To gain University of Otago admission, you must meet the entry requirements to study at a New Zealand university. To be offered a place at the University, you also need to meet the entry requirements for your chosen programme.
The most common pathway for school-leavers is achieving University Entrance through the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA). To be eligible for University Entrance via NCEA Level 3, you must have:
- NCEA Level 3, and
- At least 14 credits at Level 3 in each of the three approved subjects
You must also meet literacy and numeracy requirements:
- Literacy: 10 credits at Level 2 or above from approved standards, including at least 5 credits in Reading and 5 credits in Writing
- Numeracy: 10 credits at Level 1 or above (achieved through a range of approved standards)
Once you have met all University Entrance requirements, this will be recorded on your NZQA Record of Achievement.
If you have authorised NZQA to release your results to tertiary institutions, they will provide the University with your NZQA Level 3 results, automatically in January each year. Your results will be matched to your application, and your eligibility for University Entrance will be assessed.
It is important to ensure that you have not requested NZQA to withhold your results from tertiary institutions, as this may delay assessment of your application.
The NZQA website has information about examination results availability and detailed University Entrance requirements.
You may have achieved University Entrance but not yet received an offer to the programme you have applied for at the University of Otago. This is because University admission and programme admission are updated separately. You will received further updates about your programme application, so check your eVision alerts regularly.
If your NCEA Level 3 results are not yet available, you may be considered for Discretionary Entrance to study Summer School papers. If you do not gain University Entrance in the January immediately following a successful application, you will be required to withdraw from the University at the end of Summer School. You may apply for readmission in a later semester.
Further information