History
Victoria University of Wellington, full name Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, was founded in 1897 and is one of New Zealand’s largest and most prestigious universities.
It is located in the heart of New Zealand’s vibrant capital city and its three city campuses are all within easy walking distance of one another, as well as local attractions, shopping districts, and cafés.
Education
Victoria University of Wellington is placed among the best universities in the world across major global rankings. It’s one of just 13 institutions to achieve a full ‘5 Stars Plus’ according to the QS Stars rating of excellence – built on a 5-star rating across all eight categories, from employment to global engagement, teaching, facilities, arts and more.
The University conducts teaching and research in the following subject areas: Architecture and Design Innovation, Business and Government, Education, Engineering, Health, Humanities and Social Sciences, Law, and Science. The University is home to more than 40 research centres and institutes, including the Antarctic Research Centre and Centre for Data Science and AI.
Research
Victoria University of Wellington is New Zealand’s top university for research intensity, according to the latest Performance-Based Research Fund evaluation. Most staff at the University have undertaken research at the highest levels, and all are encouraged to integrate their research into their teaching. Students interested in postgraduate study have access to world-class facilities and expertise.
The University has more A-rated researchers than any other New Zealand university in eight subject areas, including earth sciences, English language and literature, international relations, public policy, and political science.
Career
Victoria University of Wellington’s careers and employment team helps students achieve their career goals. The team offers professional advice on career planning, job exploration, and career development. The team can also help international students apply for jobs and internships, write CVs and cover letters, as well as learn interview tips.
Students can find useful resources online about internships, work experience, and job opportunities. Career expos and graduation recruitment events are held throughout the year and give students the opportunity to meet potential employers and find out about jobs and internships. The Alumni as Mentors programme matches final-year students with successful graduates who can offer valuable tips and advice for transitioning from study to a work environment.
Student services
The University offers complete support for students through a range of wellbeing and learning services. These include a specialised international team that is dedicated to supporting students during their studies, which helps international students meet new friends and settle into university and Wellington life.
Some of the support services include:
- Help with international applications and admissions
- Dedicated international student orientation and events
- An arrival meeting service at the airport
- The International Buddy Programme, where you get paired with a ‘buddy’ from the get-go
- Personal, cultural, and academic support and referrals
- Studentsafe insurance support
- Student visa support
Housing services
The University’s halls of residence offer a variety of accommodation styles, including single rooms, studio rooms, shared rooms, and shared apartments or houses. Some halls provide meals and others have kitchens for students to cater for themselves.
All halls provide support for students and facilities for recreation and study. Living in a hall provides international students with the opportunity to make new friends and live alongside students from Wellington and all over the world.
Library services
There are four libraries across the Universities’ three Wellington campuses—the main library on the Kelburn Campus, Law and Commerce on the Pipitea campus, and Architecture and Design on the Te Aro campus.
The libraries offer bookable group study rooms, a Library team that provides information for in-library and online resources useful for students’ study and research. In addition, subject librarians can provide personal, in-depth help.
Medical services
Mauri Ora—Student Health and Wellbeing offers a full range of affordable general practice medical services on campus. Highly trained counsellors are also available to confidentially discuss personal and academic issues that affect a student’s general wellbeing or their learning.
Campus life
Victoria University of Wellington has three main campuses, each focused on specific areas of study. These are the Kelburn campus, Pipitea campus, and Te Aro campus, and they are all within walking distance from one another around Wellington city. Students may also be eligible for a free bus pass if they are travelling between campuses for classes on the same day.
The University’s central location gives students access to a variety of national organisations in the areas of business, government, politics, culture and heritage, the arts and filmmaking industry, as well as the science and technology communities. Wellington is a compact city where students can easily explore nature trails, beaches, galleries, museums, and events. It is multicultural, safe, friendly, and has a reputation for great food and coffee—it regularly ranks as one of the world’s most liveable cities.
Sports facilities
The University’s Recreation centre, University Recreation Wellington, provides fitness, sports, and clubs services for the campus, providing students with space and programmes to get active, make friends, and have fun.
Student clubs
At Victoria University of Wellington, there are over 130 clubs, societies, and sports to choose from. Students can make the most of the many opportunities to get involved in different communities, embrace new experiences, and develop skills for their future careers. Victoria University of Wellington encourages all students to develop strong global citizenship skills through their studies and extracurricular leadership programmes, such as the Kitea Impact Programme, which is free to join.
Accreditation
- Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB)
- European Quality Improvement System (EQUIS)
- Association of MBAs (AMBA)
- The 'Triple Crown' accreditation held by Wellington School of Business and Government is further enhanced by specific programme recognition and accreditations from industry and professional bodies.
