New Zealand Certificate in Apiculture (Queen Bee Rearing) (Level 4)

Your workload

As a part-time student, you should aim to undertake around 15 hours of study per week throughout the programme. This will include workshops, online learning and discussions, reading textbooks, doing assessments, practical work in your own time and the completion of an apiary diary. 

• Online learning - one evening class per fortnight (7.00pm-9.00pm) 
• Practical weekend workshops once per month (9.00am-5.00pm, Sat and Sun) - see locations in What you study section
• Followed by a practical 10 days later on a Tues evening (5.30pm-7.30pm)

Entry requirements

• New Zealand Certificate in Apiculture (Level 3) or equivalent industry skills and knowledge.
• You will be expected to complete an industry-approved American Foulbrood recognition and destruction course before you graduate from this programme.
• If English is not your first language, you must provide:
  • New Zealand University Entrance OR
  • Overall Academic IELTS 5.5 with no individual band score lower than 5.0 (achieved in one test completed in the last two years), OR
  • Acceptable alternative evidence of the required IELTS (see here for NZQA proficiency table and here for list of recognised proficiency tests).

If you need to improve your English Language skills, we offer a wide range of English programmes. 

Want your existing skills recognised?

Students who have previously completed unit standards in Apiculture at Level 4 may be able to claim recognition of prior learning to exempt themselves from completing the equivalent learning on this programme provided these units appear on their student Record of Learning. Email central@op.ac.nz for more info.

Study for free during 2022! 

Domestic students can study this programme for free during 2022 due to the Government's Targeted Training and Apprenticeship Fund (TTAF). 

• You'll still need a laptop/device to study this programme online which isn't covered by this fund. 
• You will still need to pay for any additional course-related costs (see more info in Additional Costs section). 

TTAF will only cover your study during 2022. You may be eligible for some additional tuition fees cover under the Government's Fees Free scheme during 2023. See the Paying for your study section below for more info.

Additional costs

• You will need to purchase your own Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) which includes a beekeeping suit (overalls and veil), gloves, smoker and hive tool (approximately $250).
• It is preferable that you wear steel-capped boots or gumboots.
• You will need to have access to a computer and the internet. Course material will be made available online (through Moodle, our education online platform). Meetings, theory classes and assignments may be carried out online (via Microsoft Teams).  

Please note: Because this programme is part-time, students are not eligible for student loans or allowances to cover course-related or living costs. 

Paying for your study

TTAF

The Government’s Targeted Training and Apprenticeship Fund (TTAF) is currently running but will end in December 2022. That means only your part-time study undertaken in 2022 will be covered. You may be able to get some financial help for your remaining study through the Fees Free scheme if you’re eligible (see info below).

Whilst this programme is free for you to study during 2022, the TTAF fund only covers tuition fees and compulsory costs such as student levies. It does not cover any additional costs or living costs. 

You can pay for additional and living costs yourself if this is possible.

As a part-time learner, you're generally not eligible for student loans and allowances through Studylink but some help may be possible depending on your circumstances (for domestic students). Check the Studylink website for more information.  

Fees Free

The Government is also running a funding scheme called Fees Free for domestic learners. This scheme normally pays for your first year of study if you’ve never been enrolled in tertiary study over 60 credits at Level 3 or higher in New Zealand. They have confirmed that TTAF does not impact on a learner’s entitlement to also access the Fees Free scheme. 

So, you’ll be covered by TTAF for your first year of part-time study and, if you would have originally been eligible for Fees Free, you’ll be able to access that to cover some of your remaining part-time study. 

You can check your Fees Free eligibility here > 

Fees Free only covers your tuition fees. You would still need to pay for things like accommodation, living costs and placement transport costs.  

Tuition fees

The tuition fees shown above are approximate only. There may be a slight fee increase per year once Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) rules and guidelines are applied. These fees also don’t include additional costs or living costs.

Student Services Fee

For most students, your tuition fee shown above includes a Student Services Fee – also known as the Student Levy. This compulsory fee covers your access to the student services we offer. This cost is tailored depending on how you're studying.