Graduate Student Study Opportunities

The University of Otago is located in the city of Dunedin, which is regarded as the nature capital of New Zealand. Ecologists at Otago have the opportunity to study an interesting temperate-zone terrestrial fauna as well as a rich marine fauna that lives in fertile seas that bathe the Otago Peninsula. The University of Otago has strong Zoology and Marine Science Departments that have close links with the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Collaborative research between these departments, and with Australian and New Zealand Conservation agencies, includes studies of marine mammals such as New Zealand sealions, New Zealand fur seals, Hector’s dolphins, and sperm whales, and birds such as the Royal albatross, sooty shearwaters, and takahe.

Can German students study in New Zealand?

Due to an agreement between the New Zealand and German Governments, German students can study in New Zealand without having to pay international student fees. This makes it particularly easy for German students interested in studying abroad to come to the University of Otago. To finance a study programme, there are a number of opportunities for graduate students in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics. Students can apply for:  

1. Teaching Assistantships: These are available from time to time and are positions in which graduate students are paid to work half-time, helping with teaching of the undergraduate programme in Mathematics or Statistics. Currently, Teaching Assistants are paid about NZ$18,000 per year. Tuition fees for Teaching Assistants are paid by the department.
2. University of Otago Postgraduate Awards: The University of Otago Postgraduate Awards are awarded to Masters candidates proceeding to the first year of their thesis study. They provide an annual emolument of $13,000 for up to 1 year, the payment of the fees at the domestic level and a thesis binding allowance.
3. Beverly Scholarships: This is a scholarship administered by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics for PhD students, and pays a tax-free allowance of NZ$20,000 per year as well as the tuition fees of the student.
4. University of Otago Postgraduate Scholarships: These are awarded to intending PhD candidates on the basis of academic merit and research ability. They provide an emolument of $20,000 per year (plus the payment of fees at domestic level) for up to 3 years and a thesis binding allowance.
5. University of Otago Prestigious Scholarships: There are 10 Prestigious Scholarships available to intending PhD candidates of outstanding academic and research ability each year, for which the emolument component is $25,000, along with the other benefits.
6. German Academic Exchange Service DAAD: German students can apply for a scholarship to study abroad from the German Academic Exchange Service DAAD.

 

What is the cost of living in New Zealand?

• Price of petrol = NZ$0.95 per litre
• Price of a Big Mac (for the ecologically incorrect)= NZ$3.50
• Rental on a 3 bedroom house = NZ$600 per month
• Room in a student flat = $280 per month
   
   
   
   
   
   

Research Interests:

David: population dynamics and mark-recapture methods.

Markus: ecological statistics, statistical ornithology, nonparametric methods, testing multiple hypotheses

Richard: Mark recapture analysis, population dynamics, population parameters for harvested populations
 
 

Contact for Further Information

Dr Richard J. Barker

Department of Mathematics and Statistics

University of Otago

P.O. Box 56

Dunedin

New Zealand
 
 
 
 

Phone:	64+3+479 7756
Fax:	64+3+479 8427
Email:	Rbarker@maths.otago.ac.nz