Institute of Technology or Polytechnic

Unitec Institute of Technology
Unitec Institute of Technology logo

New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 3)

This course is available

On-Campus

Level of Study

Certificate

Duration

16 weeks

Next start date

Expected Feb 2027

Campus

Mt Albert Campus

Visit provider website

Summary

Start your journey into higher education or employment with the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 3). This programme equips you with practical skills, confidence, and knowledge to pursue further studies or step into the workforce.

While it's not equivalent to NCEA Level 3, successful completion will open doors to higher-level programs.

Entry criteria

Domestic students

To apply for this programme, you must meet the following criteria

  1. General, special, or discretionary admission requirements; plus
  2. English language requirements; and
  3. You will need to complete a pre-entry Skills Review session.
General Admission
  • You’ve completed at least 3 years of secondary school, and
  • You’ll be 16 years old or older when the programme starts.

If you’re under 16, you’ll need to complete an Early Release Exemption form. For more information on this process please see The Ministry of Education’s website here.

Special Admission
  • Show evidence of your work, life, or study experience (e.g., a previous qualification or job history).
  • You’ll be 20 years old or older when the programme starts.
Discretionary Admission
  • You’re under 20 and don’t meet the general admission requirements.
  • Your application will focus on how prepared you are for study.
English Language Requirements
  • NCEA Level 1 English: 8 credits
  • IELTS (Academic) score of 5.0 in all bands from a single test within the last 2 years, or an equivalent qualification.
Skills review

To ensure you’re enrolled in the right courses, we conduct a skills review session. During this session, we will check your current reading, writing and maths skills and will give you the opportunity to talk to our friendly academic staff about your job plans and you can find out more about what Unitec can offer you. You can book your Skills Review session here.

For more information, download the programme regulations.

International students

To apply for this programme, you must meet the following criteria

  1. General, special, or discretionary admission requirements; plus
  2. English language requirements; and
  3. You will need to complete a pre-entry Skills Review session.
General Admission
  • You’ve completed at least 3 years of secondary school, and
  • You’ll be 16 years old or older when the programme starts.

If you’re under 16, you’ll need to complete an Early Release Exemption form. For more information on this process please see The Ministry of Education’s website here.

Special Admission
  • Show evidence of your work, life, or study experience (e.g., a previous qualification or job history).
  • You’ll be 20 years old or older when the programme starts.
Discretionary Admission
  • You’re under 20 and don’t meet the general admission requirements.
  • Your application will focus on how prepared you are for study.
English Language Requirements
  • NCEA Level 1 English: 8 credits
  • IELTS (Academic) score of 5.0 in all bands from a single test within the last 2 years, or an equivalent qualification.
Skills review

To ensure you’re enrolled in the right courses, we conduct a skills review session. During this session, we will check your current reading, writing and maths skills and will give you the opportunity to talk to our friendly academic staff about your job plans and you can find out more about what Unitec can offer you. You can book your Skills Review session here.

For more information, download the programme regulations.

Share this course

Share this course

Disclaimer

The listings provided on the Study with New Zealand website ( Study with New Zealand(external link that opens in a new tab) ) are for information and promotional purposes only. ENZ does not endorse any of the education providers listed. The information, content and material provided in the listings is the sole responsibility of each education provider. This search is powered by StudySpy(external link that opens in a new tab).

Please note that degrees and qualifications earned via remote or distance learning are excluded from the overseas credential evaluation and recognition services provided by the Chinese Service Center for Scholarly Exchange (CSCSE). For more information, please contact CSCSE directly: +86-10-62677800 (phone) or visit their website(external link that opens in a new tab).

You can learn more about international recognition of New Zealand qualifications on the NZQA website.