The University of Auckland is the largest and highest-ranking public university in New Zealand currently. The University has an acceptance rate of 45%. But there is more that you must know in accordance with the acceptance rate.
The University of Auckland is one of the best universities worldwide. It has a history of consistently ranking as the best University in New Zealand and also among the top 100 worldwide.
I know it is the dream of most of us to get a quality education in some of the best universities in the world. If you are considering studying at this university, then you must be asking these questions;
- Is it hard to get into the University of Auckland?
- What is the cost of studying at this institution?
- How do I apply?
- What are the application criteria?
- What is the acceptable GPA?
I know you have even more questions than I have listed. Do not worry. I will make sure before you finish reading this article, you will get the best knowledge about the University of Auckland.
Quickly use the Table of Contents to check the overview of the information you should be expecting in this article. You can always click on any of the headings to jump to that particular information.
What Makes The University of Auckland Standout?
The University of Auckland has been active since 1883 and it is the largest public university in New Zealand. It is also the highest-ranking university in the country and ranks among the top 100 across the world. While the rankings do not mean much to most people, the University has other achievements to prove that it is the best there is.
The University of Auckland has the largest research organisation in New Zealand, generating over $200 million annually in research revenue. There are over 12,000 staff and postgraduate students making this possible.
Academically, UA also has the most comprehensive range of tertiary courses in New Zealand. It is also the only university offering both Medicine and Engineering in the country.
The University of Auckland Acceptance Rate
Is it difficult to get into the University of Auckland?
Probably a big “NO!”. The acceptance rate for the University of Auckland is at 45%. It simply means that 4 out of 10 applications will go through.
While this is just a theory, having very good academic records will increase your chances greatly if you want to study at this university.
Concerning the acceptance rate, it is very easy to get into UA. Even if you are an international student, you can get admission easily provided you can afford the cost of living in New Zealand.
Basically, all you have to do is to make sure you get at least the minimum IELTS score and you should be able to get into this university. The minimum IELTS for New Zealand universities is 5.5.
Even though this information is enough to make you start thinking of filing your application, read on to know the criteria and the entire application process.
The University of Auckland Entry Criteria
Depending on who is applying and where the person is applying from, the criteria is different. With that in mind, let us look at the type of entry points the University of Auckland has.
- Undergraduate entry
- Postgraduate entry
- Special admission entry
- New Zealand secondary school applicants
- Prior tertiary study
- Overseas secondary school applicants
These are the entry points to the University of Auckland and there are requirements based on which category you fall in. We will take each category and check the requirements or criteria for each application.
Undergraduate Entry For School Leavers
The early programme offers for school leavers require Strong Year 12 results and UE (University Entry standard minimum requirements). NCEA Level 2, Level 3, or equivalent Cambridge International or International Baccalaureate diplomas are all acceptable. You must also meet subject-specific requirements for Engineering, Global Studies, Health Sciences and Nursing Programmes.
There is also Fast Track Offers. If you receive this offer, there is no need to meet the Guaranteed Minimum Entry Rank. But you must achieve UE and subject credits of either Engineering, Global Studies, Health Sciences or Nursing Programmes. Your offer will be confirmed immediately after the Year 12 results are out in January.
If you don’t meet the subject requirements, UA will be able to confirm your offer but you will be notified about the requirements.
For school leavers who could not achieve UE in certain circumstances, UA might consider Year 13 students under Discretionary Entrance for Semester One 2022.
All applications are processed in January when all the required secondary results are released in January.
Simply visit the University of Auckland application page to apply.
Postgraduate Entry
Postgraduate entry requirements for the University of Auckland are very easy to meet. You won’t have to do anything extra to get admission.
120 point Masters Degree
To get admission to a 120-point Masters’s Degree, you must have a bachelor’s honours degree or postgraduate diploma from any University in New Zealand. If you have equivalent acceptable certification from any internationally recognised institution, you will also be able to get admission.
180 point Masters Degree
You must have completed a bachelor’s degree or postgraduate certificate from New Zealand or any other international recognised institution.
Previous work experience is also important as far as the admission process is concerned.
240 point Masters Degree
The same requirements for the 180-point Masters’s Degree also apply here. Previous work experience is very key to the success of your application.
Supplementary requirements
Most creative and design programmes require additional evidence of your creative ability. You will have to provide a portfolio, audition or anything that will prove that you have the ability to create.
Architecture, Fine Arts, Urban Design, Music or Writing are some of the programmes that require you to add creative ability evidence.
You should also check the University of Auckland Postgraduate Application page to confirm the requirements for the individual courses.
The University of Auckland Special Admission
The University of Auckland special admission is for those who wish to study but has no formal university entry qualifications.
The applicant must be 20 years old on or before the first day of the Semester when the application is filed. Applicant must not have a formal university entry application and must be a citizen of New Zealand or Australia. Permanent residents are also considered.
The University will consider certain factors including, educational background, work experience, English language skills, training and the motivation to study.
There are a number of programmes one can apply for when using this form of entry. You should check out all the programmes available on the University’s Special Admission webpage to know what is available.
How To Apply
I have written an article about the general application process. You can read it for more information.
Note that this application requires you to pay a $60 non-refundable application fee.
The process includes you filling out and submitting the application to the University.
Depending on which programme you are applying to, you might be asked to show up for an interview and you will also have to prove your previous work experience.
Note that you can have only two pending applications at a time.
New Zealand Secondary School Applicants
This is the application for students who are leaving secondary schools in New Zealand to get admission to the University of Auckland.
