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The University of Otago is the oldest university in New Zealand and was established in 1869 by the regulation of the Otago Provincial Council. The new college was endowed with 100,000 acres of pasture land and permitted to confer degrees in arts, medicine, law and music. The university was originally housed in a building on the site of John Wickliffe House in Princes Street, but when the northern portions of the Clocktower and Geology buildings were completed in 1878 and 1879 respectively, it was moved to the more current location. The university is affiliated with the Matariki Network of Universities (MNU). We bring you a blog with detailed information about the university and the University of Otago Acceptance Rate.
Highlights
| University Type | Public University |
| Establishment Year | 1869 |
| No. of Campuses | 5 |
| No. of Residential Colleges | 15 |
| Graduate Job Rate | 95% (full-time) |
| Applications Accepted | Online (through eVision) |
| Work-Study | Available |
| Intake Type | Semester wise |
| Mode of Program | Full-time and online |
| Acceptance rate | 58% |
| Contact | +64-3-479-7000, [email protected] |
| Website | https://www.otago.ac.nz/ |
Overview of University of Otago
History
The University of Otago was established in 1869 under an act of the Otago Provincial Council. Initially, the university was provided with 100,000 acres of land and the authority to award degrees in Medicine, Arts, Music, and Law. The university started operations in July 1871 with just three faculty members and originally used a building on the site of John Wickliffe House located on Princess Street. Currently, the university has been divided into four academic departments – Otago Business School, Division of Health Sciences, Division of Humanities and Division of Sciences.
Campus
The University of Otago hosts five campuses in New Zealand. The main campus of the University of Otago is in Dunedin. The Dunedin campus houses the central administration along with four academic departments including Business, Health Sciences, Humanities and Sciences. The University of Otago’s Christchurch campus is home to the Health Sciences, Otago Medical School, Clinical Education, School of Physiotherapy and Clinical Education. The Auckland campus manages the Invercargill campuses for children’s issues, course information and liaison and distance learning. These include the Southland Campus College of Education and Health Sciences Southland Study Hub. The University of Otago at Wellington includes research, distance learning and postgraduate education.
Accomplishments
The University has received numerous awards including Best Paper Award, Evert Gummesson Outstanding Research Award, Sir Frank Holmes Award, OUSA Teaching Award 2015 and others. The Rowheath Trust Prize and Carl Smith Medal were awarded to Professor Benjamin Schontal and Associate Professor John Shaver in 2021.
Why Study at University of Otago?
Some of the points for choosing the University of Otago are mentioned below –
Courses
The University of Otago offers more than 200 programs. Some of the University of Otago’s most coveted and top-rated programs include Medicine, Pharmacy, Dentistry, and Computer Science.
Facilities
At the University of Otago, international students can choose from over 200 undergraduate and postgraduate degree programs. The university is highly sought after for its excellent Medical and Agricultural courses. Dentistry is one of the most sought-after programs at the university. In addition, 13 specialised bachelor’s degree programs with a specific study program and admission requirements are offered for international students.
Scholarships
The institute offers various scholarships for international students. Undergraduate scholarships offer up to NZD 10,000 for tuition. On the other hand, postgraduates can avail themselves up to NZD 15,000 per year along with a partial tuition waiver.
Placements
The university offers 17 internship portals for various departments. In addition, the Career Centre helps students explore career opportunities and self-assess. Some of the recruiting companies are ANZ Bank, Deloitte, Hilton, Bank of New Zealand, and Fulton Hogan.
Student Diversified
- The university welcomes around 3,000 international students from more than 100 countries. This reflects the multicultural diversity of the university campus. It is known for its 14 college residential communities.
- With a large international student body and strong ties to numerous international institutions, the university strives to provide students with a global perspective and employment opportunities abroad. Sonia, the university’s student placement system, offers students the opportunity to expand their practical knowledge and improve their professional skills in order to secure internships with renowned companies.
