Study Abroad at Lincoln University, New Zealand

First off, make sure to give yourself an ample amount of time to travel to New Zealand prior to the beginning of classes. I gave myself three weeks and could have used more time honestly. If you're looking for a great touring company that will provide you with great sightseeing opportunities, adrenaline activities and tramping (hiking) stops check out Wild Kiwi.

If you want to travel solo, New Zealand is a great place to do so. Public transportation is a breeze and in my personal opinion hitchhiking is safe, preferably with a buddy. Dispersed throughout New Zealand are affordable hostels and backpackers where you meet the best of people, don't be afraid to get out of your comfort zone and engage in conversation with fellow travelers, you won't regret it.

Now for the school part, compared to my personal experience back home I would say the class sizes, academics and grading scale vary drastically. Classes at Lincoln are very small which can be good and bad, the teachers get to know you and will go out of their way to help but once they know you're international, they will pick on you (not in a bad way). I've also noticed that academically the classes are a wee bit more intense in the sense they go into greater detail. A personal struggle is that I do not come from a farming background whereas the majority of students at Lincoln do and I felt as if I was way behind in both my nutrition and dairy class going into the class. In saying this, with plenty of readings provided by the professors and speaking to the lecturers following class, I was able to catch up. The classes are extremely educational and are taught by intelligent professors (Jim-Nutrition & Pablo-Dairy). Lecturers teach so you understand the content and can use it practically following university, not just to pass the class. For my university back home (Colorado State University) my grades from Lincoln come back as either pass or fail. The grading scale at Lincoln is unlike that of CSU's. The grading scale is such as; 100-90=A+ 89-85=A 84-80=A- 79-75=B+ 74-70=B 69-65=B- 64-60=C+ 59-55=C 54-50 C- all considered passing with anything lower being a failing grade. Although this sounds extremely easy, there are on average only a total of four grades in the grade book, each assignment heavily weighted.

Tips/things you should know
- If you're flatting on campus, Farm Road flats are the way to go. They are four bedroom flats with a common living room, kitchen, bathroom and washer/dryer. They are only a 7-9 minute walk from the center of campus.
- DO NOT wait until the last week to finish large assignments
- Travel on the weekends when possible, busses are fairly priced. Cars are reasonably cheap but depending on how long you stay it may not be worth it (petrol, maintenance, WOF, Reg.)
- Get involved (Tramping and Climbing Club, weightlifting, LUSA)
- Don't be afraid to ask for help, there are plenty of resources provided by the school
- Fashion is not a big deal in New Zealand, comfort is. I only wore make-up and got dressed up a handful of times when we went into town. With saying this, the university does put on dance so make sure to bring at least one semi-formal outfit.
- Lincoln is farther from the city center than I expected (1:15 by bus and 25-30 by car). In the lincoln township, there are the necessities such as a grocery store, a few pubs, a small pharmacy, a small police station, a post office, a hardware store, 2 hairdressers and a handful of restaurants.
- Everyone goes out of Wednesday since that's when students get their money from the government. The Famous Grouse and The Yaldy are the closest pubs to Lincoln. The drinking age in New Zealand is 18 but they are very strict with this so be sure to bring your passport or get a Kiwi Access card, you can NOT use your driver's license from outside of New Zealand. When you're purchasing alcohol they check everyone's ID so make sure everyone has appropriate identification on them.

Last thing to be said, although it is a ton of fun and I would highly recommend studying abroad you do have to study in order to pass.

My time at Lincoln University was very nice. I met many great people and learned a lot about the country and the culture. I decided to take 100 level courses to have time to travel around New Zealand. Despite the fact that there is an exchange program between my home university and Lincoln, it was not possible for me to transfer my credits and take the courses I would usually take in Germany.

Nevertheless, I have learned a lot in my courses and was able to broaden my horizons and improve my English skills. I can recommend the MAST course because it gives a very good insight into the culture of the Maori and the history of New Zealand. All in all, I do not regret the time I spent in New Zealand. I can recommend Lincoln University and I think my experience with the difficulties of transferring credits is an exception.

