Wellington
Main Centre
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Wellington Pop. 216,300
Institutions
Lifestyle
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Activities
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Māori culture
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Airport
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Arts and Culture
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Cafe Culture
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Halls of Residence
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Hobbit
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Nature/Wildlife
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Sports
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Venues
Study in the Wellington region and you’ll be welcomed into a collaborative, highly-connected community of learners and achievers. You’ll have access to world-class education providers, from schools to universities, and be able to choose from a huge range of study programmes and courses.
Where can I study?
The Wellington region hosts the main campus of a world-ranked university, with branch campuses for another two, and has three highly-regarded institutes of technology. Specialist providers offer English language programmes or careers training in areas such as the culinary arts, dance and design. The region has a wide range of primary, intermediate and secondary schools.
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Universities
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Institutes of Technology & Polytechnics
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English Language Schools
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Private Training Establishments
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Schools
Why you should study in Wellington
Choose the Wellington region for your study adventure and you’ll be able to take your pick from a wide range of well-regarded education institutions.
Wellington’s universities are highly ranked in the 2020 QS World University Rankings. Victoria University of Wellington is ranked 215th in the world, the University of Otago is rated 176th, and Massey University is 287th.
Victoria University of Wellington has thirteen subjects in the top 100, while Wellington School of Business and Government is part of an elite group of world business schools to hold the ‘Triple Crown’ of international accreditations.
Other high-performing education institutions include three Government institutes of technology and many private training establishments.
The Hutt Valley has 10 secondary schools and more than 50 primary schools, while Porirua has five secondary schools, 28 primary schools and two intermediate schools.
Clustered around a stunning harbour, Wellington’s compact size inspires close collaboration between education providers, research institutions, the business community and the government.
This highly-connected culture has led to Wellington having seven government research institutions - more than anywhere else in New Zealand - and a fast-growing community of technology and start-up companies.
A network of about 50 education providers in the Wellington region work together, sharing resources and ideas to help make sure all international students have a positive experience of living and studying in the region.
Students come from around the world to the Wellington region to study creative arts such as design, filmmaking, dance, fine arts and music.
Wellington’s population is highly-educated as well as creative: 38% of residents have a tertiary qualification, compared to a national average of 18%. They’re also forward-thinking, with 44% of the workforce make a living in knowledge-intensive industries, compared to around 30% nationally.
Whether you study in Wellington City or one of the region’s other cities and districts - Lower Hutt, Upper Hutt, Porirua, Kapiti Coast and the Wairarapa - you’ll be welcomed into a hub of friendly communities, creativity and innovation.
Learn more about studying in Wellington
Vibrant, creative and high-energy, the world’s southernmost capital city combines the cosmopolitan outlook of a big city with the warmth and easy living of a village. The cities and districts around Wellington have a relaxed pace of life, friendly communities and amazing natural playgrounds to explore.
Why you should live in Wellington
It’s easy to live in Wellington - so easy that the capital was ranked the 12th most liveable city in the world in the 2016 Mercer Quality of Living Survey. The survey also rated Wellington as the ninth safest city in the world.
89% of Wellingtonians rated their quality of life as extremely good or good in the 2014 Quality of Life survey, which is run by six New Zealand councils.
Friendly and welcoming, Wellington is the only capital city on the planet to achieve World Health Organisation ‘Safe Community’ status.
The living is easy throughout the Wellington region. The Hutt Valley combines city living with a relaxed work/life balance and a strong sense of community, while Porirua has a traditional Kiwi lifestyle and a huge range of outdoor activities to enjoy. The Kapiti Coast offers fantastic beaches, welcoming villages and laid-back communities.
Lively, friendly and fun, Wellington proves it’s possible to have all the attractions of a dynamic inner-city culture without having to compromise on quality of life.
Lonely Planet described Wellington as the coolest little capital in the world, while Rough Guides included Wellington in its 2015 list of 10 top cities.
Believed to have more cafes, bars and restaurants per capita than New York City, Wellington has excellent shopping, lots of markets and more than 50 museums and galleries. The region hosts festivals of everything from film to rugby to wearable arts to food and drink.
One in four people in Wellington were born in another country, leading to a diverse and sophisticated cultural mix. Wellingtonians also love exploring the beaches, forests and mountains.
Choose the Wellington region for your study adventure, and you’ll spend more time enjoying your life and less time queuing and sitting in traffic jams.
Wellington is the most walkable city in New Zealand. Its universities are within 15 minutes’ walk of downtown Wellington, as are many other tertiary education providers and schools.
The capital has a clean and efficient bus and train network, with more people using public transport in Wellington than anywhere else in the country. 90% of people in Wellington live within five minutes’ walk of public transport, and the average daily commute clocks in at just 25 minutes.
Wellington International Airport is only 10 minutes’ drive from the central city.
Learn more about living in Wellington
With the highest average incomes and proportion of high-skilled jobs in the country, Wellington is the ideal place to develop your career and build valuable connections for the future. The region is a hub for digital technologies and creative industries such as filmmaking, and is a strong centre of science and research excellence.
Why you should work in Wellington
Talented tech graduates come to the Wellington region to be part of a vibrant knowledge economy that is collaborative, supportive and globally connected.
Wellington has a fast-growing creative digitech industry. Local companies produce world-leading films, games and apps, and invent award-winning digital technologies.
The city hosts the highest concentration of web-based and digital technology companies per capita in the country, with a quarter of New Zealand’s IT workers calling Wellington home.
Many tech workers are employed by innovative businesses that have a global impact - such as online accounting software company Xero, twice named by Forbes as the most innovative growth company in the world.
Often referred to as Wellywood, Wellington is the centre of New Zealand’s film industry and has developed a globally-recognised cluster of post-production and visual effects technology.
Film director Sir Peter Jackson and his production facility are based in Wellington, which was a location for the Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit film trilogies - among many other film and television productions.
You can be a part of the creative capital by studying at one of the education institutions in the Wellington region that provides specialist training in creative subjects, from WelTec’s innovative courses in creative technologies to the digital design programmes offered by Yoobee School of Design.
Technology and innovation fuel Wellington’s strong science and research sector.
The sector is led by Crown Research Institutes, which are the government’s science research businesses, and tertiary institutions such as Victoria University of Wellington – which is the top university in New Zealand for research quality.
Knowledge and science-focused industries consistently attract high quality workers to Wellington, which is one reason why Wellingtonians have the highest average incomes in the country.
76% of jobs in Wellington City are in high-skilled occupations - higher than in anywhere else in New Zealand. The capital also has above-average employment rates.
Learn more about working in Wellington
Discover more about the Wellington region at studyinwellington.com
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