What you will need to provide in order to apply for the programme
When submitting your application, you will need to provide information related to your personal details, contact information and educational background.
You will also need to provide additional information specific to your application for the Graduate Diploma of Teaching, as outlined below.
1. Handwritten statement
This part of the application requires you to write and upload a personal statement. The statement must be in your own handwriting and will need to be written and then scanned or photographed.
Outline your reasons for wishing to enter the programme you are applying for, and your strengths. This is a very important part of your application, so please consider carefully what you will write.
2. Recent experiences
This part of the application requires you to upload a document outlining your:
- involvements and recent experiences relevant to a career in teaching, and
- membership in any professional bodies, licensing authorities, and/or registration authorities to which you belong.
Some examples of experiences and involvement you may wish to include are:
- Experiences working with people
- Community activities
- School activities
- Sport
- Music, drama, art or debating
- Experience with other cultures
- Travel
- Teaching or coaching
- Leadership
3. Teaching subjects – for GradDipTchg (Secondary Education) applicants only
Applicants for the Secondary Education endorsement are required to indicate proposed teaching subjects in their application. You need to:
- Choose three (or four) teaching subjects from the approved list
- Work within one or two learning areas
- Teach a range of subjects from Years 7 to 13
- Have met the prerequisites of your subjects
All listed subjects may not be available in any one year. A full programme normally consists of three subjects, but you can choose to apply with four. This can be discussed at interview.
The minimum requirements for secondary school subjects
Refer to the minimum requirements (prerequisites) for secondary school curriculum subjects
In the prerequisites section for each teaching subject please enter the tertiary papers or courses you have completed, or are currently studying, which support the subject.
Please include full subject titles, codes, and levels. Transcripts to support your study should be uploaded later in the application.
In addition, competency in conversational Māori is desirable.
4. Referee reports
For your application to be considered, you will need to nominate two people to complete online referee reports.
Referees cannot be family members, partners, or people living at the same address as yourself. Suitable referees may include:
- Employers
- Managers
- Teachers
- Tutors
- Coaches
- Mentors
- Church leaders
- Kaumātua
5. Language competency
All applicants to initial teacher education programmes at the University of Otago must meet the language competency requirements of the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.
The criteria can be found on their website. You may be asked to provide evidence that you meet one of the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand language competency criteria.
Language competency requirements
6. Medical certificate
If you have a health condition or impairment, you will be asked to provide documentation outlining details of the condition or impairment and how it may affect your ability to complete the programme. This may be a personal explanatory statement or a medical certificate from your doctor or specialist regarding your ability to undertake study at the College of Education.
This information is considered as part of the application assessment process, with the primary purpose of ensuring appropriate support can be put in place for successful applicants. You may seek advice from the University’s Disability Information and Support service, which can act as an advocate or facilitator if required.
7. Evidence of a relationship with a school
As the Graduate Diploma of Teaching is a school-based programme, applicants are encouraged to provide evidence of a relationship with a school, where possible.
This evidence must be provided in the form of a letter from a potential host school, confirming that the school is willing to host the applicant, or that the applicant is already working with the school and the school is willing to support their participation in the programme.
The letter must confirm that the school:
- supports the applicant to undertake the programme
- will provide a setting for the majority of the student teacher’s professional experience
- will identify an appropriately experienced mentor teacher/s to provide supervision and guidance
- will support the student teacher to meet the Teaching Council’s requirements for mentored teaching practice
Professional standards and criminal offences policy
See the Initial Teacher Education – Professional Standards and Criminal Offences Policy
Apply for the Graduate Diploma of Teaching (GradDipTchg)
Once your application has been submitted
It is important to check your eVision notifications regularly for updates about your application.
If you are shortlisted you will be contacted with a date and time for an interview. If your application has not been successful you will be notified of this via your eVision student portal.
Interviews
All applicants who apply for our Teacher Education programmes are required to participate in an interview.
The purpose of the interview is to assess your suitability for teacher education and a subsequent career in teaching. To assist you to prepare for the interview, please read:
- Interview Information for Applicants
- Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand – Our Code Our Standards: Code of Professional Responsibility and Standards for the Teaching Profession.
If you receive an offer of study
If you receive an offer of study you must accept or decline this offer within two weeks of the date of offer and ensure that you have completed the selection of your papers.
Contact us
For information about the programme
For information about your application
Email admissions@otago.ac.nz
Toll-free number
Tel 0800 TO TEACH (0800 868 3224)