Read Maria’s review on studying at Victoria University, life in Wellington, Kiwi Education service as well as some tips for future students in New Zealand.

Admission and Visa Process

I completed my Bachelor’s degree in 2020 in Infocommunication Technologies and Communication Systems. Then my Master’s in Software Engineering in 2023. Both from HSE University (Higher School of Economics). After graduating with my Master’s, I started working as a data engineer and began actively preparing documents for moving to New Zealand. New Zealand attracted me by its transparent immigration policy, good work-life balance, and its geographical distance from Russia.

I started the admission process in August 2023, when I began preparing my financial documents. And I applied for my visa in March 2024. I already had my IELTS certificate by that time. So my focus was solely on preparing the documents, opening a bank account abroad, and similar tasks.

I chose Victoria University of Wellington, Master of Computer Science.

Studying at Victoria University

You can skip all your classes if you want. At my university, lectures are automatically recorded and uploaded to the course page. It’s very important to choose your courses carefully. Check the lecturer’s ratings from previous years and, ideally, ask senior students what the course was like. Otherwise, you might end up suffering through extremely difficult assignments that could take up to two weeks to complete.

Most exams are closed book. It’s better to write at least something in response to every question, as you can sometimes get points even for a half-decent answer, which might significantly affect your final grade.

At Victoria University, the teaching staff are mostly middle-aged, many with regular publications in respectable journals and active participation in conferences. The teaching approach is quite different from what I was used to. Most lecturers are understanding and always willing to offer extra help. Especially, if you get stuck with an assignment, which carries considerable weight in your final grade in my program.

Computer science is traditionally popular among Chinese and Indian students, so they make up the majority of international students. Overall, the group is about 50/50 local and international students. At first, the university campus felt like something out of a spaceship. Everything is so well thought out, as if under the motto: “Whatever you need — please, just study and enjoy.”

I don’t have a part-time job, because studying as a full-time student leaves absolutely no time for anything else. I took four courses last trimester and sometimes had to study even on weekends just to keep up with the assignments.

Housing and Transportation

I live in a student dormitory in the city center. So it takes me about 20 minutes to walk to my campus. I prefer walking because it kills two birds with one stone: you save a dollar on bus fare and get a good cardio workout climbing a steep hill. But if the weather is bad, it’s more convenient to take the bus. They run less frequently than in Moscow but mostly follow the schedule.

If you don’t have any acquaintances in New Zealand (like I didn’t), renting even a small apartment can be very expensive compared to living in a dorm. However, if you have someone to share rent with, it’s much more economical to rent a house with 2–3 rooms and split the costs. Most students, both international and local, move into dorms for one trimester, make some friends, and then find private accommodation with people who have similar routines and budgets.

Advice for Future Students

As an introvert, I recommend developing your soft skills while you’re still in your home country. New Zealand is very much a country of extroverts. Your integration, finding local friends, and even job opportunities will largely depend on how friendly and engaging you are in conversation. I was scared at first to come out of my shell, but the open and welcoming culture here really helped. You don’t have to worry about saying or doing something wrong — people won’t cut you off for it.

Another tip I’d give is to start off in student housing. The university runs tons of events to help students living in dorms connect with each other. My first social circle in New Zealand came about exactly that way.

Working with Kiwi Education

A huge thank you to Kristina, my manager. She was always available, offered multiple solutions to any problem, and patiently answered all my questions. My family had always handled tourist visas ourselves, but a student visa is a completely different level of complexity.

I didn’t regret spending a single cent on Kiwi Education’s services – even though I was skeptical at first. 

Read about education and immigration to New Zealand for IT professionals