Enrolment in a PhD requires completion of a research-focused honours or master’s degree, at First or Second Class (Division I) Honours or Distinction level (or equivalent qualifications).
Applicants with qualifications from outside Aotearoa New Zealand must have been granted admission to the University. Our admissions team, in consultation with the host department, look at your qualifications and transcripts to ensure that you have the background required to complete a PhD. It is possible that you may be required to complete preparatory courses prior to or after admission into a PhD programme.
In exceptional circumstances applicants without the typical academic background, but who can demonstrate the ability to pursue a PhD, may be admitted at the discretion of the Dean of Postgraduate Research.
English language requirements for postgraduate qualifications
If you want to study towards a postgraduate qualification, eg a Postgraduate Diploma, Masters, or PhD you must have one of the following:
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ENGLISH TEST
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MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
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IELTS Academic
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An average score of 6.5, with a minimum of 6.0 in reading, writing, listening and speaking
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TOEFL iBT
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Total minimum score of 90, minimum score of 19 in reading, writing and listening. Please note UC only accepts TOEFL iBT scores from a single test date, not MyBest scores.
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TOEFL PBT
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With a minimum score of 575 and TWE with a minimum score of 4.5
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CCEL EAP
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Level 2 with a minimum B+ grade
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CAE or CPE
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Score of 176 with a minimum of 169 in reading, writing, listening and speaking
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Pearson Test of English (Academic)
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PTE with an overall score of 58 and no PTE communicative skills score below 50
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NZCEL
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Level 5
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FluentIQ
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Overall mark of 8/10 with nothing less than a 7 being scored in a single category.
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LanguageCert
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C1 Expert IESOL (LRWS) with HIGH PASS
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NZAPA
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English New Zealand Accredited Pathway Assessment Level 3 (with no skill lower than Level 2)
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