Your Learning Adventure Starts Here!
EcoQuest study abroad programs offer interdisciplinary, hands-on learning in a vibrant, sustainable learning community.
15 Weeks, 16 Credits, 4 Courses - APPLY NOW for SPRING '25
Ecology in Action Aotearoa semester programs are delivered from the mountains to the sea, in a wide variety of ecosystems in both te Ika a Maui (the North Island) and te Waipounamu (the South Island). Students learn through case studies and hands-on field work.
15 Weeks, 16 Credits, 4 Courses - APPLY NOW for SPRING '25
Aotearoa is a world leader in primary production. A diverse array of New Zealand produce and fibres is exported around the globe. Indigenous agricultural enterprises are on the rise and highly successful. There is large emphasis on climate-smart food systems and food security.
Directed Research Projects (DRPs) [Ecology in Action semester] facilitated by EcoQuest are comprehensive field-based studies that equip students with the knowledge and skills required to become effective, modern researchers.
During the SAFSA program, students spend four weeks on farms or in agribusiness. This first-hand experience provides students with insights and transferrable skills, to work toward enduring solutions for sustainable food systems anywhere in the world.
5 Weeks, 8 Credits, 2 Courses
An unforgettable Summer Program in Aotearoa New Zealand. Our five-week summer program provides an unequalled opportunity to gain academic credits while working toward sustainable solutions for the management of natural resources.
Why Study In New Zealand?
New Zealand is a young dynamic country with a multi-cultural and plural society, diverse ecosystems and agricultural landscapes. We have a pro-active approach to a sustainable future.
Programs provide rigorous academic pursuit and hands-on learning from the mountains to the sea. Full immersion learning across a range of stunning sites in the North and South Islands.
"One of the greatest things I learned at EcoQuest is the idea that meaningful science has human dimensions"
Natalie Lowell
Who Studies at EcoQuest?
Programs are offered in partnership with, and accredited by the University of New Hampshire. They are open to highly motivated students from institutions across the US and around the world. To date, students from over 90 US Universities and Colleges have attended our programs. All students are registered for academic credit through UNH and this credit may be transferred directly to the participant’s home institution.
EQ Alumni Voices
Zoe Goldstein
Oberlin College
EcoQuest SAFSA 2024
Having the privilege to observe, engage with, and study a diversity of agroecological experiments gave me new perspective on ways of working, living, and being in relationship with land—as well as those who depend upon it, which is all of us. The course’s emphasis on interconnectedness—of individuals, communities, microorganisms, plants, soil, etc.—has made me reconsider my relationship to food and agriculture, and how all these aspects fit into broader movements of food sovereignty and the re-commoning of food systems. Most of all, seeing how the different agricultural communities we visited practiced stewardship and built networks together has given me so much hope for how we move forward into an uncertain future.
Olivia Horwedel
University of Michigan
EcoQuest Spring 2017
EcoQuest was hands down my favorite experience during my four years of college! Being in New Zealand of course is amazing, however, this time was truly special because of the commitment and care provided by the faculty and staff. I learned so much from my time in Aotearoa, traveling, conducting field research, and working collaboratively alongside communities was truly inspirational and illuminated the path I wanted to take in my career moving forward. EcoQuest allowed us to think creatively, learn through various methods, and provided abundant experiences that helped me get to where I am today as a graduate student. In addition to the incredible learning atmosphere, I will be forever grateful for the incredible family I made with the EcoQuest community, students and staff! We are still in touch and they continue to play a big role in my life. Thank you, EcoQuest, for the most wonderful semester of my life! Arohanui! Olivia Horwedel
University of Michigan '18 BSc
University of Washington '23 Masters
University of Washington PhD candidate
Ana Schlanzky
Cornell University
EcoQuest 2018
I exercise no hyperbole when I say that the four months I spent at EcoQuest Education Foundation were some of the most special, joyous, transformative, fun, and wonderful of my life. I hardly know how or where to begin expressing just how much this program meant to me.
EcoQuest is a unique program in so many ways, for it offers an entirely different perspective on New Zealand’s culture, biodiversity, and ecosystems, among others.
As a student, you are immersed in the country and culture from the moment you arrive. While field studies are the core focus, a multitude of other subjects are covered, contributing to a broad and multidisciplinary curriculum.
Join us for the learning adventure of a lifetime!
Community in Action
EcoQuest is embedded in community.
Students engage in outreach activities with local schools, NGOs, iwi (tribes) and a variety of stakeholders. These include habitat restoration, community gardens, citizen science and monitoring projects throughout Aotearoa New Zealand.
EcoQuest strives for beneficial outcomes for both the community and planet.
News From The Field
CONTACTS
U.S. Program Inquiries
Director of Admissions
Donna Dowal: (603) 862-2036
email: eco.quest@unh.edu
N.Z. Contact
Director: (+64) 9 232 2501
email: eqhq@ecoquest.co.nz
LOCATIONS
North Island Field Centre
1204 East Coast Road
Whakatiwai
RD3 Pokeno 2473
New Zealand
South Island
Golden Bay
