SecQual

New University Entrance requirement from 2014
S2011/030 - 09 Aug 2011

New University Entrance requirement from 2014

From 2014 there will be a new university entrance (UE) requirement.  Students will use this new UE to enter degree-level programmes from 2015.  The new UE requirement will continue to be the minimum requirement for entry to university.

From 2014, students will need all of the following to be awarded UE:

• attain NCEA Level 3

• achieve 14 credits at level three in each of three subjects from the list of approved subjects. The list of approved subjects will consist of subjects derived from the New Zealand Curriculum with achievement standards at Level 3

• achieve UE numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 and above from specific achievement standards, or three specific numeracy unit standards

• achieve UE literacy - 10 credits (five in reading and five in writing) at Level 2 and above from specific standards.

How will this be implemented?

NCEA Level 3

Students will need to attain NCEA Level 3. Three of their subjects, in each of which they need to achieve at least 14 credits, must be on the list of approved subjects.

Any remaining credits from Level 3 or higher that they need in order to gain their Level 3 NCEA can come from any field, subfield or domain. This means that credits from unit standard-based subjects can contribute to UE through this requirement.

Numeracy

The change to UE numeracy makes the new requirement the same as the new NCEA Level 1 numeracy requirement.  This means that students in Year 11 from 2012 who achieve NCEA Level 1 will have also met the new UE numeracy requirement (see details of the NCEA Level 1 numeracy requirements).

Literacy

Students in Year 12 from 2013 may meet their UE literacy requirement through a range of Level 2 or above standards that have yet to be identified.  NZQA will ensure that schools are advised which standards apply by April 2012. 

To identify the standards by April, NZQA and the Ministry of Education are working with universities and other tertiary providers of degree-level programmes to confirm a definition of literacy for academic purposes.  This definition will be used to identify the standards at Level 2 and above that will meet the UE literacy requirement.  It is expected that standards will be identified in English, Te Reo Māori, Te Reo Rangatira and a limited number of other subjects at levels 2 and 3.

More information will follow regarding literacy.  NZQA is exploring how two of the existing ESOL Level 4 English for Academic Purposes standards (22751 and 22750) can be made available for use by non-ESOL students.  NZQA will also develop a Level 3 common assessment task (CAT) administered by NZQA to assess literacy for academic purposes.

14 credits at level three in each of three subjects

Those students intending to study at degree-level from 2015 onwards, starting with Year 13 students in 2014, must achieve 14 credits at Level 3 in each of THREE subjects from the list of approved subjects.

List of approved subjects

The list of approved subjects will consist of subjects derived from the New Zealand Curriculum with achievement standards at Level 3. The list of approved subjects will be updated as subjects meet the criteria. Business Studies, Education for Sustainability, Home Economics and Religious Studies will be added to the list in 2012. The changed list of approved subjects for each year will be added to the NZQA website.  These lists will be signalled in advance to enable programme planning to take place.

Transition arrangements

The new UE requirements will apply to learners obtaining UE in the 2014 academic year and onwards.  Learners gaining UE under the current requirements will not be affected.
NZQA will ensure that no student will be disadvantaged through the transition from the current to the new UE requirement.

Enquiries

Please refer any enquiries relating to this circular to your School Relationship Manager.

School Relationship Manager
School Quality Assurance and Liaison
Telephone: 04 463 3000
Fax: 04 463 3113
Email: firstname.lastname@nzqa.govt.nz