St. Hilda's Collegiate School New Zealand

About St. Hilda's Collegiate School

St. Hilda's Collegiate School has a proud tradition of providing quality education in a caring, Christian environment.

Located near to the centre of Dunedin in New Zealand, St. Hilda's has been preparing girls for life, work and higher education since 1896.

St Hilda's is a progressive school attended by highly motivated girls, who develop into well-educated young women whilst studying with us. We are very proud of our reputation for quality education in a supportive Christian environment, which the school has developed since it was founded over 100 years ago.

St. Hilda's is ideally located in the heart of Dunedin, the student capital of New Zealand. With internationally recognised institutions such as the University of Otago nearby, your study visit to the region has the potential to extend into Higher Education.

Our experienced international student team welcomes up to 25 girls of different nationalities each year. This represents about 5% of our student intake. Working with the girls and their host families, we ensure the students have a happy and worthwhile time while studying in New Zealand.

We have a long list of current and past pupils from countries including Japan, Thailand, Germany, China, Hong Kong, France, Vietnam and Korea who have improved their English, achieved qualifications, broadened their life experience and made lifelong friends whilst studying at St. Hilda's.

Classes are also available for girls wishing to sit international English examinations or university requirements such as:

Level 2 English for university entrance
IELTS
OCESOL (speech examination)

Our international students can expect:

Full integration into the life and activities of the school.
Individualised learning programmes.
All the support they need to continue their education in the English language.
Access to the full academic programme.

See a list of subjects offered at St. Hilda's

Accommodation

As an international student at St. Hilda's we ensure that you have a caring and homely environment in which to live. You will stay either:

With a host family.
In our hostel, Tolcarne House.

Homestay with a host family

Almost all of our girls from overseas choose to live with a host family. It's the best way to:

Really experience New Zealand family life
Make friends and settle in quickly
Improve your English skills

Our homestay families:

Are carefully selected by us
Are subject to all the requirements of New Zealand law, including police checks
Provide a caring home environment
Are interested in your welfare
Will be involved in your academic progress
Will keep in regular contact with staff at school
Will include you as one of their family

The Director of International Students, Mrs. Donald, takes a personal interest in the placement of every girl and ensures that they are placed as closely as possible with the type of homestay family they prefer.

Boarding at Tolcarne House

St. Hilda's hostel, Tolcarne House, provides a happy, homely environment and is located a short, 10 minute walk from the school. Tolcarne has excellent facilities and is staffed by a professional team who take an active interest in the girls' welfare and are in close contact with the school.

Demand for the limited space available at the hostel is always high, with places becoming available infrequently. We strongly encourage all international students to stay with a host family whilst studying at St. Hilda's.

About Dunedin and the region

Dunedin is one of New Zealand's largest cities, with around 120,000 inhabitants. It is known as the "Student City" and has been a place of learning for 150 years. It is a centre for arts and culture and has some of the most beautiful architecture in the country.

History

The city was founded by British settlers of mainly Scottish origin in 1848. The name "Dunedin" is Gaelic for Edinburgh and the city shares many street names with the capital of Scotland.

A gold rush beginning in the 1860's brought an influx of people and wealth into the city, resulting in the construction of architecturally grand buildings and the establishment of the University and several schools, including St. Hilda's Collegiate.

'Student City'

The title of 'Student City' is well founded. The University of Otago (founded in 1869), Otago Polytechnic, the Dunedin College of Education and several smaller institutions attracting over 25,000 students to the city each year.

Arts, culture and entertainment

Dunedin is also a city of arts, culture and entertainment, with an added vibrancy gained from the arrival of many students each year:

The recently refurbished City Art Gallery hosts exhibitions from around the world.
A range of museums including the excellent and interactive Discovery Centre at the City Museum.
A collection of theatres present a variety of shows and productions.
The selection of cinemas shows everything from latest release to less well-known classic movies from around the world.
A diverse artistic community promotes an attractive collection of independent galleries.

Natural Beauty

Dunedin is situated in an area of outstanding natural beauty beside the Otago harbour, with its suburbs extending onto the peninsula and along some magnificent beaches.

The beaches of Dunedin are only a short journey from the city centre. They are popular for fishing, swimming, walking, running, and are rated amongst the best in New Zealand for surfing. This is St. Clair beach, within easy reach of St. Hilda's.

St. Clair Beach, Dunedin

The peninsula is home to a range of wildlife, including the only albatross colony in the southern hemisphere. The visitor centre based at the entrance to the peninsula organises trips to visit the colony, as well as opportunities to see local fur seals and the rare yellow-eyed penguins.

The Otago and Southland regions

Dunedin is the major city for all people living in the Otago and Southland regions of the South Island. It is an excellent base from which to visit the area, which is amongst the most beautiful and unspoilt regions of the world.

CONTACT

Address

St Hilda's Collegiate School2 Cobden Street DunedinNew Zealand

Phone: +64 3 477 0989

Fax: +64 3 477 1222

Email: shcs@shcs.school.nz
Website: www.sthildas.school.nz/