Supporting documentation for restricted entry programmes, Professional programmes, Division of Health Sciences

Declaration form

Only complete this Health and Conduct declaration form if you have been specifically requested to do so.
There is no need to complete this form if you have answered these questions as part of your online application form.

Declaration form (PDF)

Secondary school qualifications

If applying with NCEA results, please include:

School Result Summaries – To obtain a copy, candidates need to login to the Learner area. You will need to register online first if you haven't logged in before.
Do not include your Records of Achievement – this is not the same as School Result Summaries.

Curriculum vitae

Please clearly state the following:

Awards attained, positions of responsibility, participant sports, leisure activities, community activities, and voluntary work
Employment record

The Careers Development Centre has useful information available on their website about how to prepare your CV, should you require assistance.

Māori equity group

Applicants wishing to be considered under the Māori equity group must indicate this at the time of application by ticking the Māori equity group box on the application. Applicants will also be required to complete and upload a written personal statement.

In order to be eligible for the Māori equity group your ancestry needs to be verified by the University. You can apply for verification of ancestry from the 'My details' section of your eVision portal.

Applicants will also be required to complete and upload a written personal statement (500-word limit) explaining your understanding of the reasons for the Māori equity group of admission to health professional programmes and aspirations and commitment to make a positive contribution to Māori health now and in the future.

Māori Supporting Statement form (PDF)

It is strongly recommended that students wishing to apply under the Māori equity group contact the Division of Health Sciences, Māori Health Workforce Development Unit (Raukaha Workforce Development - Kōhatu Centre for Hauora Māori).

Successful applicants from the Māori equity group are expected to attend a mihiwhakatau at the commencement of classes in Dunedin and maintain engagement with the Raukaha team throughout their studies.

Email mhwdu@otago.ac.nz

NZ Resident Indigenous Pacific Origins (NZRIPO) equity group

New Zealand Resident Indigenous Pacific Origins (NZRIPO) equity group form (PDF)

Applicants wishing to be considered under the NZRIPO equity group must indicate this at the time of application by ticking the NZRIPO equity group box on the online application. Applicants will also be required to complete and upload the following documents:

An endorsement of Pacific Island heritage,
and
A written personal supporting statement outlining your commitment to Pacific health.

In order to be eligible for the Pacific equity group your ancestry needs to be verified by the University. You can apply for verification of ancestry from the 'My details' section of your eVision portal.

Successful applicants from the Pacific equity group are expected to be connected and contribute to the Health Sciences Pacific support network.

It is highly recommended that students wishing to apply under the NZRIPO equity group contact the staff in the Pacific Islands Research and Student Support Unit, in the Office of the Associate Dean (Pacific):

Email vot@otago.ac.nz

Socioeconomic Equity group

To be eligible for the Socioeconomic Equity group you must be a domestic student who:

Attended a NZ secondary school that was in the top three bands of the NZ Equity Index (Above Average/Many/Most) / decile 1–3 prior to 2023*
Attended during Years 11, 12, and 13 within the last five years

* Students must have attended an EQ-eligible school for each of the Years 11, 12, and 13.

Applicants must provide enrolment details from their secondary school(s) confirming the EQI number (or decile 1–3 prior to 2023) and their enrolment in years 11, 12, and 13 within the last five years.

School letter template – Socioeconomic Equity group (DOCX)

Applicants will also be required to complete and upload a written personal supporting statement using the form below.

Socioeconomic Equity Supporting Statement form (PDF)

Applicants wishing to be considered under the Socioeconomic Equity group must indicate this at the time of application by ticking the Socioeconomic Equity group box in the online application.

It is recommended that students wishing to apply under the Socioeconomic Equity group engage with the Division of Health Science, EQ Programme for information. Engagement includes participation in EQ Programme events and initiatives for existing Otago students.

Those accepted to a professional programme are required to attend the EQ Health Professional Programme Student Welcome at the commencement of classes in Dunedin and are expected to maintain engagement with the EQ Programme throughout their studies.

Email eq.project@otago.ac.nz

Refugee Background equity group

In order to apply under the Refugee Background equity group you must have either been granted refugee status in New Zealand, or have a parent(s)/primary guardian(s) who has been granted refugee status in New Zealand. The Refugee Background equity group applies to all categories of admission.

