Arrival in Ōtautahi Christchurch Please book your international flight to arrive at the Christchurch Airport (CHC) between 8AM and 1PM on the arrival date. Be sure to keep in mind that when flying to Ōtautahi Christchurch you cross the International Date Line. This means that most flights leaving from the United States arrive in Aotearoa New Zealand two calendar days later (e.g., flights leaving the United States on Thursday night arrive in New Zealand on Saturday morning). Please note: You need to pick up your baggage and go through Customs and Immigration at your first point of entry into...

Storing Luggage in Ōtautahi Christchurch If you are looking for luggage storage, we recommend you research for available services prior to any travel plans. Luggage storage is available at the airport which costs approximately NZD$15/Day. For more information, visit the Christchurch Airport Travel Store website. IES Abroad does not endorse and cannot be held liable for any of these companies.

IES Abroad Mandatory Orientation Orientation helps ease the transition into Aotearoa New Zealand culture and is a great time to get to know other IES Abroad Ōtautahi Christchurch students! The IES Abroad Ōtautahi Christchurch orientation will begin on the night of the official arrival day and attendance is compulsory. After picking you up from the airport, we will transport you to your IES Abroad semester housing. You will have some time to settle in before we go out for a welcome dinner. There will be an IES Abroad orientation where we will go over many aspects of the program, including but...

About University of Canterbury Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha Courses The University of Canterbury assigns a point value to each course. Courses at the University of Canterbury Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha are typically assigned either 15 or 30 points. You must carry a full load while studying abroad at University of Canterbury, which is the equivalent of 60 credit points (about 4 classes) and 16 IES Abroad credits for the semester. If you enroll in more than 60 points, you will need to go through an additional approval process. Please reach out to your IES Abroad Advisor for assistance and advice...

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 SP27 Ōtautahi Christchurch Program Calendar will appear below.