The applicants have three available certifications for entry. Apart from meeting UE, you must also have NCEA, CIE or IB to be able to apply to study at the University of Auckland.
The process is quite easy for applicants leaving New Zealand secondary schools to study at the University of Auckland.
Prior tertiary study
This is for applicants who are studying in other tertiary institutions but want to transfer to the University of Auckland. If you have started another University of Auckland qualification, you can transfer to a different programme.
Students studying in any other New Zealand tertiary institution or outside New Zealand can also transfer to UA. However, your overseas qualification must be approved for university admission.
Requirements
If you have completed secondary school or studying at another university, you might have probably met the UE (University Entry minimum acceptable standard) already. In this case, you have to meet the following requirements.
You should have a one-semester successful bachelor’s degree study in a New Zealand University or equivalent institution. Having a one-year successful study as part of any sub-degree qualification in a New Zealand university is also going to help.
For overseas applicants, a one-year successful bachelor’s degree study in any internationally recognised tertiary institution is very important.
English language requirements
If you are transferring from other New Zealand universities or international tertiary institutions, you have to meet certain Academic English Language Requirements. You can get full information on the University of Auckland English language requirements webpage.
Transfer of Credit
You can also apply for a transfer of your credit from other tertiary institutions whether in New Zealand or overseas to the University of Auckland. All you have to do is simply apply for a transfer of credit for all the tertiary courses you completed in your previous institution.
The process requires a non-refundable application fee. You should also use the University of Auckland credit calculator to check the credit you are eligible for.
Overseas Secondary School Applicants
If you are applying to the University of Auckland using overseas secondary qualification, you must make sure you meet the admission requirements first.
You should also check the programme-specific requirements and the acceptable Undergraduate English language requirements.
If you meet these requirements, you can head to the University of Auckland Overseas application page to file your application right away.
The Cost of Studying at the University of Auckland
The cost of studying at UA is in two parts. Depending on which programme you are applying to, you might be paying more or less. If you want accommodation, that will also come at an extra cost.
Let’s take a look at the cost of studying at UA from all the necessary angles.
Tuition fee only
The tuition fee for domestic students is 6,000 NZD and International students get to pay 33,688 NZD. This is based on the information available for average tuition fees. However, tuition fees for individual programmes vary for both domestic and international students.
You can get the fees by faculty documentation from the University of Auckland fees page.
It is very important to know the programme you want to study and the fee you will be paying. Since the fees are updated often, I leave you with a direct link to the University of Auckland tuition fee page.
Accommodation
At the University of Auckland, accommodation is a personal choice. Both domestic students and international students can apply for accommodation and pay per semester.
There are options available for all applicants according to their budget. You can decide to go economical or spend more for more.
The accommodation per semester ranges from 5,263 NZD to 8,001 NZD depending on which type of room you prefer. One-time service fees are not included in the price quoted.
Meal plans are also available at weekly rates. It is not compulsory and strictly preference-based.
It is very important for prospective students to apply for accommodation even if they have not completed their application form yet. You should check out more information about the accommodation on the University of Auckland website.
All these and many other things make the University rank among the best in the world.
GPA Requirements
The University of Auckland accepts a GPA of 5.0 for exchange students. While a GPA of 4.5 is too low, the University still sees it worth considering with confirmation from your faculty.
The University of Auckland has no universal method for calculating grades across all faculties. There are different methods by which the programme and faculty dictate the type to use for calculating the GPA.
You can always see your Grade Point Average (GPA) on the MyAucklandUni portal.
The University of Auckland treats the GPA calculation unofficially and only uses it for internal measurement purposes. For scholarship and other purposes, the faculties use their unique methods to calculate the GPA.
You can read more about the GPA on the University of Auckland support portal.
The University of Auckland Rankings
Let us take a look at some of the University of Auckland rankings. These will help us to see how people rate universities around the world.
Below are some of the individual Higher Education Ranking Institutions and what they ranked UA for:
- Times Higher Education University Impact Rankings saw the University of Auckland taking the 9th position in the 2021 rankings. The University also ranked among the top 20 in seven of the Goals individually.
- The University placed 85th among the Top 100 in QS World University Rankings for 2022. It is also the only university in New Zealand to make it to the Top 100.
- The Univesity ranked 137th in the Top 200 Times Higher Education Rankings for 2022 also making it the highest-ranking New Zealand university in the category.
- Placed in the Top 300 in the Academic Ranking of World Universities (ARWU), the University of Auckland becomes the highest-ranked university in New Zealand.
- The University of Auckland also ranked high in subject rankings across the world. QS World University Rankings by Subject 2021, saw most of the University’s major subjects ranking really high.
The University of Auckland has been ranked in diverse ways, building a reputation for itself. You can check more of the ratings on the University’s Website.
The University of Auckland Acceptance Rate FAQs
Is it hard to get into the University of Auckland?
Definitely “NOT”. It is very easy to get into the University of Auckland. Considering the acceptance rate of 45% and the fact that you can easily meet the application criteria, it is very easy to get admission.
As long as you have the required certifications, you can get in. Even if you don’t meet the requirements, there is still a way out.
What GPA do you need to get into the Univesity of Auckland?
The University of Auckland accepts a GPA of 5.0 for exchange students. While a GPA of 4.5 is too low, the University still sees it worth considering with confirmation from your faculty.
Is the University of Auckland Prestigious?
The University of Auckland is a very prestigious university. Ranking among the top 100 in the whole world and being the best among the universities in New Zealand, is a great achievement. All these make the university one of the most respected tertiary institutions.