Auckland Institute of Studies (AIS)Auckland Institute of Studies (AIS) is a private degree-granting institution in Mount Albert, central Auckland, operating since 1990 and teaching business, tourism, hospitality, information technology and English language.
About
AIS opened in 1990 and describes itself as one of New Zealand's leading private institutions with degree-granting status. Its qualifications span certificates and diplomas, undergraduate degrees, graduate diplomas and postgraduate diplomas and degrees, and they are open to both domestic and international students.
Subject areas cover business, tourism management, hospitality management, information technology and business administration. The institute singles out its MBA, which it says is growing quickly and ranks among the biggest in the country. A separate English Language Centre awards qualifications in EFL, EAP, IELTS preparation and Business English.
The academic year is split into three semesters, and credit from earlier study can be recognised, so students are able to finish sooner and start working earlier. Employment help is available both while studying and after graduation, from CV writing and interview practice to internships and job placement.
Classes are kept small and lecturers make a point of knowing their students personally. The institute's aim is to pair demanding academic programmes with a welcoming, supportive setting. Whether students come from New Zealand or abroad, AIS says it wants them to feel at ease while studying and to leave well prepared for what comes next. Both campuses are in Mount Albert, in central Auckland.
What stands out
- A campus with a past. St Helens Campus occupies the former St Helens Hospital site, one of seven state maternity hospitals built in the early twentieth century under Prime Minister Richard Seddon; the Mount Albert hospital ran from 1968 to 1990.
- A large MBA. By the institute's own account, its MBA is fast-growing and one of the largest in New Zealand.
- Three-semester year. A flexible three-semester structure, combined with cross-credit recognition, let students accelerate their study.
- English on site. The English Language Centre runs EFL, EAP, IELTS preparation and Business English, so students can strengthen their English without changing provider.
- Career support. Help with CVs, interviews, internships and job placement is offered to current students and graduates alike.
Campus and study
AIS runs two campuses in Mount Albert, a five-minute walk apart. St Helens Campus sits in spacious, park-like grounds beside Chamberlain Park Golf Course and hosts English Language, Business, Hospitality Management, Information Technology and Business Administration classes. Asquith Campus is near St Lukes shopping centre. Getting there is straightforward, with the North Western motorway, Baldwin Avenue train station and frequent buses on New North and Great North Roads all close by.
Facilities include a library, computer labs open around the clock, Wi-Fi, cafeterias on both sites serving local and international food, a devotional room at St Helens, tennis courts and free parking. The library is housed in the Learning Hub at St Helens and offers print and electronic collections, databases, specialist software, spaces for solo or group study, and librarians on hand to help.
For international students
International students study alongside New Zealanders at AIS, and the institute aims to make those arriving from overseas feel settled and confident. Its own English Language Centre covers IELTS preparation and academic English for anyone who needs to lift their language level, while the careers support helps with CVs, interviews, internships and finding work. The Student Handbook sets out the campus services in more detail.
Based on the provider’s official website; status from the NZQA register (checked 30.09.2026): provider website · NZQA register record