University of Canterbury is located in New Zealand, offering an environment highly supportive of learning, surrounded by mountains and nature. The university is well known for providing education beyond the classroom, encouraging students to gain additional learning experiences. Facilities range from football fields to laboratories, along with a wide variety of clubs that allow students to learn, grow, and succeed in achieving their goals.

University of Canterbury has been providing education for over 150 years, having been founded in 1873 as Canterbury College. It is the second oldest university in New Zealand and was also one of the first universities to admit women from its early years.

Teaching is delivered in relatively small class sizes to ensure high-quality education, with a strong emphasis on research. The university meets a wide range of student needs and has notable alumni, including Ernest Rutherford, who conducted pioneering research on atomic structure before receiving a scholarship to study at the University of Cambridge.

Campus

University of Canterbury has a single campus located in the heart of Christchurch. The campus covers approximately 475 rai and is only 7 kilometres from the historic city centre. It is a smoke-free campus and offers a wide range of facilities, including cafés, galleries, bars, computer labs, student accommodation, three libraries, health services, a pharmacy, bookstore, post office, and bank. There are also childcare facilities for students and staff, and the campus is designed to be inclusive and accessible for everyone, including people with disabilities. Transportation is convenient, with access via public buses or bicycles.

Facilities

The university is particularly strong in science, physics, and engineering, with modern facilities and equipment designed to support research, such as:

• Biomolecular Interaction Centre
• Gateway Antarctica: Centre for Antarctic Studies and Research
• Human Interface Technology Laboratory (HITLabNZ)
• MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology
• New Zealand Institute of Language, Brain and Behaviour
• NZi3
• Social Science Research Centre
• Waterways Centre for Freshwater Management

There are also field stations located in Cass, Kaikōura, Mt John, and Westport, as well as space laboratories for students from the School of Physical and Chemical Sciences.

Faculties

• Faculty of Engineering
• Faculty of Science
• Faculty of Education
• Faculty of Arts
• Faculty of Law
• Faculty of Health
• UC Business School

Is University of Canterbury good?

• University of Canterbury partners with over 60 leading universities worldwide, including University of British Columbia, University of Copenhagen, University of Hong Kong, University College London, Lund University, Peking University, National University of Singapore, Waseda University, Tsinghua University, and University of Washington.
• The university also collaborates with more than 3,000 companies, providing students with opportunities for mentoring, networking, and industry insights through university events, as well as research collaborations such as those with Nagoya University.
• It has many distinguished alumni, including physicist Roy Kerr, astronomer Beatrice Tinsley, and former Prime Minister of New Zealand John Key.
• The university is a leading research centre, with more than 35 research centres.
• UC Business School holds Triple Crown Accreditation from AACSB, Association of MBAs, and EFMD Quality Improvement System.

University Rankings

• Top 2% of universities worldwide by QS World University Rankings 2026
• No.3 in New Zealand for research performance by Performance-Based Research Fund 2018
• No.2 in New Zealand for Employability by Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) Rankings 2023
• Top 50 in the world for Geography by QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026
• Top 100 in the world for Civil Engineering by QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026
• Top 100 in the world for Linguistics by QS World University Rankings by Subject 2026

Popular Programmes

• Engineering
• Art & Humanities
• Business
• Economics
• Computer Science
• Psychology
• Accounting & Finance
• Law
• Communication & Media Studies