University of Otago

Acceptance Rate 

The acceptance rate of the University of Otago stands at 72%, indicating a moderate level of selectivity in its admission process. This range suggests that while the university maintains certain standards for admission, it also provides opportunities for a significant portion of applicants to gain acceptance. Prospective students are encouraged to showcase their academic achievements, extracurricular involvement, and other relevant qualifications to enhance their chances of admission to the University of Otago. Additionally, meeting or exceeding the university's academic requirements and demonstrating a genuine interest in their chosen field of study can further strengthen an applicant's candidacy for acceptance.

Entry Requirements

Students must pass the university admission test in order to meet the University of Otago entry requirements. The essential prerequisites are the same for all courses. But the curriculum also has some particular requirements that are different. To be eligible to apply for a student visa, applicants must satisfy all entry criteria and submit their admission applications on time. There’s a list of documents that students will have to submit along with their application and those include -

• Secondary school transcripts/High school diploma Certificate
• Previous academic transcripts
• Recommendation Letter (s)
• Statement of Purpose
• English Language Proficiency Scores
• ECE Report
• Some courses may require a letter of intent specific to that course
• There are a few courses that also demand a resume and portfolio
• A few candidates may also be asked to appear for an interview before their confirmation of enrollment

Apart from these documents, the university’s entry requirements that students must qualify for are listed below -

Undergraduate Requirements -

• International Baccalaureate: An IB diploma with at least 24 points.
• GCE Advanced Levels Cambridge International Examinations (CIE): A minimum Numerical Score of 8 is required.
• International Foundation Year (IFY) of Northern Consortium United Kingdom (NCUK).
• Completion of one year of study at a recognised higher institution. In most cases, a recognised institution is a college or university that is listed in the World Higher Education Database.

Postgraduate Requirements -

• Postgraduate admission requirements vary per programme, with most needing a minimum bachelor's degree in the same subject and others requiring extra criteria such as relevant work experience and/or professional registration in New Zealand.
• Students with an honours degree or a postgraduate diploma may be eligible for thesis-only master's studies. Students holding a bachelor's degree can also apply for a coursework master's degree or a master's study by coursework and thesis in specific situations.
• To study for a PhD, students must first earn a master's degree or a first-class or upper second-class honours degree in the same or a relevant subject to the desired area of research.

English Language Requirements 

International applicants who do not have English as their first language or have not obtained a degree from an institution where English is the primary language are obligated to demonstrate English proficiency. This requirement can be fulfilled by providing one of the scores listed in the table below.

Fees

The university has approximately 20,000 students and offers over 195 undergraduate and postgraduate programmes in the Sciences, Humanities, Social Sciences, and the Otago School of Business. International students at Otago pay greater tuition fees than local students. Many students enrol in courses from a variety of topic areas. The real tuition charge is derived by adding the fees for each paper in your course. The University of Otago fees for overseas students will range from NZD 26.5K to NZD 46.8K and can increase based on the kind of programme, length, course complexities, and other criteria. Listed below are some of the university’s top-rated courses along with their 1st-year tuition fees -

• MS - NZD 35.99 K - 45.53 K
• MBBS - NZD 37.93 K
• MBA/PGDM - NZD 63.67 K
• MIM - NZD 46.83 K
• B.E. / B.Tech - NZD 33.03 K - 33.54 K
• B.Sc. - NZD 26.51 K - 32.57 K

Placement

The University's administrative personnel and online mentors handle University of Otago placements by using a software programme called SONIA. Supervisors and students can access SONIA through a website or a mobile app. The institution manages 17 different job placement portals for various disciplines. In addition, the career development centre supports students' career exploration and self-evaluation. Deloitte, Hilton, Bank of New Zealand, Fulton Hogan, ANZ Bank, and many more renowned organisations hire Otago alumni. The Otago University Career Development Centre offers assistance with career planning, job applications, experience-gaining, and employment opportunities. The following list includes the highest-paying positions at the university, together with their yearly salaries:

• Executive Management & Change - NZD 260,000
• Financial Services - NZD 240,000
• Compliance, AML, KYC, and Monitoring - NZD 184,000
• Legal Department - NZD 175,000
• Program and Project Management - NZD 173,000
• Finance Control and Strategy - NZD 124,000