Open Day 2026
Explore study options and tour our campus at Open Day. View halls of residence, speak with staff, and experience student life at the University of Waikato. Register now for Hamilton or Tauranga events to receive your programme and enter to win.
Open Day in Hamilton or Tauranga
A fun day to help prospective students plan their future. Information sessions are focused on academic pathways, degrees, and what life is like as a student at the University of Waikato. Attend sessions covering a range of subjects, tour accommodation, and speak with staff about your career goals. There is also a dedicated session for parents and caregivers.
Community Open Day
A celebration for everyone connected to the university. We invite families, alumni, and neighbours to explore campus, learn about our latest research, and see how our work benefits the community. If you are considering a postgraduate qualification to upskill or change careers, or are supporting a family member interested in tertiary study, come along and talk to our staff.
Both events are free to attend and are the best way to experience our campus before you take your next steps.
Win a VR headset
Register your details to receive the Open Day programme and go in the draw to win a VR headset. We're giving away one headset for Hamilton and one for Tauranga.
Hamilton: Friday 22 May, 9am – 2pm
Tauranga: Wednesday 1 July, 10am – 1pm
Hamilton info sessions
9.30am in S.1.05 – Planning the cities of tomorrow
9.30am in PWC – What makes us tick: Psychology at Waikato
9.30am in L.G.04 – Forensic Psychology: what causes psychopathy, and is trauma part of that puzzle?
10am in S.1.02 – Can history save the world?
10am in S.1.05 – AI has an environmental problem. Here’s how Geography can help
10am in L.G.05 – Speak of the Devil: Psychology, Identity and scientifically-sanctioned alienation with 'psychopaths'
10.30am in S.1.05 – Sociology behind the brew: coffee, masculinity, and social change
10.30am in L.G.02 – Kaupapa Māori Psychology: Why and how we apply mātauranga Māori to psychology
11am in S.G.01 – Global Studies: Skills for a planet in motion
11am in L.G.04 – To diagnose or not to diagnose? Moving beyond symptoms to a transdiagnostic view of mental health and wellbeing in Psychology
11am in the Playhouse – Arts festival style talks: English, International Languages and Cultures, Linguistics, and Media and Creative Technologies (1 hour)
11.30am in S.1.01 – Seeing culture everywhere: why Anthropology matters
11.30am in L.G.01 – Criminology: What do we know and how do we know it
12pm in S.1.04 – Our world through a population lens
12pm in L.G.01 – Good excuses for killing people (and other things Philosophy can do for you)
12pm in L.G.03 – “Tough on crime” and other myths: how Crime Science can reveal what actually works
12pm in the Playhouse – Arts festival live performances: Music, Writing Studies, Dance and Theatre Studies (1 hour)
12.30pm in L.G.02 – Who wants to save the world?
9.30am in L.G.05 – Economics in action
10am in PWC – Study Business at Waikato
10am in S.G.02 – Tikanga and the law
10.30am in PWC – Study Law at Waikato
10.30am in MSB.1.01 – Build organisations for tomorrow's challenges
10.30am in MSB.1.36 – Find a rewarding career in Finance
11am in MSB.1.01 – Peak performance: Maximise people potential with Human Resource Management
11am in MSB.1.05 – From Insta to sold out
11am in MSB.1.36 – Discover your future in Accounting
11am in the Moot Court – R v Dudley and Stephens - Is eating people ever legal? (10 minutes)
11.30am in PWC – How Marketing drives the world's most successful companies
11.30am in MSB.1.01 – AI in food consumption and Agribusiness
11.30am in MSB.1.05 – Money meets technology
11.30am in the Moot Court – R v Dudley and Stephens - Is eating people ever legal? (10 minutes)
12pm in PWC – One post can change everything: social media, reputation, and the power of public relations
12pm in MSB.1.05 – How do you make an impact - even before you're in charge?
