New Zealand Certificate in Arts and Design (Level 4)

Skills needed to work in this area

• A passion for design and art
• The ability to communicate your ideas to others 
• An interest in people and the world around you
• An enjoyment of working with others.

Entry requirements

• Open entry.
• International students will be individually assessed to ensure they have an acceptable level of secondary school achievement. 

English Language requirements

• 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 a list of recognised proficiency tests).

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

Other requirements

• A portfolio or other evidence to demonstrate your creative work. We need to see this so we can make sure you’re ready for studying at Level 4.
• You might also need to attend an interview so we can make sure this programme is the right choice for you.

Preparing your portfolio

We need to see some examples of your creative work so we can make sure you’re ready for studying at Level 4.

We call this a portfolio.

We're keen to see examples of your work that shows us your design, graphic and/or art skills.

Please send us 10 to 12 examples of work that show a variety of techniques and interests, such as:

• drawings/sketches
• paintings and/or printmaking
• photographs
• images of original 3D objects that you have made
• digital art/digital illustration
• animations
• whatever you feel is visually informative about yourself and your abilities.

Please note: If you’re an NCEA student and are thinking of submitting your NCEA portfolio, we’d recommend you take photographs of your creative works before you send them for external moderation. Sometimes portfolios aren’t returned on time and then you have nothing to submit to us.

How to send us your portfolio

You can send us your portfolio digitally or in a physical format (we do prefer digital).

Digital Portfolio

Please make sure you take quality photographs of your pieces of creative work if you are sending us a digital portfolio. Make sure the light is right and the images aren’t blurry. Please take photographs of individual artworks as well as your NCEA board as a whole. We want to be able to see your work at its best!  

During the online application process, you'll be asked to upload your portfolio documents. These should preferably be uploaded as PDFs.

Alternatively you can:

• send it to us on a USB (using the address below)
• email it to us at ebsDES@op.ac.nz, or
• provide a link to your website or online platform in the 'Portfolio website link’ section of our online application form.

You will also be asked to provide two statements during the online application process:

1. Why have you decided to study this programme? (60-100 words)

You’ll be asked why you've decided to study this programme. 

It’s a good idea to prepare something to add into the online form before you begin the application process.

Think about what makes you drawn towards art and design? Are you curious about what creative career might be best for you? Tell us about it.

2. What skills and experience do you have? (60-100 words)

You’ll then be asked about your skills and experience. Again, it’s a good idea to prepare this before you start applying.

Think about how you create visual art and design projects. What materials do you use and how do you use them? For example, if you use paint, describe how you apply it, layer it or mix colours as you create your pieces. 

Physical Portfolio

Firstly, complete the online application process. During this, you’ll be asked to provide these two statements:

1. Why have you decided to study this programme? (60-100 words)

You’ll be asked why you've decided to study this programme. 

It’s a good idea to prepare something to add into the online form before you begin the application process.

Think about what makes you drawn towards art and design? Are you curious about what creative career might be best for you? Tell us about it.

2. What skills and experience do you have? (60-100 words)

You’ll then be asked about your skills and experience. Again, it’s a good idea to prepare this before you start applying.

Think about how you create visual art and design projects. What materials do you use and how do you use them? For example, if you use paint, describe how you apply it, layer it or mix colours as you create your pieces.

Then pull together your portfolio ready to post to us.

Please include photographs or colour photocopies of your work in an A4/A3 clear file folder and clearly label with your name. Please don’t send any original pieces of work.
Remember, please make sure you take quality photographs of your pieces of creative work. Please take photographs of individual artworks as well as your NCEA boards as a whole. Make sure the light is right and the images aren’t blurry. We want to be able to see your work at its best!

When you’re ready to send us your portfolio, send it to the address below (or drop it off in person at Customer Services):

Attn: Student Administrator for Design
Customer Services
Otago Polytechnic
F Block, Forth Street
Dunedin 9016

Please remember to enclose a self-addressed, postage-paid courier package so that we can return your portfolio to you.

Fees Free 

If you’re a domestic student and this is your first time doing tertiary study in New Zealand (over 60 credits at Level 3 or higher), you may be able to get free tuition fees for this programme. 

All the details and criteria are on the Fees Free website and you can check whether you’re going to be able to access funding by entering your National Student Number. 

If you can access it, we’ll organise your fees with the Tertiary Education Commission when you’re enrolled to study with us. This funding doesn’t include additional costs or living costs.   

Check whether you can access funding here >

Additional costs

You will receive a list of basic requirements to be purchased during the first week (some class materials are supplied).

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.

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.

How to apply

To apply for this programme just click the blue 'Apply now' button above.

Applications are preferred by 30 November.

Late applications will be accepted if spaces are still available, after which waitlists will apply.

You'll need to submit a portfolio when you apply for this programme unless you meet the criteria for automatic entry or get portfolio ‘pre-approval’.

Find out what you need to include in your portfolio, what we're looking for, and how to submit it.

A change for 2023 enrolments

When you apply to study with Otago Polytechnic in 2023, you will be enrolled with Te Pūkenga, the new national network of vocational and applied education in Aotearoa New Zealand. You will learn in the same way, in the same place, and with the same people, and you will graduate with a Te Pūkenga qualification.