Whilst admission requirements will vary between institutions and different qualifications will call for different levels of academic achievement and English language skills, students will usually be asked to provide the following:
• Certified and translated copies of each academic certificate or transcript upon which the application is based.
• Evidence of ability in the English language
• Recent Curriculum Vitae or Resumé
• A processing fee (differs between institutions)
It is very important that photocopies are certified as true copies of the original by a recognisable authority.
Postgraduate students must also submit the following:
• Brief statement outlining area of research interests/intended research project
• Two recent academic references
• Copy of the Abstract of Evidence from a previous thesis (PhD only).
Applications are available from each institution’s website or their international office.
Students will also need to show evidence of qualifications that make them suitable to study at a tertiary level.
Undergraduate courses require study completed at NCEA 3 (minimum 42 credits) or higher – (refer to NCEA as entrance to tertiary programmes), CIE (Cambridge International Examinations), IB (International Baccalaureate) or an equivalent qualification such as:
• GCSE 'A' Levels
• STPM (Malaysia)
• Hong Kong 'A' Levels
• Australian Matriculation Year 12 Certificate
• Canadian Pre-University Programme
• Latin American student entry is determined by the institution.
Many universities offer bridging or foundation programmes which can be helpful.
Entry requirements for courses at Institute of Technology and Polytechnics differ depending on the type and level of study – for example, whether it is at certificate, diploma or degree level.
Other entry requirements may vary by subject – students must check these with the institution they are applying to.
If students have come from a non-English speaking background, they will need to prove they are reasonably proficient at English for tertiary study in New Zealand.
Most institutions will ask for original documents or certified photocopies of 1 of the following:
• International English Language Testing System (IELTS) band score of 6 with no band less than 5.5. IELTS is used at many tertiary institutions in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand and North America. It assesses the student’s ability to read, write, speak and listen in academic or general training contexts. It is developed and managed by the University of Cambridge, the British Council and IDP Education Australia
• a pass in English in NCEA Level 3
• a pass in English in the General Certificate of Education (GCE) 'O' level examination
• TOEFL gradings (see here)
• Grade C3 or above in Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) English 322
• other recognised English proficiency tests.
[Please note: TOEFL have phased on the ‘TOEFL Computer Based Test’ in most countries where they offer their English testing service. This has been replaced by the TOEFL Internet based Test or TOEFL iBT.]
If students have studied towards a qualification in their home country they may be able to have those papers or courses credited towards their New Zealand qualification. The Qualifications Evaluation Service can assess the incomplete qualification. It is best to talk to the institutions about which courses can be cross-credited.