Victoria University of Wellington Overview
Victoria University of Wellington Rankings
Study Portals Meta Ranking
Top 5% New Zealand
Top 6.5% Worldwide
Studyportals ranking look at the scores of the most used ranking systems and present you with one number of how well this University performs.
QS World University Rankings
240
By TopUniversities
Climbed 4 places compared to 2025
QS World University Rankings is one of the top international rankings measuring the popularity and performance of universities all over the world. They measure university reputation based on the impressions of higher education experts, companies who hire graduates, and teaching quality. QS also considers the ratio of international teachers and students present at universities, as well as the times research papers were mentioned by researchers. After calculating and comparing these criteria, QS ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend QS World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 241 | 244 | 240 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
World University Rankings
401
By Times Higher Education
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
World University Rankings is a vital resource that provides the definitive list of the world's best universities. They look at how often they're producing new ideas, what their reputation is around the world, and how much they're contributing to science and academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, THE ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend World University Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 401 | 401 | 401 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Academic Ranking of World Universities
401
By Shanghai Jiao Tong University
The university hasn’t moved up or down in the rankings over the past year.
ARWU World University rankings is the first world university ranking. It ranks the world's top 1000 colleges and universities based on objective indicator. They look at the number of award-winning (Fields Medals and Nobel Prize) scientists who are located there, how much of their research is cited and referenced around the world, and how much they've contributed to different academic fields. After calculating and comparing these criteria, ARWU ranks the universities accordingly.
3 year trend Academic Ranking of World Universities
| 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| 401 | 401 | 401 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Best Global Universities Rankings
506
By U.S. News & World Report
Dropped 3 places compared to 2025
Best Global Universities Rankings by U.S. News & World Report presents all the top universities from the U.S. and 60 other countries around the world. They measure the rate of students going to their second year of studies, as well as the rate of students who graduate. It also asks university representatives on the performance of universities, and evaluates university resources, teacher salaries, graduation rates, student academic achievements and satisfaction. After calculating and comparing these criteria, U.S. News ranks the top international universities accordingly.
3 year trend Best Global Universities Rankings
| 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 495 | 503 | 506 |
We don’t have enough recent ranking data to show a 3-year trend for this university.
Victoria University of Wellington Campus Locations
#1 Main Campus
New Zealand Country
Wellington City
Victoria University of Wellington Student Reviews & Awards
4.1
Based on 73 reviews
- 5 Star 17 Reviews
- 4 Star 49 Reviews
- 3 Star 4 Reviews
- 2 Star 3 Reviews
- 1 Star 0 Reviews
How Students Rated This University
- Overall Satisfaction 4.1
- Student Teacher Interaction 4.2
- Student Diversity 4.2
- Quality of Student Life 4.1
- Career Development 4.0
nice institution
meet new friend who are motivational, nature and the environment are awsome
I have not stated yet.
I have not stated studying. I will commence my studies in February 2026.
Needs better food options
My biggest concern is with the lack of food options. I study at Rutherford House and we only have a cafe inside the building, alongside some vending machines. The cafe has a limited selection food which consists of baked goods, sandwiches, coffee, and soda. It would be great to have other options such as protein bars, rice chicken and broccoli, and chocolate milk. Such options would enable students to get more protein in. The current selection provides for a lack of protein which I don't think best helps to fuel students as they study. The vending machines provide soda drinks but, likewise, it would be great to have some milk or flavoured milk drinks so students could get in more protein. The vending machines could even sell protein bars as they are small enough to fit inside those machines. In relation, it would be great to see more filtered water stations around Rutherford House. This would help students to better stay hydrated with clean water. My second biggest concern is with the lack of seating which enables students to sit there for long periods. Most seating around Rutherford House is designed to be sat on for short periods of time (maybe three hours) which is an issue for students who want to use the campus to study there for long periods (say eight hours, if they wish to study in one spot where it is quiet without the need to move somewhere else to study). Seating which has more cushion, therefore, should be installed around Rutherford House.
Studied here? Share your experience
Global Student Satisfaction Awards 2025
The Global Student Satisfaction Awards empower students across the globe to determine the best universities of 2025. Universities with a score above 4.0 (out of 5) in any of the 7 award categories, receive Badges of Excellence. Congratulations!
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Overall SatisfactionHow would you rate your overall study experience?
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Student Teacher InteractionHow helpful were your teachers?
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Student DiversityHow diverse was the atmosphere at your university?
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Quality of Student LifeHow was your everyday life?
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Career DevelopmentDid the university provide support for your career development?
