All new incoming international students must register for and attend a New International Student Enrolment and Orientation seminar before completing enrolment.
International students starting on-campus in Summer School and Semester 1, 2025
- If your course of study starts at Summer School (course commencement Monday 6 January), please register for a seminar via the link below
- Students in the Master of Business Administration, IMU Medicine, IMU Pharmacy, and Postgraduate Dentistry courses – you will have a separate seminar day and time communicated to you by your teaching programme
- If you are participating in a course of study (including fieldtrips) that starts before 17 February 2025, please select the relevant orientation in the registration (E.g, ECOL313 and GEOL344 Field trips orientation). You will not have access to resources such as Blackboard until you attend a seminar
For all other students, the semester 1, 2025 orientation and enrolment seminars are due to take place 17–21 February 2025.
We recommend new international students arrive on campus by 17 February at the latest to complete enrolment, participate in orientation activities and adjust to their new surroundings ahead of the first day of class.
- Study Abroad and Exchange students (enrolling in a ‘Certificate of Proficiency’), please register for the Study Abroad and Exchange Seminar at 10am or 2pm on Monday 17 February
- If you are in a postgraduate programme by coursework (postgraduate certificate, postgraduate diploma, honours, or masters) register for the Postgraduate seminar at 9:30am on Wednesday 19 February
All other students may select any remaining seminar. Any student can register for these seminars if the recommended seminars do not work for you.
Register for Summer School and Semester 1, 2025 International Enrolment and Orientation Seminar
After registering
You must email a high-quality PDF scan of your passport bio page and facing page and the PDF of your visa once you have received it from Immigration New Zealand.
Email international.orientation@otago.ac.nz
Please write your full legal name and student ID number in the is email so that we can identify you. You will also need to bring your passport to the seminar with you and have it ready to present at the attendance desk.
Please contact the International Office if you have any questions.
Email international.orientation@otago.ac.nz
International students starting on-campus in Semester 2, 2025
The semester 2, 2025 orientation and enrolment seminars are due to take place 7–11 July 2025.
We recommend new international students arrive on campus by 7 July at the latest to complete enrolment, participate in orientation activities and adjust to their new surroundings ahead of the first day of class.
The semester 2 orientation and enrolment seminar session dates, times and registration link will be published on this webpage in early 2025.
Research masters' or PhD students starting on campus
If you are an international PhD or research master's (thesis-based) student enrolling on campus for the first time (this includes students who have already begun their study remotely/online), you must report to the AskOtago Central Hub in Dunedin, or the AskOtago reception if you are studying at one of the other Otago campuses.
In Dunedin, the AskOtago Central Hub is located in the Information Services Building and the drop-in hours are Monday–Friday, 11am–3pm.
You will need to bring your passport and electronic visa with you to be verified. This step activates a series of important steps and services to support you with a smooth transition for your studies on campus, including an on-campus orientation session (mandatory to attend).
Please also register for an on-campus orientation/welcome session for PhD/masters' students by completing this survey:
Enrolment and orientation seminar registration survey – PhD/master's
Distance learning students
Students starting their qualification by distance learning should contact international.orientation@otago.ac.nz for a seminar day and time to attend orientation online.