I have really enjoyed the months I have been in New Zealand. I'm so happy with everything I have experienced here and all the travelling I have done. It is perfect for people who love nature, outdoor activities and hiking. It is such a beautiful country with really nice, outgoing and helpful people.
Lincoln University is a small, but good university. There was a lot of organized events in the beginning, giving you the chance to meet new people and get to know Lincoln. This is something I really appreciated. The vibe here makes it easy to make new friends. I am also happy with my lecturers, which have been very helpful and understanding. There has been no problem asking questions or wanting more explanation. The support system on campus is also very good. It is easy to get help with writing and assignments etc. As an exchange student are you also included in everything on Lincoln.

I have really enjoyed the months I have been in New Zealand. I'm so happy with everything I have experienced here and all the travelling I have done. It is perfect for people who love nature, outdoor activities and hiking. It is such a beautiful country with really nice, outgoing and helpful people.
Lincoln University is a small, but good university. There was a lot of organized events in the beginning, giving you the chance to meet new people and get to know Lincoln. This is something I really appreciated. The vibe here makes it easy to make new friends. I am also happy with my lecturers, which have been very helpful and understanding. There has been no problem asking questions or wanting more explanation. The support system on campus is also very good. It is easy to get help with writing and assignments etc. As an exchange student are you also included in everything on Lincoln.

The time at Lincoln has been stimulating both academically and culturally. The opportunity for adventure in this country is readily available and affordable. You truly feel at home here.
The workload for me personally was less than I anticipated for three classes. I enjoyed the extra free time by adventuring around the country, finding some of the best fly fishing rivers I've ever experienced. Although the classes were more laid back than my classes in the U.S. I still think this university offers stimulating course content accompanied by exceptional instructors. The small size of the university means more time to get to know your professors and learn from them outside of class. I think the balance between free time and work load here was perfect. The country offers unbound wilderness accompanied by access for all experience levels. If you like beaches sun and sand this is a place for you. If you like night life this is a place for you. If you like being alone in the mountains this is a place for you.

"Lincoln University is a rural university in-between paddocks. "

I have had subjects at one hundred level to have more time to travel, which has not been problematic at all. The lecturers are committed and good at their subject areas, but it does not seem like they have an intention to promote the student and their motivation to learn so that one can perform its best. Lincoln University is a university for you who are eager to get a semester of travel, not to gain academic weight!

I stayed at Farm Road which houses most of the exchange students. The quality of the dwellings is variable, with a general lack of insulation. So bring warm clothes. The flats are in walking distance to the university and are facilitated so people can easily get to know each other, a nice thing when you are all new in a foreign country.

New Zealand is an amazing country that I would recommend anyone to travel to. It's perfect if you like hiking or pretty much any outdoor activity. Only a 30 minute car ride away you have several hikes to chose between.Lincoln University is a small university where it is easy to make new friends. There are a lot exchange students and many organized activities in the beginning of the semester where you get to meet people from all over the world. Living at farm road is amazing! You have all your friends right next door, so I would really recommend staying at Farm Road when going on exchange here. The teachers really care about you and want to help you and most classes are not very big so you can really create a relationship with your teachers and other students. I have felt so welcomed by everyone I met!

Studying in Lincoln enriched my study time and I'm glad I did this exchange semester. Right from the start when I was picked up at the airport I felt welcome. It is easy to settle down in Lincoln as it is a small campus and everyone is really nice and helpful. Don't miss out on Orientation Week as they offer some cool events and activities which were quite fun and it is the best opportunity to get to know other exchange students. I met great people and had just an amazing time. I can really recommend to buy a car as it is a lot easier to get around here. There is a bus station at Uni but the public transport system isn't good. Cars are really cheap here and it is so much fun to explore the area. I bought a car with a friend I met on campus and together we travelled the South Island during the semester on weekends and the North Island during our 3 week mid semester break and had a blast. Christchurch is only half an hour drive away and there are a lot of possibilities for some day trips and hikes around. New Zealand is a great country for nature lovers and it really doesn't matter where you go here you will find some great places everywhere.