New Zealand Certificate in Study and Career Preparation (Level 3) with a focus on Study or Work
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, gain the skills you need to move into a higher level qualification in your chosen area.
This programme offers you the chance to improve your study skills and prepare for higher-level learning or employment.
It includes either a general study context or a work context (which includes practical workshops and community volunteering opportunities). All learners (from both contexts) will undertake the two compulsory courses first: Career and Study Skills, and Communication Skills.
Those choosing the general study context will then do the numerical skills and career practice courses. Those choosing the work context will do the work placement preparation and work placement action 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.
We also offer this programme in the following contexts for those not wishing to undertake the general study or work contexts: Beauty Therapy, Health, and Engineering.
Studying part-time
We know full-time study isn't always possible. We also offer part-time study options for this programme - talk to us about what will suit you best!
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.
International
July
About the programme
Whatever your background, gain the skills you need to move into a higher level qualification in your chosen area.
This programme offers you the chance to improve your study skills and prepare for higher-level learning or employment.
It includes either a general study context or a work context (which includes practical workshops and community volunteering opportunities). All learners (from both contexts) will undertake the two compulsory courses first: Career and Study Skills, and Communication Skills.
Those choosing the general study context will then do the numerical skills and career practice courses. Those choosing the work context will do the work placement preparation and work placement action 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.
We also offer this programme in the following contexts for those not wishing to undertake the general study or work contexts: Beauty Therapy, Health, and Engineering.
What You Study
Courses
| Course title | Credits | Teacher directed hours | Student managed hours | Work experience hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Compulsory (for all learners) | ||||
|
Career and Study Skills
|
15 | 80 | 70 | 0 |
|
Communication Skills
|
15 | 80 | 70 | 0 |
| Elective Pathways (30 credits - choose one pathway) | ||||
| General Study Context | ||||
|
Numerical Skills
|
15 | 80 | 70 | 0 |
|
Career Practices
|
15 | 65 | 70 | 15 |
| Work Context | ||||
|
Work Placement (Preparation)
|
15 | 35 | 70 | 45 |
|
Work Placement (Action)
|
15 | 35 | 70 | 45 |
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 pathway 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
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.
Youth Guarantee Scheme information
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.
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.
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).
Application
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.
Disclaimer
While every effort is made to ensure that this sheet is accurate, Otago Polytechnic reserves the right to amend, alter or withdraw any of the contained information. The fees shown in this document are indicative only. Both domestic and international fees are subject to change and are dependent on the development and implementation of Government policies. Please note that additional fees may from time to time be required for external examination, NZQA fees and/or additional material fees.
