Standard postgraduate English requirements
Find out the English language requirements for postgraduate study.
To study a postgraduate degree (Honour's year of Bachelor's degree and higher) or participate in a Postgraduate Study Abroad and Exchange programme at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, you need to show that your English is strong enough for university-level study. There are several options for meeting this requirement.
Accepted English language tests and scores
You can meet our English language requirements by achieving one of the following test scores:
| Test | Score |
|---|---|
| IELTS (Academic) including IELTS Online and One Skill Retake | Overall score of 6.5 with no band lower than 6.0 |
| TOEFL IBT including TOEFL IBT Home Edition | Total score of 90 with a minimum of 20 in Writing PhD only: Total score of 90 with a 21 in Writing and other sub-scores at a minimum at the mid-point of high-intermediate level |
| PTE (Pearson Test of English) | Score of 58, with a Communication score no lower than 50 |
| DET (Duolingo English Test) | Score of 120 with no band less than 105 |
| Cambridge English qualifications | C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 176, with each skill score no less than 169 |
| EAP (English for Academic Purposes at Victoria University of Wellington) | Final scores: 4, 4, 5, 5 |
| NZCEL (New Zealand Certificate in English Language) | Level 5 (Academic) |
| NZAPA (English New Zealand Accredited Pathway Assessment) | Level 3 with no skill lower than Level 2 |
| LanguageCert (Academic) | C1 Expert International ESOL Written (LRW) HIGH PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS; or C2 Mastery International ESOL Written (LRW) PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS |
| Trinity College London ISE | ISE III with no less than PASS in each band |
How to share your Duolingo test results
To send your Duolingo English Test results to the University, follow the steps in How do I send my Duolingo English Test results to institutions?
English-speaking countries and English-medium education
The evidence you need to provide for your English-language ability depends on your nationality and where you have studied.
List A countries
Nationals
If you are a national of a List A country, you are generally exempt from providing additional evidence of your English-language ability.
Additional evidence may be requested if there are concerns about your English ability.
Non-nationals
If you are not a national of a List A country but have studies there, you are generally exempt from providing additional evidence of your English-language ability if you have successfully completed the entire undergraduate or postgraduate degree at a recognised institution in a List A country.
Additional evidence may be requested if there are concerns about your English ability.
List A countries
- Australia
- Bahamas
- Barbados
- Canada (except Quebec)
- Cook Islands
- Fiji
- Ireland
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Malta
- Mauritius
- New Zealand
- Nigeria
- Niue
- Singapore
- Tanzania
- Tokelau
- Trinidad and Tobago
- United Kingdom
- USA
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
List B countries
Students who studied in a List B country (nationals or non-nationals of that country) may satisfy the English language requirements, if the following criteria are met:
- Successful completion of the entire undergraduate or postgraduate degree at a recognised institution from that country
- The entire content was taught in English
- The study was completed within two years prior to application
- English as the language of instruction is confirmed on the transcript or with a supporting letter from the institution.
List B countries
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Belize
- Botswana
- Cuba
- Cyprus
- Denmark
- Dominica
- Dominican Republic
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- Haiti
- Hong Kong
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malaysia
- Marshall Islands
- Micronesia
- Nauru
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Palau
- Papua New Guinea
- Philippines
- Saint Kitts and Nevis
- Saint Lucia
- Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sweden
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Vanuatu
Waiver of English Language Requirements
If you have studied in one of the countries listed above but do not meet the exemption criteria, you may still be eligible for a waiver of the English language requirements. To be considered, you must provide documented evidence of strong English proficiency. This can include writing samples, reference letters from previous lecturers, or other relevant proof. Waiver requests are assessed individually by the University on a case-by-case basis.
India
Students who have studied at one of the institutions in India listed below may satisfy the English language requirements, if the following criteria are met:
- Successful completion of an entire undergraduate degree at one of the institutions listed below
- The entire content was taught in English
- The study must have been undertaken no more than two years prior to the point of application
- English as the medium of instruction is confirmed on the transcript or via a support letter from the home institution
Indian Institute of Technology
- Bhubaneswar (IITBBS)
- Bombay (IITB)
- Delhi (IITD)
- Ghandinagar (IITGN)
- Guwahati (IITG)
- Hyderabad (IITH)
- Indore (IITI)
- Jodhpur (IITJ)
- Kanpur (IITK)
- Kharagpur (IITKGP)
- Madras (IITM)
- Mandi (IITMandi)
- Patna (IITP)
- Roorkee (IITR)
- Ropar (IITRPR)
- Varanasi (IITBHU or IIT Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi)
National Institute of Technology
- Agartala (NITA)
- Calicut (NITC)
- Durgapur (NITDGP)
- Hamirpur (NITH)
- Kurukshetra (NITKKR)
- Meghalaya (NITM)
- Patna (NITP)
- Raipur (NITRR)
- Rourkela (NITR)
- Silchar (NITS)
- Srinagar (NITSRI)
- Karnataka (NITK)
- Tiruchirappalli (NITT or NIT Trichy)
- Warangal (NITW)
Foundation Studies Programmes and English Language Certificates
The following foundation programmes and certificates meet the English-language requirements for postgraduate (Honour's year of Bachelor's degree and higher) study.
University of Otago
- Language Centre “English for Otago”: English for Postgraduate Academic Purposes – Grade C or higher
University of Auckland
You can meet the English-language requirement with one of the following:
- Foundation Certificate in English for Academic Purposes (FCertEAP): Successful completion of the certificate with a B grade or higher
- Successful completion of the English Pathway for Postgraduate Studies (EPPS) with a B Grade
AUT (Auckland University of Technology)
- Certificate in English for Academic Study: An overall, minimum A in writing, all other grades B+ or higher
Lincoln University
- Certificate in English for Academic Purposes: 70%
University of Waikato
- Certificate of Attainment in English Language (CAEL): Level 8
Study Abroad and Exchange programmes
The following English language requirements apply only to postgraduate students applying for Study Abroad or Exchange programmes. These options are not valid for admission to full degree programmes.
CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages)
- Applicable to postgraduate Study Abroad and Exchange programmes only
- Not accepted for degree entry
- Requirement: C1 in each score