The courses are taken as an integrated whole and provide the equivalent of a semester's worth of credit, i.e. 4 course credits, 16 semester hours. This program is full-time, five days a week, with classes scheduled three days a week and 6-15 hours weekly in an internship, from week 8 onward.

Courses:

• Maori Perspectives, Pluralism, and National Identity
• Sustainability, Ecology, and New Zealand Environmental Policy
• Internships, Field Work, and Integration
• Independent Study Project

Each student has his or her own room, and meals are provided. During field visits, students are housed in various types of community facilities and provided with group meals. In some cases students shop and prepare meals together.

HECUA distributes three distinctive scholarships to students applying or enrolled in HECUA programs. To learn more visit HECUA Scholarship Resource Page.

The midterm program break will be in early October. Students will have the opportunity to travel to the South Island during the break, having spent the week prior to the break in Wellington

Apply and Pay Application Fee of $50 online, submit a copy to the Study Abroad Office along with Saint Mary’s required paperwork.  Application may be picked up in the Study Abroad Office, Saint Mary’s Hall, Room 136.  

Apply Now!

Acceptance is contingent on a thorough review of the student's application and subsequent approval from HECUA.

1. Pay $400 non-refundable program deposit payable to SMU.
2. Attend all orientation sessions.
3. Obtain a passport. Submit a copy of the first page to the Study Abroad Office.
4. Obtain a student visa.
5. Arrange travel plans. Submit a copy of your flight itinerary to the Study Abroad Office.
6. Purchase the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) for $25 in the Study Abroad Office.

Climate:
New Zealand has mild temperatures, moderately high rainfall, and many hours of sunshine. While the far north has subtropical weather during summer, and inland alpine areas of the South Island can be as cold as -10°C in winter, most of the country lies close to the coast, which means mild temperatures. The average temperature decreases as you travel south. January and February are the warmest months, and July is the coldest month of the year.

Time:
New Zealand has two time zones. The main islands use New Zealand Standard Time (NZST), 12 hours in advance of Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), while the outlying Chatham Islands use Chatham Standard Time (CHAST), 12 hours 45 minutes in advance of UTC.

In Summer, New Zealand uses 'Daylight Saving', with clocks put forward one hour to GMT +13. Daylight saving begins on the last Sunday in September and ends on the first Sunday of the following April, when clocks are put back to GMT+12. New Zealand is one of the first places in the world to see the new day, 12 hours ahead of GMT (Greenwich Mean Time).

When Daylight Savings time (MN) is in effect, local time in Auckland is 18 hours ahead of Minneapolis, MN

Currency: 
New Zealand's unit of currency is the dollar (NZ$). Coins have values of 10, 20 & 50 cents, $1 & $2; notes have values of $5, $10, $20, $50 & $100.  Foreign currency can easily be exchanged at banks, some hotels and Bureau de Change kiosks, which are found at international airports and most city centres.  All major credit cards can be used in New Zealand.

More Information:
New Zealand Travel
US Department of State - New Zealand
The U.S. Consulate General in Auckland
The Embassy of New Zealand
Time Zone Map