University Entrance

All of the following need to be obtained to qualify for entrance to university in New Zealand:

• 10 Level 1 Literacy credits and 10 Level 1 Numeracy credits
• NCEA Level 3 (at least 60 credits at Level 3)
• at least 14 credits in EACH of 3 UE (University Entrance) Approved subjects (see table below)
• UE Literacy – made up of: 5 credits in reading and 5 credits in writing (from Level 2 English or Te Reo Māori or limited Level 3 subjects)

Many of you will gain the literacy credits in Year 12 English. If you do not, you need to ensure that you achieve them in Year 13 where they are available in a limited range of subjects. If you have any doubts about this, discuss your literacy credits with someone in the Careers Department.

Once you have met the requirements for University Entrance it will appear on your Record of Achievement.

University Approved subjects at Level 3 offered at WGHS:

If you typically pass all your assessments, you should be on track to achieve UE in Year 13 if you take 4 UE approved subjects, and 1 non-UE approved subject. If now and then you get a "not achieved", OR if you plan to study at the University of Auckland (who require higher rank scores - see below) or a limited entry programme such as health sciences, engineering or architecture, then taking 5 UE approved subjects is strongly recommended.

Check the NZQA website to see that the standards you achieve do belong to these approved subjects.  Courses that are university approved are shown in the relevant Level 3 subjects. If in doubt about your course - CHECK.  From the course selection tool, you will be able to see how you will gain 14 credits from these subjects along with NCEA Level 3 for University Entrance.

The requirements for University Entrance may not be sufficient for acceptance into a particular programme. Check out the criteria online, talk to our school Careers Advisors or the university liaison staff to make sure that you know specific entry requirements for the programme(s) you are planning to apply for. These can vary between universities. For restricted entry courses your best chance of being accepted is to ensure you have 5 UE subjects, and as many Excellence and Merit grades as possible in your best 80 credits.

Rank Scores

Some universities require a certain rank score for their programmes. Calculate your rank score by looking at your best 80 credits from Level 3 across no more than 6 subjects:

1. Count up your total Excellence credits. Multiply by 4 points
2. Count up your total Merit credits. Multiply by 3 points.
3. Count up the number of Achieved credits (ensure you don't count more than 80 total credits). Multiply by 2 points.
4. Add up your total points.

Rank Scores from NCEA Level 2 for Scholarships

It is important to aim for Merit, or even better, Excellence endorsement overall in Year 12. A high Level 2 rank score is important for increasing your chances of being awarded a school leaver tertiary scholarship before you finish Year 13. School leaver scholarships are awarded before the end of your final year of school, so scholarship committees look at the previous full academic year to gauge your likely level of achievement.

Entry Criteria at NZ universities (for limited entry programmes)

as at July 2024

University of Auckland

NZ Secondary School applicants entry criteria & rank scores
The University of Auckland requires 17 English credits from Level 2 and/or Level 3

Rank Scores

• Bachelor of Science (Biomedical Science) – 280
• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) | Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) – 260
• Bachelor of Health Science – 250
• Bachelor of Architectural Studies | Bachelor of Nursing – 230
• Bachelor of Global Studies – 210
• Bachelor of Science (Food Science & Nutrition) – 200
• Bachelor of Commerce | Bach of Design | Bach of Planning | Bach of Urban Planning (Honours), Bach of Communication – 180
• Bachelor of Science | Bach of Commerce | Bach of Property – 165
• Bachelor of Arts | Bach of Dance Studies | Bach of  Early Childhood Studies | Bach of Education (Teaching) | Bach of Education (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) | Bach of Fine Arts | Bach of Music | Bach of Social Work and | Bach of Sports, Health and Physical Education – 150

Conjoints

• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) | Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) – 275
• Bachelor of Health Science – 250
• Bachelor of Nursing – 230
• all other conjoints – 210

Subjects:

• Bachelor of Health Science | Bachelor of Nursing – 18 credits English-rich, 18 credits Biology or Chemistry or Physics
• Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) – 17 external Calculus + 16 external Physics

Architecture – portfolio 

Bachelor of Music (Creative Practice) | Bachelor of Dance Studies – audition

AUT

Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) – UE + at least 14 L3 credits in each of calculus & physics. Automatic entry if students have a rank score of 250.

Bachelor of Health Science – strongly recommend at least 2 sciences, but not required.  A rank score is applied in years where there are a large number of applications. 250 for Physiotherapy, 210 for Nursing & Oral Health. 180 for Midwifery, Occupational Therapy, podiatry, Paramedicine & Perioperative Practice.

Competitive entry into specialist clinical areas, - based on grades in common first semester. Midwifery and Paramedicine Majors require a valid drivers licence. Midwifery Major requires L2 at least 16 credits in Biology and Chemistry or Physics with a further 16 L2 credits in another subject, L3 at least 18 credits in Biology or Chemistry or Physics, plus at least 16 credits in a language rich subject, plus at least 16 credits in an additional 2 UE subjects.

Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Science conjoint | Bachelor of Business / Bachelor of Computer & Information Science conjoint – UE + NCEA L3 with Merit endorsement

Bachelor of Design | Bachelor of Visual Arts | Bachelor of Architecture & Future Environments – portfolio

Massey

Bachelor of Animal Science – recommended to have at least 14 L3 credits in each of Biology & Chemistry + at least 16 L2 Mathematics credits from these standards: 91256, 91257, 91258, 91259, 91260, 91261, 91262, 91269.

Bachelor of Aviation – at least 14 L3 credits in an English-rich subject (broad range); highly recommend that you have passed Calculus & Physics; pass the online ADAPT test; complete a trial flight; obtain class 1 medical certificate, pass FPP assessment.