University of Otago’s Rankings
| University Ranking – THE (Times Higher Education) 2023 | #301-350 |
| World University Ranking – QS 2023 | #217 |
| Global Universities – US News & World Report 2023 | #247 |
| Best Global Universities in New Zealand by US News and World Report, 2022 | #2 |
| Best Global Universities in Australia or New Zealand by US News and World Report, 2022 | #17 |
| Graduate Employability Rankings by QS World University Rankings, 2022 | #251-300 |
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University of Otago Acceptance Rate
More than 3000 international students study at the University of Otago. With an acceptance rate of around 58% for international students, it is quite difficult for the students to get admission in this university. If you want to pursue a degree that guarantees employment along with the highest education, then this university is the best option for you.
University of Otago Important Dates
Some important dates related to admission to the University of Otago are given below-
| Program | Deadline |
| International student applications (UG and PG) | October 31 |
| International Student Study Abroad applications (UG) | December 1 |
| New, recommencing and returning students applying for Summer School or first semester to the Entry Pathway system (UG) | December 10 |
| Most honours, masters’ degrees, postgraduate diplomas, and certificates | December 10 |
University of Otago Fees
The tuition fees for the University of Otago are as follows –
| Program | Average Annual Tuition Fee (in NZD and INR) |
| Undergraduate | NZD 26,400 (INR 13,16,378.99) |
| Postgraduate | NZD 34,161 (INR 17,03,364.49) |
Note – These figures are approximate. Contact Leverage Edu Experts for more details.
Cost of Living at the University of Otago
The cost of living for students in New Zealand depends on their lifestyle, below are the common cost of living –
On campus (per year)
- Books and supplies – NZD 500 (INR 23,000)
- Room and meals – NZD 170 (INR 7,000)
- Other expenses – NZD 4 (INR 180)
Off-Campus (per year)
- Room and meals – NZD 12000 (INR 60,000)
- Other expenses – NZD 4 (INR 180)
Use the Cost of Living Calculator for a more detailed description of living expenses in different countries.
Courses Offered at University of Otago
Below is a list of some of the top University of Otago courses and their annual tuition fees –
| Course | Duration | Annual Tuition Fees (in NZD and INR) |
| BCom in Finance | 3 years | NZD 26,400 (INR 13,16,378.99) |
| BCom in Human Resource Management | 3 years | NZD 26,400 (INR 13,16,378.99) |
| BCom in International Business | 3 years | NZD 26,400 (INR 13,16,378.99) |
| BA in Information Science | 3 years | NZD 26,400 (INR 13,16,378.99) |
| BCom in Management | 3 years | NZD 26,400 (INR 13,16,378.99) |
| BCom in Marketing | 3 years | NZD 26,400 (INR 13,16,378.99) |
| BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics | 3 years | NZD 26,400 (INR 13,16,378.99) |
| BCom in Tourism | 3 years | NZD 26,400 (INR 13,16,378.99) |
| BCom in Accounting | 3 years | NZD 26,400 (INR 13,16,378.99) |
| BA in Economics | 3 years | NZD 26,400 (INR 13,16,378.99) |
| MCom in Finance | 1 year | NZD 34,161 (INR 17,03,364.49) |
| MA in Information Science | 1 year | NZD 39,377 (INR 19,63,449.07) |
| MCom in International Business | 1 year | NZD 34,161 (INR 17,03,364.49) |
| MCom in Management | 1 year | NZD 34,161 (INR 17,03,364.49) |
| MCom in Marketing | 1 year | NZD 34,161 (INR 17,03,364.49) |
| MCom in Economics | 1 year | NZD 34,161 (INR 17,03,364.49) |
| MCom in Tourism | 1 year | NZD 34,161 (INR 17,03,364.49) |
| MCom in Accounting | 1 year | NZD 34,161 (INR 17,03,364.49) |
You can choose the course and university of your choice with the help of AI Course Finder.
University of Otago Admission Qualification
Some of the general qualifications for admission to Keele University are as follows –
Eligibility for Bachelor’s Degree Course
- For a Bachelor’s degree course, the applicant must have secured first-class marks in class 12th.
- Some specific bachelor’s courses require an applicant to have SAT or ACT scores.
- If the original transcript is not in English, the student must also provide an official translation.
- Scores of English proficiency tests like PTE, Duolingo, TOEFL, IELTS etc are essential for any course.
Eligibility for Master’s Degree Course
- For a Master’s degree course, all applicants must have a bachelor’s degree from a recognized university. Bachelor’s degree must have first or upper second class (2.1) or at least 4 (or international equivalent) GPA points.
