University Entrance

University Entrance (UE) is the minimum requirement to go to a New Zealand university. To qualify you will need:

• Approved subjects - 42 credits at Level 3 or higher, made up of:
  • 14 credits in one approved subject
  • 14 credits in another approved subject
  • 14 credits from one or two additional domains or approved subjects
• Literacy requirements - 8 credits in English or te reo Maori at Level 2 or higher, made up of:
  • 4 credits in reading
  • 4 credits in writing
• Numeracy requirements - 14 credits in Numeracy at Level 1 or higher, made up of:
  • credits in Mathematics or Statistics and Probability or Pangarau or unit standards 26623, 26626, 26627.

Once you have met the requirements for University Entrance this will appear on your Record of Achievement.

Credits

Credits can be accumulated over more than one year.

If a unit and an achievement standard assess the same learning outcome, only the credits for ONE standard can be counted. In other words they are 'mutually exclusive'. A list of such exclusions is published each year.

Discretionary entrance

When an applicant does not qualify for University Entrance to a New Zealand university, they may be eligible for Discretionary Entrance.

See New Zealand Vice-Chancellors' Committee - Discretionary Entrance for more information.

Review of university entrance 2010

Over 2010 and 2011 NZQA reviewed the university entrance requirement. For more information see Review of university entrance 2010.

As a result of this review, changes have been made to the university entrance requirement.  The changed university entrance requirement is being implemented from 2014 and will be used for the first time by students entering university in 2015.  In practice, school students will begin to meet the new requirements from 2012 as the numeracy requirement is at Level 1 or above.

'New' university entrance from 2014

University Entrance (UE) will continue to be the minimum requirement to go to a New Zealand university. From 2014, to be awarded UE you will need:

• NCEA Level 3
• Three subjects - at Level 3 or above, made up of:
  • 14 credits each, in three approved subjects
• Literacy - 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of:
  • 5 credits in reading
  • 5 credits in writing
• Numeracy - 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of:
  • achievement standards – specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects, or
  • unit standards - package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627- all three required).

Once you have met the requirements for University Entrance it will appear on your Record of Achievement.