Informed Futures
• Four of New Zealand's ten Centres of Research Excellence (CoREs)
• National Science Challenges

Research topics cover a diverse spectrum and include subjects under domains such as sustainability, health, education, business, engineering, and science. Postgraduate students contribute meaningfully to the university's research while studying for their degrees. There are also summer research scholarships available for students who have completed at least two years of their undergraduate degree.

The University of Auckland recognises the various pressures that students might face when studying overseas. The university's friendly team of international student advisers provide a range of support services to help including accommodation, immigration, finances, health and wellbeing and work.

The support team at the university, including international student advisers and a Visa and Compliance Adviser, offer services that are not only confidential but also free of charge.

A dedicated team of learning advisers are also on hand to guide students on any academic-related issues. Learning advisers provide a range of services such as:

• Online tutorials and resources to enhance academic and information skills learning
• Facilitating workshops on academic reading and writing, time management, communicating and presenting, test/exam preparation and critical thinking
• Contributing to the Doctoral Skills Programme to help candidates develop the skills needed to undertake a major research project

Students can also connect with the Student Hubs for specific help with course advice, enrolment and other related concerns.

Accommodation

New Zealand's largest student housing project, Carlaw Park Student Village, provides additional self-catered student accommodation to over 1,600 students, who enjoy apartment-style living at affordable prices.

Scholarships

A range of scholarships are available to new international students in 2024, including:

• India High Achievers Scholarship: offering up to NZD 20,000 to eligible international students from India
• ASEAN High Achievers Scholarship: offering up to NZD 10,000 to eligible international students from ASEAN countries
• International Student Excellence Scholarship: offering up to NZD 10,000 to eligible international students

Facilities

New additions to the university's extensive provision of cutting-edge facilities and equipment include:

• Fully renovated nine storey building containing the Faculties of Education and Social Work, Arts, and Creative Arts and Industries, and housing lecture theatres, dance and drama studios, social work suites, and specialist creative areas
• The Centre for Climate, Biodiversity and Society, the university's first cross-faculty research centre
• Te Ahi Hangarau Technology Hub, the innovative learning space, the first of its kind in New Zealand
• BNZ Financial Trading Room gives students access to a state-of-the-art, simulated financial trading room
• New Recreation and Wellness Centre opening in late 2024
• Esports arena

Rankings

Recent rankings of note for the University of Auckland include:

• Top university in New Zealand (QS World University Rankings, 2025)
• In the top 70 universities globally (QS, 2024)
• A top 50 university in ten subject areas, marketing, linguistics, education, anatomy and physiology (QS, 2024)
• A top 100 university for graduate employability (QS Graduate Employability Outcomes, 2025)
• Fifth in the world for sustainability (QS Sustainability Rankings, 2024)
• 200 academics ranking in the top two percent globally (Stanford Elsevier Database, 2023)