12pm in MSB.1.36 – Keep goods moving
12pm in the Moot Court – R v Dudley and Stephens - Is eating people ever legal? (10 minutes)
12.30pm in PWC – Supercharge your career: Waikato Management School
12.30pm in the Moot Court – R v Dudley and Stephens - Is eating people ever legal? (10 minutes)
1pm in L.G.02 – Careers in Law from the New Zealand Law Society
9.30am in S.G.01 – Communication: Your future in media, creativity, and storytelling
10am in S.G.01 – Design is everywhere: How the world works (and how you can shape it)
11.30am in L.G.02 – The psychology behind designing for media and communication
9.30am in the Dance Studio – Life in the classroom: Current Teachers share their journey (1 hour)
10.30am in the Dance Studio – Change the world through Education
11am in S.1.03 – Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
11am in the Dance Studio – Māori medium teaching opportunities
11.30am in the Dance Studio – International opportunities in Bachelor of Teaching
12pm in S.1.03 – Postgrad pathways: Unlocking your future in Education
12pm in the Dance Studio – Navigating times of opportunity and challenge
12.30pm in MSB.1.02 – Big impact starts small: How early childhood education at the University of Waikato can change the world one child at a time
12.30pm in the Dance Studio – Life in the classroom: Current Teachers share their journey (1 hour)
9.30am in the Concert Chamber – Pathways to medicine
10am in S.1.04 – Studying Bachelor of Sport and Human Performance
10.30am in L.G.03 – Discover your future in nursing: undergraduate and graduate entry nursing programmes at Waikato
11am in S.1.01 – Studying Pharmacy at Waikato
11am in PWC – The New Zealand Graduate School of Medicine (NZGSM)
11.30am in S.1.02 – Studying Health at Waikato
12pm in S.1.01 – Studying Midwifery at Waikato
10am in Wharenui, Ko Te Tangata – Pacific Studies at Waikato
10.30am in Wharenui, Ko Te Tangata – Be Māori everyday
11am in Wharenui, Ko Te Tangata – Why Māori culture matters
11.30am in Wharenui, Ko Te Tangata – A life changing reo journey
9.30am in S.G.02 – Being human - why people matter in Computer Science
9.30am in S.1.02 – Women in Engineering
9.30am in L.G.03 – Study Science at Waikato
10am in L.G.01 – From Bench to Bedside: Biomedical Sciences as a gateway to diverse careers
10.30am in S.1.04 – Earth & Environmental Sciences - Understanding our world: from volcanoes and earthquakes to climate change and pollution
10.30am in L.G.04 – Building a sustainable future with Civil and Environmental Engineering
10.30am in L.G.05 – Cyber security 101
11am in S.1.04 – Ecology and Biodiversity - understand, protect and manage life in our terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems
11am in L.G.01 – Why engineers matter more than ever in a world with AI
11am in L.G.03 – Why study Maths and Data Analytics
11.30am in S.1.04 – From apples to atoms, how Chemistry has its fingers in every pie
11.30am in L.G.03 – AI in action: what large language models mean for Software Engineering and Computer Science
12pm in L.G.02 – A future in Mechatronics and Electrical & Electronic Engineering
12.30pm in S.1.04 – Study Science at Waikato
12.30pm in L.G.01 – Computing: Science and Engineering
9.30am in S.1.04 – International students
9.30am in L.G.02 – Uni prep
9.30am in Wharenui, Ko Te Tangata – Pacific at Waikato
10am in L.G.02 – Student life
10am in M.1.42 – International Directors update/information session
10.30am in L.G.01 – Scholarships
10.30am in MSB.1.05 – Parents session
11am in L.G.05 – Degree structures, double majors and conjoint degrees - everything you need to know
11am in the Concert Chamber – Halls of Residence and accommodation
11.30am in L.G.04 – Globalise your degree and boost your career with a Global Experience
11.30am in the Concert Chamber – Scholarships
12pm in Te Whare Tāpere Iti – Careers Advisor update and lunch
12pm in the Concert Chamber – Halls of Residence and accommodation
12pm in Wharenui, Ko Te Tangata – Māori ki Waikato kōrero
Help on the day
Yes, it is completely free to attend. All you have to do is register in advance for the Open Day event you are interested in.
