The Otago Tertiary Open Days have given our students food for thought.

Recently, 42 senior students and three staff attended the annual overnight tertiary trip to Dunedin for the Otago Tertiary Open Days. This two-day activity is designed to assist our students in making decisions about their future for 2026 and beyond.

The open days showcase what university life looks like and include academic presentations and activities, residential college tours, as well as displays and activities from university clubs and services.

Our seniors had a busy time in Ōtepoti, also known as the 'student city', experiencing life on the ground as potential tertiary students at University of Otago and Otago Polytechnic enjoying a taste of lectures, residential halls, food, expos, and the Dunedin weather.

Here are some of our students’ reflections on the experience:

“It has opened my mind to law.”

“The trip allowed me to see what course of action I would like to take in the future.”

“It gave me a new perspective on what it would be like to be in those classes, and it changed what I want to do and where to stay if I decide to go to Dunedin for study.”

“Going to the presentations helped me to see what I’m interested in.”

“It has helped me choose first year health science, and the course and the pathways sound interesting.”

“I got a good view of Otago and its opportunities for next year when choosing what degree I want to take. This has helped me gain more knowledge and clarity of what I want to do.”

“It gave me a good feel for Dunedin and the Otago campus. It allowed me to see courses that I may not have thought about fully.”

“The trip helped me to find what kind of hall best fits what I need, and also what uni fits my needs in terms of sports etc.”

Thank you to the MAC staff Charlotte Lucas, Sandra Findlay and Harry McDonald who accompanied the students on the trip.

Stay up to date with what's on

We encourage students to check out some amazing upcoming events on our CareerWise website where you'll find university timelines, online learning opportunities, tertiary visits to MAC, full-time and part-time jobs, scholarships and how to book a careers meeting.