Cambridge Assessment International Examinations

If you sat and passed the Cambridge Assessment International Examinations (CAIE) in New Zealand, you’ll be admitted through this category.

To be automatically accepted into programmes offered, you will need to:

  1. achieve University Entrance
  2. fulfil any other degree-specific requirements (e.g. performance audition)
  3. apply by the deadline.

If you studied your examinations overseas, you will need to select the admission type 'Qualification at Entrance Level'.

University Entrance through CAIE

University Entrance through CAIE consists of a minimum of 120 points on the New Zealand Tariff at A or AS level from any syllabus groups, which are broadly equivalent to those in the list of approved subjects for NCEA, and a D grade or better from at least three different syllabus groups (excluding Thinking Skills).

For the literacy and numeracy requirements you will need:

  • An E grade or better in any one of AS English Language, English Language and Literature, English Literature or English General Paper.
  • A D grade or better in IGCSE or GCSE Mathematics.

How you calculate your CAIE score:

  • The score will be calculated according to your New Zealand Tariff score.
  • You can count a maximum of six subject units over the last two years of study, in subjects at AS, A2, or A level from syllabus groups that match the NCEA University Entrance approved subjects. No more than two subject units may be counted from any one syllabus group.
  • An A level counts as two subject units. If you have studied more than six subject units the best six scores will be counted.
  • A CAIE rank score may differ from the Tariff used for University Entrance because only syllabuses broadly equivalent to NCEA approved subjects are used for scoring.

The score will be calculated by awarding points as follows:

Level Grade
A* A B C D E
A 140 pts 120 pts 100 pts 80 pts 60 pts 40 pts
AS - 60 pts 50 pts 40 pts 30 pts 20 pts

Example of a score for CAIE

Syllabus Level Subject units Grade Tariff points Score
English Literature A 2 D 60 60
Mathematics A 2 C 80 80
Geography AS 1 C 40 40
French AS 1 E 20 20
History* AS 1* E 20* nil*
Score 200

* Not counted as only six subject units are included.