Bachelor of Commercial Music (Music Practice) – audition

Bachelor of Design (Honours) – submit portfolio; gain automatic entry if overall Merit or Excellence endorsement in L2 or L3.

Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) – recommended to have 16 L3 Mathematics credits including at least 2 of 91577 (Algebra), 91578 (Differentiation), 91579 (Integration) + at least 16 L3 credits in Physics (+ at least 14 L3 credits in Chemistry for Chemical & Bioprocess Engineering major)

Bachelor of Food Technology (Hons) – recommended to have 16 L3 Mathematics credits including at least 2 of 91577 (Algebra), 91578 (Differentiation), 91579 (Integration) + at least 16 L3 credits in Physics + at least 14 L3 credits in Chemistry

Bachelor of Nursing – University Entrance and specific requirements, a current first aid certificate and meet the immunisations standards of practice for healthcare professionals in New Zealand.

Bachelor of Veterinary Science – successfully completing NCEA subjects: at least 14 L2 Physics credits, at least 14 L2 Mathematics credits, at least 14 L3 Biology credits, at least 14 L3 Chemistry credits. + you must complete at least 40 hours of veterinary practical work experience in a veterinary clinic(s) or hospital(s). Competitive entry into second year.

Waikato

Bachelor of Climate Change requirements for the following majors only

• Chemistry - 16 credits in NCEA Level 3 Chemistry
• Data Analytics - minimum 16 credits in NCEA Level 3 Maths

Bachelor of Computer Science (Honours) 

Data Analytics

• minimum 16 credits in NCEA Level 3 Maths

Embedded Systems Major

• Minimum of 16 L3 credits in Calculus including 91577, 91578, 91579
• Minimum of 14 L3 credits in Physics

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours)

• Civil / Electrical & Electronics / Mechanical / Mechatronics – 16 L3 credits in Calculus + 14 L3 credits in Physics
• Chemical & Biological / Environmental / Material & Process – 16 L3 credits in Calculus + 16 L3 credits in Chemistry + 14 L3 credits in Physics
• Software – 16 L3 credits in Calculus

Bachelor of Health (all majors) – strongly recommended to take L3 Biology & L3 Statistics

Bachelor of Health (Biomedical Science) – minimum of 16 credits in L3 Chemistry

Bachelor of Health, Sport & Human Performance - 18 credits in NCEA L2 Maths or 14 credits at L3 in Statistics, Calculus or Maths

Bachelor of Music – 14 L3 credits in Music OR 20 L2 credits in Music OR Grade 3 theory pass or better in New Zealand Music Education Board or the Australian Music Education Board examinations OR Grade 5 theory pass or better in the Trinity College or Royal College of Music examinations OR an equivalent to the aforementioned. For the performance stream, an audition is required. 

Bachelor of Science | Bachelor of Science (Technology)

Whichever Major you are choosing, it is recommended you have studied this at NCEA L3 eg. for a Chemistry Major - L3 Chemistry

Waikato summary of entry criteria
Waikato NCEA prerequisites 2020 

Victoria

Victoria University of Wellington guaranteed entry scores 

• Bachelor of Architectural Studies | Bach of Building Science – University Entrance +  recommended subjects: Mathematics, Statistics, Calculus, Design, Physics, English
• All other degrees – Guaranteed Entry Score of 150 points

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) | Bachelor of Science (Computer Science | Computer Graphics | Electronic & Computer Systems) –  University Entrance +  recommended subjects: Mathematics, Statistics, Calculus, Design, Physics, English, Science, Digital Technology, Computing.

Bachelor of Midwifery –  Midwifery Major requires L2 at least 16 credits in Biology and Chemistry or Physics with a further 16 L2 credits in another subject, L3 at least 18 credits in Biology or Chemistry or Physics, plus at least 16 credits in a language rich subject, plus at least 16 credits in an additional 2 UE subjects. Midwifery require a valid drivers licence. 

Victoria University of Wellington Course Planning

Canterbury

Canterbury Admission & University Entrance
Canterbury - programmes with limited entry / requiring special applications / deadlines

Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) – 14 L3 credits in Mathematics or Calculus (including differentiation & integration) + 14 L3 credits in Physics + 14 L3 credits in Chemistry (for some majors); 18 L3 credits strongly recommended in each subject.

Bachelor of Fine Arts – L3 Visual Arts in 1 or more subjects + a portfolio.

Bachelor of Forestry Science – recommended to have L3 Biology, L3 Mathematics with Statistics & Probability, L3 Chemistry, L3 Economics, L3 English.

Bachelor of Music – open to everyone, recommended to have L2 or L3 Music; performance courses require Audition with an instrument or in singing.

Bachelor of Product Design – strongly recommended at least 14 L2 credits in each of Science & Mathematics; 14 L3 Chemistry credits for Chemical Formulation Design major.

Lincoln

On the Lincoln qualifications list, click each bachelors degree to the left, then you will see entry requirements on the right hand side. All require University Entrance only.

Otago

Otago Required & Recommended Background Subjects

Bachelor of Dental Technology – 14 L3 credits in Biology and a language rich subject.

Bachelor of Oral Health – satisfactory standard in NCEA L3 Biology and English.

Bachelor of Radiation Therapy – 16 L3 credits in Physics or Biology or 16 L3 credits in Mathematics or Calculus or Statistics or 16 L3 credits in English or Te Reo Maori or History or Art History or Classics or Geography or Te Reo Rangatira.

Health Sciences First Year – strongly recommended to have L3 Chemistry, Physics and Calculus. Competitive entry into second year.