The Common Entrance Standard

The common entrance standard in New Zealand (also known as University Entrance or UE), or its equivalent, may be met in a number of ways, some of which are no longer available but students who have met them are eligible to enrol at a university.

1. National Certificate of Educational Achievement

2. University of Cambridge International Examinations

3. Other qualifications

Older qualifications

4. New Zealand University Entrance, Bursaries and Scholarships Examinations

5. National Qualifications Framework

6. Earlier qualifications

1. National Certificate of Educational Achievement

To meet the common entrance standard a student must achieve all of the following:

• a minimum of 42 credits at level 3 or higher on the National Qualifications Framework, including a minimum of 14 credits at level 3 or higher in each of two subjects from an approved list of subjects, with a further 14 credits at level 3 or higher taken from no more than two additional domains on the National Qualifications Framework or approved subjects, and
• a minimum of 14 credits at level 1 or higher in Mathematics or Pangarau on the National Qualifications Framework, and
• a minimum of 8 credits at level 2 or higher in English or Te Reo Maori; 4 credits must be in Reading and 4 credits must be in Writing. The literacy credits will be selected from a schedule of approved achievement standards and unit standards.

It is possible to meet the common entrance standard without achieving NCEA Level 3. It is also possible to achieve NCEA Level 3 without meeting the common entrance standard.

NCEA Level 3 is generally completed in Year 13. It requires 60 credits at level 3 or above plus 20 credits at level 2 or above. To achieve NCEA Level 3 and meet the common entrance standard a student must gain the required credits and fulfil all the requirements listed above.

2. University of Cambridge International Examinations

Cambridge International Examination (CIE) candidates presenting A or AS levels must gain a minimum of 120 points on the UCAS Tariff* and a minimum grade of D in each of at least 2 subjects equivalent to subjects in the approved list, plus a minimum grade of D in one further subject either from the approved list or related to a domain on the National Qualifications Framework. A candidate with 3 subjects as described who has not reached the 120-point minimum may include points from any one additional subject available for CIE.

A CIE candidate with an E grade or better in AS English and a D grade or better in IGCSE mathematics will be deemed to have satisfied the literacy and numeracy requirements of the university entrance standard. (Any mathematics taken at AS level will also satisfy the numeracy requirement. IGCSE mathematics is the minimum acceptable and corresponds approximately to NCEA level 1.)

A CIE candidate may also fulfil the literacy and/or numeracy requirements through NCEA, as detailed in section 1 above.

Students applying with CIE will be dealt with under admission ad eundem statum (with equivalent status) procedures. The fee for this type of admission will be remitted for CIE students who have completed the qualification in New Zealand.

* The UCAS Tariff may be found at http://www.ucas.com/students/ucas_tariff/tarifftables/

3.  Other qualifications

Admission ad eundem statum at entrance level:

Domestic students who received their schooling in another country may be eligible for admission on the basis of their school-leaving qualification. As requirements vary such students should seek advice from the university they wish to attend.

Other qualifications:

Other qualifications available to students in New Zealand may be deemed equivalent to the common entrance standard in two ways:

 (i) on their own 

  (ii) with some elements combined with elements of the common entrance standard

Admission in all cases is ad eundem statum (with equivalent status) at entrance level. A fee may be payable.

Older qualifications

4.  New Zealand University Entrance, Bursaries and Scholarships examinations

The NZUEBS examinations were offered for the last time in 2003. People who have qualified for entrance by this mode may still apply for admission.

To qualify for entrance a student must have achieved one of:

1. A grade of A, B or C in each of 3 subjects from the approved list, plus Higher School Certificate.
2. A New Zealand Bursary at ‘A' or ‘B' level.
3. A combination of NZUEBS A, B or C grades and level 3 unit standards* from the National Qualifications Framework in subjects on the approved list, plus Higher School Certificate.

*For this purpose 13 credits at level 3 in a single subject are deemed to be equivalent to a C grade in NZUEBS in that subject.

5.  National Qualifications Framework

This provision was discontinued at the end of 2003, although people who achieved it by that date will be eligible to apply for admission in succeeding years.

The requirement was at least 39 Level 3 credits in unit standards* from the National Qualifications Framework in at least 3 subjects on the approved list, plus Higher School Certificate.

*For this purpose 13 credits at level 3 in a single subject are deemed to be equivalent to a C grade in NZUEBS in that subject.

6. Earlier qualifications

One of:

• A grade of A, B, C or D in each of 4 subjects of the New Zealand University Bursaries Examination prior to 1993.
• An award of New Zealand University Entrance prior to 1986, by examination or accreditation.  

For admission from Year 12 see Discretionary Entrance.