- These postgraduate courses require a GMAT or GRE score. UCAT scores are required for some medical courses.
- MBA and some other specialised master’s programs require applicants to have at least 2 years of full-time work experience.
- If the original transcript is not in English, an official translation must also be provided.
- Scores of English proficiency tests like PTE, Duolingo, TOEFL, IELTS etc are essential for any course.
Required Test Scores
Also Read: IELTS Exam
Have you not started preparing for IELTS/TOEFL/GMAT/GRE yet? Register on Leverage Live today to score well in these exams.
Application Process for University of Otago
The application process at the University of Otago is given below –
- Shortlist your courses with the help of our AI Course Finder and get advice from experts. The experts will then initiate your application process at Kiel University through our common dashboard platform where you can also check your application process status yourself.
- The next step is to collect and organise all your documents like SOP, essays, certificates and LOR and test scores like IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, ACT etc.
- If you have not yet prepared for your IELTS, TOEFL, PTE, GMAT, GRE etc exams, which is definitely an important factor in studying abroad, you can join our Leverage Live classes. You will be trained by experts to get a high score.
- After submitting your application and all the required documents, the experts will start the application process for accommodation, student visa and scholarship or student loan.
- Now is the time to wait for your offer letter which can take around 4-6 weeks or more. After accepting your offer letter, now is the time to pay your semester fee.
Documents Required
Some of the required documents are listed below –
- Official academic transcripts
- Scanned passport copy
- GMAT, GRE, IELTS, TOEFL or required test score report
- Professional or Academic LORs
- SOP
- Essay (if needed)
- Portfolio (if needed)
- Updated CV or Resume
- A passport and UK student visa
- Bank details
Contact Leverage Edu Experts for help writing an engaging SOP and student visa.
Scholarship Schemes
Some of the top scholarship programs of the University of Otago are listed below –
| Scholarship | Amount |
| Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarships | NZD 10,000 (INR 4,98,628.41) |
| University of Otago Entrance Scholarship | NZD 5,000 (INR 2,49,314.20) |
| Otago International Excellence Scholarships | NZD 10,000 (INR 4,98,628.41) |
| Otago International Pathway Scholarships | NZD 4,000 (INR 1,99,451.36) |
Must Read: Study Abroad Scholarships and Applications
You can also get an education loan according to your course and university to study abroad through Leverage Finance.
Placements
The University of Otago Career Development Centre helps students explore career opportunities and build a future careers. It helps students with career planning, job applications, gaining experience and finding employment.
The employment type-wise salary details of University of Otago graduates and alumni are given in the table below –
| Employment Sector | Average starting salary (in NZD and INR) |
| Executive Management and Change | NZD 260,000 (INR 1,29,64,338.53) |
| Financial Services | NZD 240,000 (INR 1,19,67,081.72) |
| Compliance, AML, KYC and Monitoring | NZD 184,000 (INR 91,74,762.65) |
| Legal Department | NZD 175,000 (INR 87,25,997.09) |
| Program and Project Management | NZD 173,000 (INR 86,26,271.41) |
| Finance Control and Strategy | NZD 124,000 (INR 61,82,992.22) |
Notable Alumni
Being one of the most reputed and known universities across the country, it maintains a rich alumni base. Given below is the list of prominent alumni of the University of Otago –
- David Benson-Pope – Politician
- W. D. Borrie – Demographer
- Christine Jensen Burke – Mountain climber
- Dame Silvia Cartwright – Governor General
- Brian Christie – Neuroscientist
- Nathan Cohen – World champion and Olympic champion rower
- John Coverdale – Academic psychiatrist
- John Crump – Infectious diseases specialist
- David Cunliffe (Carrington) – Politician
- Thomas Davis – Politician, diplomat and researcher
FAQs
The University of Otago is ranked in the top 1% of universities in the world and is rated 5+ stars in the QS Global University Performance Ratings.
The acceptance rate of the University of Otago is 58%.
The University of Otago is famous for its gold and wool rushes, which helped make Dunedin the largest and wealthiest city in New Zealand.
If you are also looking to study at the University of Otago, one of New Zealand’s best universities, book a free 30-minute session with our Leverage Edu experts by calling 1800 572 000 today. We will provide you with a proper guide, as well as help you with the visa and application process.
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