Applicants wishing to apply under the Refugee Background equity group must indicate this at the time of application by ticking the Refugee Background equity group box in the online application and providing the following supporting information:

If you are applying as a person who has been granted refugee status then you must provide:

Either

Certified copies of your Certificate of Identity or your passport confirming refugee status and Permanent Residency.
or
A letter from Immigration New Zealand confirming your status as a permanent resident was obtained on the basis of being a refugee. This must include your full legal name and date of birth.
or
A letter from Immigration New Zealand confirming that you are a former refugee and that you have applied for residency. This must include your full legal name and date of birth.
Request or change your personal information – Immigration NZ

If you are applying as a child or dependent of a parent(s) / primary guardian(s) who was granted New Zealand Residency as a refugee, you must provide:

A letter from Immigration New Zealand confirming that your parent(s)/primary guardian(s) was granted New Zealand residency via on the basis of their status as a former refugee. This letter must include their full name and date of birth. If Immigration NZ is not able to provide such a letter, equivalent official documentation can be submitted and will be considered for acceptability. Please contact Riiti Conway in the Health Sciences Divisional Office for advice.
Email riiti.conway@otago.ac.nz
and
A document that confirms they are your parent(s)/primary guardian(s), for example your birth certificate, a joint passport, or adoption papers.

Using the form below, your application under the Refugee Background equity group must include a personal supporting statement (500-word limit) outlining your understanding of the Refugee Background equity group, how your refugee background will impact your practice as a health professional, and your commitment to the health of former refugees.

Refugee Supporting Statement form (PDF)

It is strongly recommended that students wishing to apply under the Refugee equity group contact the Refugee subcategory support person, Riiti Conway in the Health Sciences Divisional Office:

Email riiti.conway@otago.ac.nz

NZ Rural Origins equity group

The New Zealand Government has agreed to fund extra places in the programme targeting those from rural backgrounds seeking careers in rural practice.

In order to apply in the New Zealand Rural Origins equity group, candidates for admission must:

Have undertaken a minimum of four years of their pre-tertiary education at a school in a rural area of New Zealand
or
Have resided in a rural area of New Zealand for a minimum of four consecutive years following the completion of their secondary education
or
Have undertaken a combination of pre-tertiary education at a school in a rural area of New Zealand and residence in a rural area of New Zealand, for a minimum of four consecutive years

Applicants wishing to have their New Zealand Rural Origins status considered with their application must indicate this at the time of application by ticking the New Zealand Rural Origins equity group box in the online application.

Applicants must provide the following supporting information:

either

An official letter from the pre-tertiary regional / rural education institution they attended, outlining:
- The duration of their study,
  and
- The physical location of the institute

A statutory declaration, made before an authorised person, confirming residency of four years or more in a rural location (this declaration must specify which years are being claimed as the four qualifying years). A statutory declaration can be used for your residential address only. It cannot be used to confirm school attendance.

An authorised person is a person listed in the Oaths and Declarations Act 1957 as able to take declarations. This person could be a:

Justice of the Peace
Barrister or Solicitor of the High Court

Students within New Zealand may wish to check justiceofthepeace.org.nz for a list of Justices of the Peace in their area. Students from remote areas who do not have access to anyone in the approved categories should visit the AskOtago Service Portal for advice.

For applications based on a rural residential address or attendance at a rural school(s) the University classifies rural as per the Geographic Classification for Health ( GCH ). For the purposes of this policy, applicants will be eligible if the address or school(s) on which the rural equity group application is based on, is classified within Rural 1–3.

Using the map image in the link below, you can undertake an informal check of the classification of the residential area provided in your application.

GCH New Zealand map (PDF)

It is important to note that this should be considered as a guide only. The Statistical Area 1s ( SA1s ) of the residential address and/or the school(s) provided will be checked against the GCH database during the assessment of your application. If your application is found to not be eligible under the rural category you will be notified, and your application will be processed under the general category.

Students who selected the New Zealand Rural origins equity group on their application or entry to Medicine may be required to participate in the Year 5 Rural Medical Immersion Programme.

Students will not be bonded after graduation nor will the inclusion of the rural training increase the length of the programme.

It is strongly recommended that students wishing to apply under the Rural equity group contact the Rural equity group support person, Riiti Conway, in the Health Sciences Divisional Office:

Email riiti.conway@otago.ac.nz