- Hamilton Open Day: Friday 22 May, 9am – 2pm
- Tauranga Open Day: Wednesday 1 July, 10am – 1pm
You've got here early, and have your programme for the day all mapped out—now what?
Where you park will determine your next steps. We recommend heading straight for The Pā, which will pop you in the centre of the campus and give you space to meet your group.
If you have parked at Entry 1, head along the lake past the chapel, towards the Village Green. From there, you can either head towards the Gallagher of Performing Arts, Student Village and Bryant Hall or head up towards Te Manawa | The Student Centre and The Pā.
If you have parked at Entry 2B, walk alongside the lake and follow the path towards the Village Green and follow the same directions as Entry 1.
If you have parked at Entry 10, head up the stairs towards MSB and cross the road to The Pā.
- Hamilton: Limited free parking will be available on campus in Entry 2B, off Knighton Road, and in Entry 10, off Silverdale Road. We are expecting a large number of vehicles on the day, so we recommend carpooling, taking the bus, or arriving early.
- Tauranga: Parking on the day is limited to on-street parking, so please keep this in mind when making travel arrangements, as this will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
WiFi
Free WiFi is available. Select the ‘waikato’ network to access Wi-Fi.
- Info sessions are generally 30 minutes long, unless stated in the title.
- Locations are listed by Building name. Floor number. Room number.
- E.g. S.G.03 = S Block, Ground Floor, Room 03.
- Sessions on student advice and support are marked as green on the programme; everything else is a specific subject area.
Locations of key buildings
- The Concert Chamber, Dance Studio, Playhouse Theatre, and Te Whare Tāpere Iti are located in the Gallagher Academy of Performing Arts (or GAPA for short).
- Wharenui Ko Te Tangata is located in The Pā on the Hillcrest Road side of campus.
- Te Manawa | The Student Centre houses the library and student help.
- The Moot Court is in the basement of the Law building.
Make a plan with your group to have a meeting location should you get separated. This could be in The Pā, Te Manawa | The Student Centre, or on the Village Green.
If in doubt, ask a student ambassador in a red t-shirt or check the campus maps.
See where you could live
Tour the Halls of Residence and meet the Residential Leaders. Tours depart from outside Bryant Hall (Entry 1 - Knighton Road), Student Village (Entry 2 - Knighton Road), and College Hall (Entry 4 - Hillcrest Road).
Join a campus tour
Discover key areas with our student ambassadors. Tours leave from the Village Green.
Explore the UniRec gym
Tours depart from the UniRec reception.
The Future Students team is here to support prospective students with information on the enrolment process, accommodation, costs, scholarships, and the types of support services available. Families and whānau are welcome to come along and ask about subjects and degree choices, University Entrance requirements, and pathways to study.
Appointments are available via phone, Zoom, or face-to-face (in either Hamilton or Tauranga) between 9am and 4pm on weekdays. Book an appointment.
Community Open Day
We welcome whanau, friends, and the wider community to the University of Waikato for our community Open Day Saturday 18 July, 10am–1pm.
Whether you are curious about the research and connections the university has within the region or considering a postgraduate qualification to upskill or change careers, come and talk to our friendly staff and get your questions answered.
Join us at The Pā, on our Hamilton campus, and check out our buildings and learning spaces, hear from leaders in the community, and have spirited conversations.
Register to receive updates for community Open Day and the programme when it is available.
2025 Hamilton highlights
Thank you to everyone who joined us for Open Day at our Hamilton and Tauranga campuses. Take a look at the highlights from each day and get a taste of what’s waiting for you at Waikato.
2025 Tauranga highlights
