University Requirements
New Zealand University Entrance
Want to find out how to study abroad in New Zealand? To be able to study at a university in New Zealand, you will need to have University Entrance. University Entrance is the minimal amount required to be accepted into a New Zealand university. For international students wanting to do an undergraduate degree at a New Zealand university, University Entrance consists of meeting the undergraduate entry requirements for that university and the undergraduate English language requirements. Specific university entrance requirements will differ between universities and specific programmes of study.
You can find a list of all the universities in New Zealand here.
If you’re an international student and you don’t have University Entrance, you can do a foundation course where you will be guaranteed acceptance into a New Zealand university once completing the course.
Overseas high school qualifications
Depending on what qualification you have graduated high school with, you may be able to use that qualification to gain direct entry into university in New Zealand. Common high school qualifications that are recognised by all New Zealand universities are Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) and International Baccalaureate Diploma (IB). The university will use your academic high school results to determine whether you can gain University Entrance.
Depending on the university, presently some universities in New Zealand offer University Entrance for:
- IB with successful completion of 24 points minimum
- CIE with 120 points minimum
Some undergraduate degree programmes require higher academic results if there are more applicants than places or specific requirements such as certain high school subjects, a portfolio of work or interviews.
English language requirements
If you’re an international applicant and English isn’t your first language, you’ll need to provide evidence of your English language competence. This usually takes the form of IELTS (International English Language Testing System - recognised by all universities and institutes in New Zealand). But you can also show your proficiency through other forms such as Cambridge English, IB Diploma English or TOEFL.
For bachelor’s degrees, universities in New Zealand require a minimum IELTS score of 6.0 overall (with all bands at 5.5 or higher).
If you need to improve your English before applying for a university or institute, you can study at an English course in New Zealand.
other ways to gain university entrance
There are also other ways that you can gain University Entrance to be able to study in New Zealand. There are some other overseas qualifications that some universities in New Zealand accept as University Entrance for bachelor’s degrees. These are minimum entry requirements and you may need to have more than the minimum to gain entry, depending on the programme you would like to apply for and the competition for places for that specific programme.
Some examples of other recognised qualifications include:
- One year of successful undergraduate study at a recognised institute
- GCE A Levels
- SAT
Postgraduate entry requirements
Admission for postgraduate studies at universities in New Zealand are on a case by case basis. If you would like to do postgraduate study, it is best to contact the university directly regarding your previous tertiary qualifications and circumstances.
If you would like to check whether your high school or previous qualifications allow you to gain University Entrance for undergraduate study in New Zealand, talk to us and we’ll be happy to help you.