New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 3)
Start here if you want to improve your study skills and prepare for higher-level learning or employment.
Domestic
July
About the programme
Whatever your background, this programme offers you the chance to improve your study skills and prepare for higher-level learning or employment.
You'll study the following courses - Personal and Study Skills, Communication Skills, Career Practices and Numerical Skills courses.
You will study in a highly supportive and encouraging learning environment. Class sizes are small and our teachers are very approachable. Along with improving your reading, writing, presenting, numeracy, and computer skills, you will also gain valuable employability skills such as CV and interview preparation, and how to write a cover letter.
You’ll also do some authentic work experience which is made up of offsite work experience, guest speakers, industry visits, group volunteering or practical workshops on campus.
We also offer this programme with three other focuses: Beauty Therapy, Health, and Engineering.
16-24 years old?
If you are aged 16-24 and feel that school didn’t work out for you, you may be able to study this programme via our Youth Guarantee Scheme and pay no fees. This also applies if you are going to be 15 years old at the time that this programme starts and you have an early exemption from school. See more info in the Fees section below.
*Please note: This programme name is currently under review and is proposed to change to the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 3) from 2025.
International
July
About the programme
Whatever your background, this programme offers you the chance to improve your study skills and prepare for higher-level learning or employment.
You'll study the following courses - Personal and Study Skills, Communication Skills, Work Action and Work Preparation courses.
You will study in a highly supportive and encouraging learning environment. Class sizes are small and our teachers are very approachable. Along with improving your reading, writing, presenting, and computer skills, you will also gain valuable employability skills such as CV and interview preparation, and how to write a cover letter.
You’ll also do some work experience which could be made up of offsite work experience, guest speakers and industry visits, group volunteering or practical workshops on campus.
We also offer this programme with three other focuses: Beauty Therapy, Health, and Engineering.
*Please note: This programme name is currently under review and is proposed to change to the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 3) from 2025.
What You Study
Courses
| Course title | Credits | Teacher directed hours | Student managed hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory courses | |||
|
Personal and Study Skills
|
15 | 80 | 70 |
|
Communication Skills
|
15 | 80 | 70 |
|
Career Practices
|
15 | 80 | 70 |
|
Numerical Skills
|
15 | 80 | 70 |
Entry
Entry requirements
- Open entry
- As part of our application process, you will be required to attend an informal chat with one of our careers team in Student Success. This is to ensure that you are enrolling into the best programme for you and to inform you of the range of support services available to you through Otago Polytechnic.
- If English is not your first language, you must provide:
- New Zealand University Entrance OR
- Overall Academic IELTS 5.0 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.
Fees
Domestic fees
International fees
Youth Guarantee Scheme information (for domestic students aged 16-24)
If you are aged 16-24 and feel that school didn’t work out for you, you may be able to study this programme via our Youth Guarantee Scheme and pay no fees. This also applies if you are going to be 15 years old at the time that this programme starts and you have an early exemption letter from school.
To be eligible for Youth Guarantee funding, you must:
- Be a domestic student aged 16-24
- OR be 15 years of age at the time when you commence the programme AND have an early leaving exemption letter from your school
- Don’t already have (or are not about to have) a Level 2 or Level 3 qualification in any subject
- Have been thinking about leaving school and getting a job OR prefer to be working towards a career rather than staying at school OR have left school and are not sure how to enter higher education or employment
- Want to learn practical skills
- Be more motivated in a non-school setting and be prepared to enrol in a full-time or part-time programme.
Fees and allowances
The Youth Guarantee Scheme will cover tuition fees, material and equipment costs of your programme of study. Learners aged 18-24 who are enrolled in fees-free Youth Guarantee qualifications will now be able to access the course-related costs part of the student loan and student allowances if they meet the eligibility criteria.
Those under 18 years old will not be able to access any part of the student loans. Funding for travel is available, conditions apply. Please visit the Studylink website for full details. We strongly recommend that you read this carefully prior to applying for this programme.
The process
- There is not a separate Youth Guarantee application form. Please apply for this programme by using our standard Otago Polytechnic application form. To apply online, or to download a paper version, click the blue 'Apply' button at the top right-hand corner of this page.
- If you meet the criteria for Youth Guarantee funding you will be offered the funding if it is available. We will ask you to let us know within two weeks if you do not wish to take up the funding.
- If there is no Youth Guarantee funding available, we will send you a letter advising you of this. Along with this letter, you will receive an invoice, terms and conditions, a Studylink brochure and an equipment list advising what you will need to purchase before starting your programme.
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.
Studylink
Domestic full-time students can apply for a student loan through Studylink.
Some support may be available for domestic part-time students.
Apply at the same time as you apply for your course (you can withdraw your application anytime).
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.
The international tuition fee does not include your Student Levy. This will be calculated when you enrol with us.
Click below to find out more about the Student Levy costs and services provided.
Fees Free
The Government has announced that Fees Free for the first year of study or training will finish at the end of 2024. A final-year Fees Free policy will replace it, starting from 1 January 2025.
If you are a first-time tertiary learner in 2025, you may be able to get Fees Free for your final year of study or training. If you are eligible, you will need to apply for your entitlement through IRD from 2026 onwards.
For more information about the transition from first-year Fees Free or the final-year Fees Free policy, visit FeesFree.govt.nz.
Study Grants for international students
We have a range of Study Grants to support our international students.
