Changes to University Entrance for 2014
NZQA has completed its review of the University Entrance (UE) requirement.
From 2014 there will be a new university entrance (UE) requirement for entry in 2015.
The new UE requirement will continue to be the minimum requirement for entry to university.
“The new requirement, while not a radical change, does raise the bar for university entrance,” Mr Haque said.
NZQA's Deputy Chief Executive, Qualifications, Bali Haque said the review had recommended five proposed changes to the
University Entrance requirement.
The changes had been made in consultation with representatives from schools and the tertiary sector including
Universities New Zealand, universities, Ministry of Education, polytechnics, Industry Training Organisations, among
others. To achieve the new UE requirement, the following must be met:
New UE requirements from 2014:
• Achievement of NCEA Level 3 (60 credits at level 3 or higher and 20 credits at level 2 or higher)
• 14 credits in each of three subjects from the list of approved subjects. The remaining credits to achieve NCEA
Level 3 may come from either achievement or unit standards.
• UE numeracy – 10 credits at level 1 or higher from specified achievement standards or three specific numeracy
unit standards.
• UE literacy – 10 credits (five in reading and five in writing) from specific level 2 and higher achievement
standards, or specific Te Reo Māori and Te Reo Rangatira level 2 standards, or two specific level 4 English for academic
purposes unit standards, or an academic literacy common assessment tool (CAT) at level 3 (no credit value, run by NZQA).
Current UE requirements
• 42 credits at Level 3 or higher
• 14 credits in each of two subjects from the list of approved subjects
• 14 credits from not more than two additional domains or approved subjects
• UE numeracy – 14 credits at level 1 or higher from Mathematics, Statistics and Probability, and Pāngarau
• UE literacy – 8 credits (four reading and four writing from a specific list of standards) at level 2 or higher
from English or Te Reo Māori
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. For example, Business
Studies will be added to the list in 2012 when it has achievement standards available for use at Level 3. The changed
lists of approved subjects for each year will be added to the NZQA website.
ENDS