Ōtautahi Christchurch Field Trips & Events You can refer to the University of Canterbury Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha program page to peruse field trip offerings. Here is a list of potential field trips and events students could see throughout the semester: Welcome dinner Orientation overnight excursion First week catch-up lunch Regional excursions Attend a sporting or cultural event Optional mid-semester tropical holiday to Rarotonga (a student favorite!) Farewell dinner As listed above, students will have the opportunity to join the IES Abroad Ōtautahi Christchurch field trip to Rarotonga in...

Volunteering Volunteering at local organizations provides another great opportunity for integration into the local culture. If you are interested in volunteering, our Center staff can provide you with contact information for volunteering and non-profit organizations. Specific duties vary according to the volunteer’s previous experience and training, availability, interest, language ability, and specific needs of collaborating organizations. An exciting volunteer group that came into being as a result of the Ōtautahi Christchurch earthquakes in 2010 and 2011 is the Student Volunteer Army, a...

Enrolling in Courses The first step in the course registration process at University of Canterbury Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha is to submit your Course Interest Form on your MyIESAbroad account. While changes can be made to your schedule once you are on-site, this form is a required part of the application process. However, please note that this form is NOT final course registration. You should look for courses for this form that are held in Semester One. For your Course Interest Form, you will enter the following information (including subject code, course number and full course title)...

Overview Ilam Student Accommodation is an apartment-style complex that offers independent living on campus for Kiwi and international students (more international students than Kiwis, as is common in Aotearoa New Zealand). To reside in the Ilam Apartments, you are required to submit the IES Abroad online housing form by the specified deadline. Housing forms submitted after the form deadline will be considered on a case-by-case basis and cannot be guaranteed a housing placement. Take a look at this blog by IES Christchurch Program alumni Anna for an insider look into life at Ilam! You can also...

Program Calendar If available, the SP26 Ōtautahi Christchurch Program Calendar will appear below. Tentative SP26 UC Program Calendar

Situated between East and West, Berlin is not only the German capital, but also an important political and cultural powerhouse in Europe. The main buildings of the German Federal Government and the German Parliament in the historical Reichstag are just a few blocks away from the IES Center in Berlin-Mitte. Berlin has more than 3.5 million inhabitants including people from all over the world: about 35% of the Berliners have a migrant background, which means that either they or their parents immigrated from another country. Berlin has one of the richest and most avant-garde cultural scenes in...

Voltage and Adapters In Germany, electricity operates at 230 volts (as opposed to 110 volts in the United States). Most laptop and smartphone plugs include a voltage converter, but other appliances do not. You will either need to purchase a voltage converter or purchase some low-cost electrical appliances (e.g., hair dryer) in Germany. We recommend purchasing these low-cost electrical appliances onsite to avoid carrying them in your luggage. Plan to bring one or more travel plug adapters. You will need this to adapt the shape of your plugs to match the outlets in Europe. We urge you to conduct...