University Entrance

The information below applies to New Zealand and Australian citizens and permanent residents wishing to study at a New Zealand university. Students who plan to attend an overseas university should see the section on International Universities at the bottom of this page. If you are an international student intending to study in NZ please contact the International Office at your preferred university. 

Students intending to study in New Zealand need to be aware that the government has moved to cap the number of students which it will fund at each university. As a result universities are progressively introducing tougher entry criteria for their undergraduate courses. A summary of the requirements is given below; please note, however, that these requirements are continually changing and that some universities have not yet finalised their admission policies for 2011.

To gain admission to a degree course at a New Zealand university:

1.    You must meet the University Entrance Standard (“UE”).

You can gain UE through NCEA or through CIE. Full details are given below.

2.    You may have to obtain a particular “rank score” to gain entry to most universities and most courses.

Rank scores provide a means of ranking students based on their best NCEA or CIE results. For those courses which have to limit the number of applicants there may be a “guaranteed entry score”; if your rank score is less than the guaranteed entry score you might not gain admission to that course.  Please see below for more information.

3.    You might have to meet various other requirements specific to each degree.

Some degrees have subject “prerequisites”; for example, to do Engineering at Auckland University you must have satisfactory grades in Maths and Physics. Other courses require a CV or a portfolio and for some degrees you will undergo an interview or audition. Make sure that you check the course requirements on the website of the relevant university.
 

Gaining the University Entrance Standard through NCEA results

A person shall have met the University Entrance standard if he/she has obtained:

  • Subject Requirement:

    A minimum of 42 credits at Level 3 or higher on the National Qualifications Framework, including a minimum of 14 credits at Level 3 or higher in each of two subjects from an approved subject list*, with a further 14 credits at Level 3 or higher taken from no more than two additional domains on the National Qualifications Framework or approved subjects.
    • * Please note that Toursim is not an "approved subject" but the credits obtained can count towards the university entrance standard using the "no more than two additional domains" clause.

  • Numeracy requirement:

    A minimum of 14 credits at Level 1 or higher in Mathematics.
  • In summary you need:

    In your best Level 3 subject : 14 or more credits
    In your second best Level 3 subject : 14 or more credits
    In your next two Level 3 subjects : 14 or more credits in total
    In Level 1, 2, or 3 Maths : 14 or more credits
    In Level 2 or 3 English : 4 or more "reading" credits plus 4 or more "writing" credits

 

Gaining the University Entrance Standard through CIE results

To achieve the University Entrance standard, CIE candidates must meet the following three requirements:

  • Subject Requirement:
    • CIE candidates presenting A or AS levels must gain a minimum of 120 points on the UCAS points table (below) including a minimum grade of D in each of at least two subjects equivalent to those in the list of approved subjects, plus a minimum grade of D in one further subject either from the approved subject list or related to a domain on the National Qualifications Framework.

    Effectively, this means students need 120 points and three D grades in three different subjects. Though students can count both English Language and Literature in English as separate subjects, they cannot include more than one History grade. Furthermore they can only use two subjects from Accounting, Economics and Business Studies in meeting the subject requirement.

    Grade A Level points AS points
    A 120 60
    B 100 50
    C 80 40
    D 60 30
    E 40 20

  • Numeracy requirement:

    You must have a D grade or better in IGCSE Maths (or an E grade in AS Maths).
  • Literacy requirement:

    You must have an E grade or better in AS English Language or in AS English Literature.

 

Gaining the University Entrance Standard through an NCEA/CIE combination

You can meet the Numeracy requirement through NCEA and the Literacy requirement through CIE, or vice versa.

Calculating your Rank Score using NCEA Results

Your NCEA Rank Score is calculated using your best 80 credits at Level 3 or Level 4 from up to 5 subjects on the approved list
•    You get 4 points for each Excellence credit, 3 points for each Merit credit and 2 points for each Achieved credit. For example if your best 80 credits are as follows:
   

 Excellence 10 credits40 points
 Merit 
20 credits
60 points
  Achieved 
50 credits100 points
   Rank Score =200 points
    

•    You cannot include more than 24 credits from any one subject.
•    Further information about NCEA Rank Scores as well as some examples of Rank Score calculations can be found on these links to the Auckland University and Victoria University websites.

Calculating your Rank Score using CIE Results

Your CIE Rank Score is calculated using the UCAS Tariff for your best 6 subject units in AS or A Level for syllabuses that the NZVCC has determined to be equivalent to those on the approved list of NCEA subjects.

•    See the University Entrance section above for details about the UCAS Tariff.
•    An AS syllabus counts as one “subject unit”, A Levels each count as two “subject units”.
•    Further information about CIE Rank Scores as well as some examples of Rank Score calculations can be found on these links to the Auckland University and Victoria University websites.

The University of Auckland

Auckland University has indicated that the Rank Scores required for entry to their degree programmes are being reviewed. Click on these links to the Auckland University website to see the 2010 NCEA or CIE Rank Score requirements but be aware that the requirements are likely to be increased for students entering in 2011. 


Victoria University, Wellington

Victoria University has set a “Guaranteed Entry Score” of 120 NCEA points or 140 CIE points for all undergraduate degrees in 2011. You can find full details using this link to the Victoria University website.


Massey University

At Massey University the “Preferential Entry Score” in 2011 will be 120 NCEA points or 140 CIE points for the majority of undergraduate qualifications. You can find full details using this link to the Massey University website.



Other Universities

Other New Zealand universities are currently reviewing their entry criteria for 2011. Please refer to the university websites for the most up-to-date information.
 

Admission to Australian and Overseas/International Universities


NZQA advises "Internationally, universities require foreign students applying for admission, to have achieved the university entrance standard set by their own countries. The same principle generally applies to other tertiary providers overseas."

This NZQA site details admission information for tertiary courses overseas: Overseas Admission
For Australian admission details: Australian Admission


However, many International tertiary study programmes are very competitive in entry, requiring higher entrance standards than the New Zealand UE requirements.

With regard to Australian universities,  NZ citizens are deemed to be Australian citizens for entry purposes but NZ Permanent Residents are categorised as International students. Entrance is based on academic merit and assessed on the ATAR (Australian Tertiary Admission Rank) or equivalent.

As a general rule you will require the following in order to meet entry criteria:

CIE: three or more A Levels, with excellent grades, gained in the same academic year, are required. The particular grades vary according to the university and faculty. A good pass in AS English usually fulfils the English language requirement. However, some universities require A Level English or "assume" subject knowledge. Check the specific programme requirements for each course.

NCEA: 20 credits in each of the pre-requisite subjects, with at least 15 at merit or excellence level, and a good pass in Level 3 English.

Students contemplating study out of New Zealand are strongly advised to carefully research potential universities while in Year 12, noting competitive entry requirements and particular pre-requisite subjects, and to plan their Year 13 programme accordingly with the guidance of the Senior Dean, Mr Richard Stead, and Mrs Wendy Carey, the Careers Director.