PALS is a programme designed for international students and students from non-English speaking backgrounds. The programme will introduce you to the learning environment and culture at Victoria University and help you to understand the requirements for successful academic study.

PALS is available in trimester one and trimester two. The programme starts from week one of the trimesters. You can come to all sessions, or you can select those that are useful for you.

For more information, phone 04-463 5999

ExcelL, or Excellence in Experiential Learning and Leadership, helps international and migrant students be successful in their host culture. As international and migrant students, you may have sometimes found it difficult to talk to your Kiwi classmates or lecturers. You may have experienced misunderstanding even though you thought you made yourself clear. You may have also felt frustrated because you didn't know how to say 'no' to someone. If any of this experience applies, you may find ExcelL extremely useful.

Students say:

"I was really confident afterwards."

"It gave me a lot of new friends and enthusiasm for conversation with new people."

"After I studied this course I don't feel nervous, I feel happy. I got the skills to talk to people."

"It's fun, interesting and practical."

"I wish I can participate in this programme when I first came to New Zealand. It is very useful for new international students."

Come along to this exciting programme. There will be a small charge of $10. For more details and to sign up, click below.

Register online for ExcelL 2013

Dates are only approximate as we use a variety of trainers from all over
the university. The different trainers choose times and dates that work
for them. We’ll be running 5 courses in 2013: 3 for all students and 2 for thesis writers only. Courses are either 4 or 5 sessions long. Sessions are either 2 or 3 hours.

For more information, phone 04-463 5999 or contact: Karen Commons - Karen.Commons@vuw.ac.nz.

Many courses require students to participate in discussions or give a presentation in front of a class. However, some international students lack confidence to speak in such group settings, especially if English is not their first language. This 5-week programme introduces you to public speaking in academic contexts. It offers you opportunities to practise oral presentation skills and help to build your confidence to speak up in group discussions.

The programme covers:

• the context and the audience

• structure of oral presentations

• use of powerpoint

• non-verbal communication

• dealing with questions

• other topics such as tutorial or group presentation (as requested by students).

The programme starts in the second week of trimester one and two. Registration is essential. To sign up, phone 04-463 5999 or contact Kirsten Reid - Kirsten.Reid@vuw.ac.nz

Postgraduate sessions:

Undergraduate sessions:

Often international students tell us that, having completed their studies, they wish they had worked harder on perfecting their English. One of the best ways to improve English is to talk to native speakers. This will also help you achieve academic success. Come along to Conversation and practise your English with friendly Kiwi students.

"I've become more confident when speaking English."

"I learned a few things about the Kiwi culture and picked up some tips about how to talk to NZers."

The programme starts in the second week of trimesters one and two.

These weekly workshops offer students, particularly international students, a chance to discuss common grammar and punctuation issues. In the first half of each workshop you can ask any questions about grammar and punctuation. In the second half of the workshop you will do practice exercises relating to these topics:

• Writing clear sentences

• Punctuation

• Subject/Verb agreement

• Verbs 1 (getting your tenses correct)

• Verbs 2 (tenses for academic writing)

• Verbs 3 (modal verbs: can, will, shall, may)

• Articles: a, an, the

• Relative clauses: which, that, who

This workshop is free of charge, and you do not need to register. Simply come to -