Victoria University of Wellington - Te Herenga Waka · New Zealand
Political Science and International Relations
A three-year social sciences degree in Wellington.
- Where
- WellingtonNew Zealand
- Degree
- BA
- Length
- 3 years
- Taught in
- English
- Starts
- February or July 2027
- Apply by
- 1 May 2027Not yet confirmed for 2027 · Trimester 1 (February) by 8 Dec
- Admission
- Open to all who qualify
- EU/EEA fee
- NZ$37,483 a year2027
More facts
- Degree
- BA
- Length
- 3 years
- Taught in
- English
- Starts
- February or July 2027
Deadlines
-
1 November 2026*
Decide between a July 2027 and a February 2028 startYour own planDetails
Not published by anyone, and the decision the rest of this page depends on. A mid-year start means applying before you have any results at all; February 2028 means eight months between your last exam and your first lecture. Not every degree admits mid-year, and the professional ones generally do not.
-
1 May 2027*
Trimester 2 (July start): international application deadlineHard deadlineDetails
Published as "Trimester 2 (July)—application deadline 1 May", a bare day with no calendar year, as all three of Victoria's trimester deadlines are, so 2027 is expected rather than confirmed. Victoria softens it in a way the others do not: "You can apply to study at Victoria University of Wellington at any time" and "Applications received after these dates will be assessed on a case-by-case basis" — so this is a date you should not miss rather than a door that locks, and the university's own reason for it is that it gives you time to arrange a student visa and accommodation.
Source -
8 December 2027*
Victoria University of Wellington — Trimester 1 (February) applications closeEqual considerationDetails
Published as "Trimester 1 (February)—application deadline 8 December" with no calendar year, so for a February 2028 start 2027 is expected rather than confirmed. Applications after it "will be assessed on a case-by-case basis", which is Victoria's phrasing for every intake. Note that this is three weeks after Otago's offshore date and that the University of Auckland's Semester One 2027 equivalent is the same day, 8 December 2026 — the three universities cluster in this window without agreeing on it, and there is no body that would make them agree.
Source
All dates for this programme (3 more)
-
1 December 2026*
Check you will meet University EntranceYour own planDetails
The full IB Diploma, English as Language A at Standard or Higher Level (or Language B at Higher Level, which Auckland accepts only at grade 5 or above), and any mathematics subject. This is a check on your subject choices, so it has to happen while they can still change - which is why it is dated here and not when you apply.
Source -
8 December 2026
Trimester 1 (February start): international application deadlineDetails
Source -
6 July 2027*
IB results for the May 2027 sessionDetails
The date the whole page bends around. Two of the milestones above fall before it. The IB has not yet confirmed the May 2027 release date; early July is the long-standing pattern.
Source
* Last year’s date, not yet confirmed.
What it is
Study how power and resources are distributed and how political decisions shape societies, in New Zealand's capital. Political Science here came first in the country, and it is the only undergraduate International Relations degree.
What you need
- IB Diplomaat least 24 points
Requirements in full
Every IB applicant at Victoria Wellington
Full IB Diploma with 24 points minimum, any maths, and English Language A (SL or HL) or Language B HL. Every bachelor's degree shares this entry rule; some add an audition or other requirement.
How places are decided
- No degree-specific selection is published: the shared bachelor's entry rule applies, a full IB Diploma with 24 points and the English and maths conditions.