New Students’ Orientation
Nau mai, haere mai, welcome! New Students' Orientation is your opportunity to get settled in and have a smooth transition to university life and study.
What to expect
At the beginning of each trimester we run a programme of events to help all of our new students get off to a good start. There'll be sessions for you if you've recently left school or are starting university studies as a mature student, and if you're enrolled in your first degree or are starting a postgraduate qualification. New Students' Orientation is also where you will be formally welcomed to the Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington community.
Where to go
Most of the Orientation sessions for first-year students take place on our Kelburn campus. The Hub is a good place to start—on Level 2 (the mezzanine floor) you'll find a Get Sorted hub and the Student Ambassadors info table.
Plan your week
We'll publish the timetable for the next New Students' Orientation week about a month before it starts. We recommend that you plan which sessions to go to before you arrive on campus. If there are two sessions that are on at the same time, look to see if one of the sessions is offered at a second time or on a different day.
Degree information sessions
Join other students studying the same degree for session led by lecturers from the relevant faculty. They'll cover what you need to know when starting your degree, provide important information, and you'll be able to ask any questions that you may still have.
Services and support sessions
Come along to these sessions to find out about the many University services that can help you during your studies. These services include Mauri Ora—Student Health and Counselling, Student Finance, Careers and Employment, and Student Learning. You can also find out about the support that is available to you on our website.
Study skills and learning technology
Make sure you go to a session that covers Nuku, our digital learning environment. Nuku is where you'll find all the information you need for your courses, including recorded lectures, assignments, and schedules. Throughout the week, our Student Learning team will be running sessions about what to expect when studying at university. They'll cover how to analyse assignment questions, manage your time, and plan and write essays.
Student communities
We run sessions during New Students' Orientation week for many different student communities, including Rainbow, refugee-background, postgraduate, Māori, Pasifika, and international students. WGTN Hall is a community for students who aren't living in a Hall of Residence. Come along to one or more of these sessions to tap into a supportive community.
UNI 101 programme
Getting involved in the UNI 101 programme is a great way to connect with other new students, find your way around, and ease your transition into university life and study.
Each UNI 101 group is led by a Student Ambassador who can provide tips for study and student life. Starting on the Monday of Orientation week, the programme runs for the first six weeks of Trimester 1 with weekly sessions about different parts of the University and its services.
Tours
We run tours of our campuses, libraries, and Recreation Centre during each New Students' Orientation week.
Get Sorted hubs
Not sure where to start? Come along to one of the Get Sorted hubs, where you'll find teams including Digital Solutions (for IT support), Justices of the Peace (for document verification), members of our Careers and Employment team, and advisers from StudyLink.
During New Students' Orientation, you'll find the a Get Sorted hub on Level 2 of the Hub on our Kelburn campus.
Student Ambassadors
Student Ambassadors are current students who are on hand to help you make a smooth transition into university life. You'll find them at Get Sorted hubs during Orientation. They can help you decide which sessions to attend, supply you with a campus map, and answer your questions.
