Apply as a New Zealand secondary school student
If you are an international student currently studying at a New Zealand secondary school, here is how to apply.
If you are an international student currently studying for NCEA, International Baccalaureate (IB), or Cambridge Assessment International Education (CAIE) in New Zealand, you need to apply as an international student. Your application process is different from other secondary school students, and our International team is here to guide you through this process.
As a current New Zealand international secondary school student, you can:
- apply now through our International team
- apply before your exam results are available
- gain entrance without meeting Guaranteed Entry Scores.
How to apply online
1. Prepare your documentation
- Scan a copy of your passport (the personal details page) and save as a PDF file.
- You do not need a copy of your exam results to apply.
2. Find your degree on our website
- Find your undergraduate degree.
- At the top right of your degree page, select ‘For international students’ and choose your country of citizenship. This will ensure you are viewing the most relevant information.
- Select the ‘Applying’ tab. At the top of the page under the ‘Entry requirements’ heading, choose ‘New Zealand’ as your place of study from the drop-down menu.
- Scroll down to the ‘How to apply as an international student’ heading or click the blue ‘Apply now’ button at the top of the page.
3. Complete your online application
- Follow the application steps on your degree page and complete the online application form. You can save your progress and return to the form later if you need to.
If you are applying using an approved agent, you or your agent will need to submit the International Student Application Form pdf132KB.
Find your degree and apply online now
What happens next
You’ll receive a conditional Offer of Place and an invitation to enrol in your courses online
If your application to study at Victoria University of Wellington is successful, we will send you a conditional Offer of Place. Your Offer will remain conditional until your NCEA, IB, or CAIE results have been released.
With a conditional Offer of Place, you are still able to apply for accommodation, pay your tuition fees, and prepare your documents for your new student visa. We recommend you organise all of these before you receive your unconditional Offer.
As an international secondary school student, you are also able to enrol online in your courses with a conditional Offer. We will send you an invitation to enrol online before the start of your first trimester. It’s a good idea to start thinking about choosing your courses now.
You’ll accept your Offer
You need to accept, decline, or defer your Offer online.
We’ll confirm your exam results
- NCEA students: If you have applied for admission with NCEA, you do not need to send us your results. We will verify your results online when they are released in January.
- Cambridge (CAIE) students: If you have applied for admission with CAIE, you need to email us your Cambridge Centre and candidate numbers. We will then verify your results online when they are released in January.
- International Baccalaureate (IB) students: If you have applied for admission with IB, you must request the release of your IB results to us once they are available. Our institution code is: 001649.
You’ll receive an unconditional Offer of Place
After your results are released in January and we have confirmed that you meet the entry requirements, you will receive an unconditional Offer of Place to study at Victoria University of Wellington.
You’ll apply for your visa
Now that you have an unconditional Offer, you need to apply for your student visa. Your current student visa will name your secondary school as your place of study. To enrol at the University, you must apply for a new student visa that names Victoria University of Wellington as your place of study and includes your study programme.
Preparing for your studies
Check your email inbox regularly for more information from us about your next steps. Find out what else you need to do to get ready to study.