If you've been home-schooled, you will need to provide evidence you have achieved University Entrance with one of the following options to study at UC:
- Christian Education New Zealand (CENZ) Level 3 Certificate
- Accelerated Christian Education (ACE) Certificate of Academic Excellence Year 13 certificate with at least 4 credits at Year 13 level
- Young Enterprise Certificate (YES), including literacy and numeracy and 14 level 3 credits in each of two approved subjects
- University of Cambridge International Examinations (CIE) or Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE).
There are specific requirements, which in short are: 120 points at A or AS level with at least a D grade in 3 subjects / at least E grade in AS English / at least D grade in IGSCSE Maths - UC Certificate in University Preparation (CUP) (NZ citizens or permanent residents only)
- NCEA University Entrance, for instance through Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu (the Correspondence School)
- Be at least 20 years old on the start date of the degree (for NZ citizens or permanent residents only)
Home-school students who don’t meet the exact requirements above can still apply for admission if they have achieved an academic standard that is equivalent to NCEA University Entrance.
Equivalency to NCEA University Entrance explained
Students should provide evidence that their academic standard is equivalent to:
- Study in 3 approved subjects* at a level equivalent to at least NCEA level 3 (Year 13)
(equivalent to 14 NCEA credits in each subject) - Literacy study at a level equivalent to at least NCEA level 2 (Year 12)
(equivalent to 10 NCEA credits) - Numeracy study at a level equivalent to at least NCEA level 1 (Year 11)
(equivalent to 10 NCEA credits) - Achieved an equivalent to NCEA Level 3 Certificate: 60 credits at level 3 or above + 20 credits from level 2 or above (this doesn’t necessarily have to all be in approved subjects)
* See NZQA (New Zealand Qualifications Authority) for the list of NCEA UE approved subjects.
If a student has studied the required amount of mathematics/statistics at a level equivalent to at least NCEA level 3, then that would fulfil one of the level 3 subjects plus the numeracy requirement. If a student has studied the required amount of English literature/Reading/Writing at a level equivalent to at least NCEA level 3, then that would fulfil one of the level 3 subjects plus the literacy requirement.
Evidence of study
Most home-schoolers mix-and-match by providing evidence of some study in several of the examples listed below or similar study that if put together is equivalent to NCEA UE:
- UC STAR courses – Each STAR course in a separate subject area can fulfil one of the 14 credits in an approved subject at level 3 (even if the subject is not on the NCEA UE list). The literacy requirement of NCEA UE can be met by completing a STAR course with a significant element of essay-writing or similar assessment types. The numeracy requirement can be met by completing a STAR course with a significant element of mathematics or statistics.
- Music performance ABRSM/Trinity Grade exams
- Home-school curriculum (online or text book-based) approved by our relevant Department
- Relevant certificates at a polytechnic
- NCEA through Correspondence School
- Cambridge International Exams (as a private candidate at a secondary school providing Cambridge study)
- American SAT exams (these are invigilated at UC and other test centres in New Zealand)
Upload your evidence of study and any supporting documentation when you apply in myUC.
Please note: admission to the University does not always mean automatic approval into your selected programme of study.
