Occupying the southern tip of New Zealand's North Island, wedged as it is between hills and harbor, Wellington pulses with energy. It is the country's capital city, and as such houses the seats of government, major national arts organizations, numerous heritage sites and libraries, and world-class production and special effects facilities (for you Avatar and Lord of the Rings fans!). Wellington also boasts more eateries and bars per capita than ... wait for it ... New York City, making it NZ's culinary mecca. In short, there is essentially no end to the ways in which you can immerse yourself in the culture of this place and space.   

At the heart of it, for Holy Cross students, is Victoria University of Wellington (the "Vic"), an extremely well-regarded, comprehensive undergraduate institution whose student body numbers around 22,000. To support students who choose the Vic as their host university abroad, Holy Cross is fortunate to partner with U.S.-based Arcadia Abroad, a school which for many years has built and manages a series of first-class programs for American students across the world, including Wellington. 

After you are approved to study abroad by our (HC's) office, you will be invited to open an account in Arcadia's student portal. Doing so marks the beginning of your administrative journey which ultimately leads to matriculation at Wellington - including enrolling in courses, applying for housing, and receiving the all-important Confirmation of Enrollment (COE) letter from the Vic which starts the student visa process rolling. Arcadia staff are exceptionally well versed in the ins-and-outs of this administration and will help you navigate the many steps prior to boarding your flight to Auckland, where Arcadia holds a 3-4 day Orientation period designed to help you acclimate, form friendships, learn your way around, and get over your jet lag. From that point onward, Wellington awaits.