Between now and starting you will no doubt have a lot to think about. Here you’ll find a few things to help you get prepared for your first day with us, including sending us your bank account details so that we can be ready to pay you! As your start date approaches, and throughout your first few months, feel free to come back to this site and read a little more to help settle in.
Living and working in New Zealand
New Zealand’s beauty is spectacular and unforgettable. There are high snow-clad mountains, volcanoes, fiords, rainforests, lakes, beaches, and rolling green pasture. Most tourist and recreational areas are only one or two hours’ drive from major cities.
New Zealand is a multicultural South Pacific nation. Aotearoa is its Māori name. The Māori, New Zealand’s indigenous population, migrated from Polynesia around 1000 years ago. They comprise 14% of New Zealand’s population. The majority of New Zealanders are of British and Irish heritage, but other European influences are noticeable. In more recent years a large number of Pacific Islanders have come to live here from countries such as Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. There are also large numbers of other nationalities, including recent Asian and European immigrants, who make up New Zealand’s 4.2 million population.
Need a hand?
We know that relocating for work can be a challenge for you and your family, and we are here to support you through the transition.
The University has a dedicated Relocation Co-ordinator whose role is to co-ordinate your overall relocation and provide you and your family with settlement support.
You can find out more about relocation on the HR Relocation page.
There is also a lot of information about relocating on the AskOtago knowledge base.
Useful Links to get you started
Immigration New Zealand
New Zealand Newcomers Network
Explore our main centers:
Tax code and bank details
During your Onboarding we will ask you to provide bank account and tax information via secure online tasks. Once you receive the requests, you should do this as soon as you can to ensure you university username is generated and you’ll be able to receive access to our systems.
We even make it easy for you to help others with Payroll Giving. Payroll Giving is an easy way to support charities via a direct regular payment from your salary.
AskOtago
AskOtago is your “one stop shop” for all questions related to the University of Otago, connecting you with information and services around the University.
You can contact AskOtago directly via online chat, email or phone: Monday to Friday 7am–9pm, Saturday and Sunday 8:30am–6pm.If you are on the Dunedin campus you can visit AskOtago in person 8:30am–9pm weekdays and 8:30am–6pm weekends at the AskOtago Central Hub in the Information Services Building (corner of Albany and Cumberland Streets, opposite the Otago Museum), or visit one of their satellite hubs.
Contact AskOtago
Transport and Parking
There is very little free parking available around any of the University campuses.
In Dunedin, if you cannot find a free park early in the morning, you can try the Albany Street car park (this is managed by Wilson’s but students and staff get a discounted rate). There are other transport alternatives, such as the bus network, or cycle lanes with secure bike storage on campus. You can view a map of Dunedin’s available parking here.
Wellington and Christchurch staff are recommended to use buses or bicycles as well.
Visit the Property Services parking website here.
Key contact: Parking Administrator at parking@otago.ac.nz
Food and drink
There are various cafes and campus shops on our campuses. Catering can also be done in-house for University events.
See the full list of Dunedin retail outlets here.
Medici café and catering is located in the Christchurch Hospital building.
The Wellington building is currently closed.
OUCA (Otago University Childcare Association)
The Otago University Childcare Association (only available on the Dunedin Campus) has five on campus childcare centres offering a range of mixed age settings, long and short day options and a bilingual centre.
Experienced Early Childhood teachers provide programs based on the New Zealand Early Childhood Curriculum Te Whāriki.
Visit the website here
Key contact: ouca.office@otago.ac.nz