The University of Auckland Board of Graduate Studies
English Language Requirements for International Students of Postgraduate Programmes
The normal English language requirements for admission to a postgraduate programme in each faculty are as follows:
Faculty IELTS requirements TOEFL requirements Internet-based Paper-based (overall score + written) Arts 6.5 with no band below 6.0 575 + TWE 4.5 90 + 21 Business & Economics 7.0 with no band below 6.5 600 + TWE 5.0 100 + 24 Creative Arts & Industries 6.5 with no band below 6.0 575 + TWE 4.5 90 + 21 Education 7.0 with no band below 7.0 600 + TWE 5.0 100 + 24 Engineering 6.5 with no band below 6.0 575 + TWE 4.5 90 + 21 Law 7.0 with no band below 6.5 600 + TWE 5.0 100 + 24 Medical & Health Sciences 6.5 with no band below 6.0 575 + TWE 4.5 90 + 21 Science 6.5 with no band below 6.0 575 + TWE 4.5 90 + 21
TWE = Test of Written English
Alternatives for Postgraduate Programmes
Foundation Certificate in English for Academic Purposes (FCertEAP)
FCertEAP IELTS B 6.5 A 7.0
English Waivers
English will be considered the first language of international students who are citizens of the following countries:
Republic of Ireland UK USA
Approved by Board of Graduate Studies November 2010 Last updated 17.11.10 Page 1 of 2
Students may be considered to have English proficiency who have successfully completed (passed) a minimum of one year of full time study at a NARIC recognised university where the courses are conducted in English and the first year of study is equivalent to the first year of study in a New Zealand university bachelor degree programme (or higher) from the following countries:
Australia Malta Singapore Canada Mauritius South Africa Cyprus New Zealand Tanzania Ghana Nigeria Uganda Ireland Papua New Guinea UK Jamaica Philippines USA Kenya Sierra Leone Zimbabwe
Also students who have studied at the following:
University of the South Pacific (Fiji, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga) University of the West Indies (Barbados, Belize, Dominica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago)
Study Abroad and Exchange
Study Abroad and Exchange students (not full degree students) may submit a letter of recommendation from a professor at their home university from one of the countries below, stating that the applicant has sufficient proficiency in English to cope with English medium tertiary study. This letter must be based on the student’s study of English as a Second Language or study in the English medium. The countries are:
Denmark (or high school English of minimum grade 13) Finland Germany (or a grade of 2 or higher on the 1-6 scale with 1 being the highest, or a grade of 10 on the scale of 1-15 with 15 being the highest, in English Language in the Arbitur) or DAAD “very good” or “good” Netherlands Norway (or high school English of minimum grade 4) Sweden (or high school English of VG or MVG)
Study within New Zealand
Students who have successfully completed a minimum one year full-time bachelor degree level study at a University in New Zealand will be considered to have English proficiency.
Students will be considered to have English proficiency who have completed a diploma of at least two years’ duration from one of the following institutions (which are accredited to deliver courses to level 7 by NZQA). The student must have gained a minimum B-grade average over the last year of their diploma.
Auckland University of Technology Northland Polytechnic Aoraki Polytechnic Otago Polytechnic Christchurch College of Education Public Training Sector Organisation Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology The Open Polytechnic of New Zealand Community Support Services Industry Training Organisation Unitec Institute of Technology Manukau Institute of Technology Wellington Institute of Technology Massey University Whitireia Community Polytechnic Nelson Marlborough Institute Technology
For all other students, the English Language Proficiency requirement can only be waived by the DVC (Academic). Faculties wishing to request an exemption for any suitable candidates must ask their Associate Dean (Postgraduate) to write to the DVC(A) outlining their reasons for requesting the waiver, and what measures will be put in place to ensure that appropriate language support is provided.
Approved by Board of Graduate Studies November 2010 Last updated 17.11.10 Page 2 of 2