University of the South Pacific

The University of the South Pacific is a new exchange partner for 2026 and is currently accepting applications for S1 2027.

When can I go, and what can I study?

• Semester dates: February to June, July to November
• Course load and requirements: 3 courses minimum, 4 courses maximum. The exact number of credits needed depends on the requirements of your Otago Department(s).
• Courses offered:
  • Course syllabus (from page 255)
    Exchange students are not permitted to take Preliminary (P) or Foundational (F) courses e.g. LLF11 or SOP10.  Courses with numbers over 400 (e.g. ED700) are graduate courses and are not available to undergraduate students.
  • Information on course codes (page 138)
    Students can study at any of the following six schools:
    • SAFE - School of Accounting, Finance and Economics
    • STEMP - School of IT, Engineering, Maths and Physics
    • SOLASS – School of Law and Social Sciences
    • SBM – School of Business and Management
    • SAGEONS – Agriculture, Geography, Environment, Ocean and Natural Sciences
    • SPACE – School of Pacific Arts, Communication and Education

Admission requirements, visa and insurance

• Entry requirements: A minimum GPA of 5.0 (B average)
  Find your GPA

• To go on exchange, you also need to have an ETA or a visa for the country you will be visiting and have comprehensive travel and medical insurance.
  • Visa and Immigration – Fiji
  • Information on student visas and insurance for students going on exchange

Life at the University of the South Pacific

Accommodation

USP provides on-campus accommodation in a Hall of Residence to Otago exchange students for FJD $2,600 per semester.

• On-campus accommodation
• Cost of living and a comprehensive breakdown of approximate costs

The University

The University of the South Pacific (USP), established in 1968 in the Laucala Bay area of Suva, Fiji, opened its doors to students from the Pacific Islands, providing them an opportunity to pursue post-secondary education within the region.

After five decades, USP is a source of immense pride for the region, which has nurtured its development into a world-class tertiary provider, research institution, and development organisation designed to meet the needs and address the priorities of its Member Countries in an affordable, future-oriented manner that values and celebrates Pacific history, cultures and the natural environment.

USP is the largest university in the Pacific Islands outside Hawaii, and its courses are internationally recognised and endorsed.

City and region

USP campuses are spread throughout the Pacific. The main campus is located in Suva, which is the capital of Fiji, and is its most populous metropolitan city.

Suva is also the economic and cultural capital of the South Pacific, hosting most of the regional headquarters of major international corporations, international agencies, and diplomatic missions. The city has a thriving arts and performance scene and a growing reputation as the region's fashion capital.