Why Study / Key Benefits

Lincoln University’s Study Abroad programme is designed to let international university students temporarily study in New Zealand without stopping their home degree.

Key benefits include:

• Study at Lincoln University for one semester or a full academic year.
• Transfer successfully completed Lincoln credits back to the student's home university.
• Choose from a broad range of Lincoln courses, subject to prerequisites and academic preparation.
• Experience New Zealand's academic and cultural environment.
• Gain international study experience and broaden academic and personal perspectives.
• Take subjects that may not be available at the student's home university.
• Benefit from Lincoln's land-based academic strengths and practical learning environment.
• Participate in a campus-based university experience in the Canterbury region.
• Access Lincoln's accommodation options, student services and international student support.

Programme Structure and Subjects / Topics

Study Abroad does not have one fixed subject curriculum.

Students build an individual study programme from Lincoln's available courses, subject to:

• Academic preparation.
• Course prerequisites.
• Timetable availability.
• Faculty/course restrictions.
• Approval from the student's home university for credit transfer.

Undergraduate students can generally select:

• 100-level courses: first-year undergraduate.
• 200-level courses: second-year undergraduate.
• 300-level courses: third-year undergraduate.

A normal semester is:

• 60 credits.
• Four courses.
• Approximately 15 credits per undergraduate course.

Disciplines / Specialisations

There are no fixed Study Abroad specialisations.

Students can choose courses from Lincoln's available academic areas according to their home-degree requirements and prerequisites.

Potential areas include disciplines across Lincoln's land-based and business-oriented academic portfolio, such as:

• Agriculture
• Business and commerce
• Environment
• Landscape architecture
• Horticulture
• Tourism
• Sport and recreation
• Food and resource economics
• Natural resources
• M?ori studies
• Science
• Transport and logistics
• Other undergraduate and postgraduate disciplines available in the relevant semester.

Programme Highlights

The main features of the Study Abroad programme are:

• One semester or one-year study option.
• Credit transfer to the home university.
• Full-time study.
• Broad choice of Lincoln courses.
• Undergraduate courses generally worth 15 credits.
• Typical undergraduate workload of 60 credits per semester.
• Minimum undergraduate workload of 45 credits per semester.
• Postgraduate courses generally worth 20 credits.
• Access to Lincoln's campus and student environment.
• Opportunity to experience New Zealand while remaining enrolled in a home degree.
• Course-selection flexibility.
• Academic advising and the opportunity to adjust course selections during the first week. 

Career Outcomes

Study Abroad is not a standalone qualification and therefore does not have its own specific graduate career outcome.

Instead, the experience can contribute to the student's existing degree and employability by providing:

• International academic experience.
• Cross-cultural communication skills.
• Exposure to New Zealand and international perspectives.
• Experience studying independently in a different education system.
• Additional subject knowledge.
• Broader professional and cultural networks.
• Transferable communication, adaptability and problem-solving skills.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

The current Lincoln programme listing identifies Study Abroad – Undergraduate/Postgraduate (Inbound) as an active programme, with upcoming starts of 22 February 2027 and 19 July 2027.

Important requirements include:

• Students must already have completed at least one year of university study.
• A B average or higher is required.
• English requirements apply where English is not the student's first language.
• Students must study full-time.
• Course prerequisites must be met.
• Students need an Offer of Place from Lincoln.
• Certified academic transcripts and passport documentation are required.
• International students need a valid New Zealand student visa before travelling.
• Approved medical and travel insurance is compulsory

International Student Visa Requirements

Lincoln states that Study Abroad students must obtain a student visa before departing their home country.

For a New Zealand student visa application, Lincoln currently identifies the following key documents/evidence:

• Offer of Place from Lincoln University.
• Evidence that tuition fees have been paid, normally a fee receipt.
• Passport.
• Digital photograph.
• Proof of funds for living expenses.
• Evidence of funds for travel home at the end of study, or an air ticket.
• Visa application fee.
• Medical certificate/chest X-ray where required.
• Police Certificate where required.