Admission from NCEA Level 3
National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA)
This is the most common way that school-leavers gain entrance to university. To be eligible you must achieve 42 credits at Level 3 or higher, including:
- 14 credits at Level 3 or higher in each of two subjects from the approved list
- 14 credits at Level 3 or higher in no more than two additional domains or approved subjects
You must also meet literacy and numeracy requirements:
- 8 credits at Level 2 or higher in English or Te Reo Māori, with at least 4 credits in Reading and 4 credits in Writing
- 14 credits in Mathematics or Pangarau at Level 1 or higher
Entry score requirement
The entry score requirement for Preferential Entry for the applicable undergraduate programmes from NCEA Level 3 is 140 points. Scores which do not meet this requirement will be considered for Competitive Entry.
How to calculate an entry score
An entry score will be calculated using a student’s 80 best credits in up to five University Entrance subjects taken at Level 3 or above (including both achievement standards and unit standards).
No more than 24 credits in any subject can be used in the entry score calculation. Credits will be weighted according to the level of attainment.
If a student achieves fewer than 80 credits at Level 3 or above in up to five University Entrance subjects, the entry score will be based on the credits achieved.
Note: For the 2011 transition year the University may consider approved or non-approved subjects on a case-by-case basis.
An entry score will be calculated by awarding points as follows:
- Excellence 4 points
- Merit 3 points
- Achieved 2 points
An example of an entry score for an NCEA Level 3 student
| Approved subject | Excellence credits | Merit credits | Achieved credits |
|---|---|---|---|
| (best 24 credits per subject) | |||
| English | 3 | 4 | 9 |
| Physics | 3 | - | 12 |
| Biology | - | 3 | 18 |
| Chemistry | - | - | 16 |
| Statistics and Modelling | 2 | 3 | 10 |
| Subtotals | 8 | 10 | 65 |
| Best 80 credits | 8 | 10 | 62 |
| Calculate points | 32 points (8x4) | 30 points (10x3) | 124 points (62x2) |
| Entry Score: 186 | |||
Note: Excellence and Merit credits are counted first, then Achieved credits as required to a maximum of 80 credits. In this example, only 62 of the Achieved credits may be counted.
