University Of Auckland Young Scholars Programme

Year 13 students who have demonstrated exceptional academic ability have the opportunity to study at the University of Auckland.

Young Scholars overview

Are you a top-performing student?
Do you want to be challenged and extended by study?

If you answered yes, then our Young Scholars Programme is just what you need.

We have exciting and stimulating Stage I courses for Year 13 students that will give you:

a taste of University life while you are completing school
a head start on your degree with points counting towards your degree
exposure to a different kind of learning through lectures and tutorials
friendship with other like-minded secondary school students

What some of our young scholars say

“Not only did I already have one course’s credit ‘in the bank’ before even starting University, but the course opened doors to numerous Stage II courses in my very first semester, giving me the option to leapfrog ahead if I chose.” Joy Bitten

“Attending lectures throughout Semester One in Psychology 108 gave me insight into the structure of lecture content and the standard required of assignments.” Andrew Qi

Meet some Young Scholars

Who should apply?

Academically able students can apply under Discretionary Entrance regulations. Students studying NCEA will need:

to be in Year 13 while they are studying the course
evidence that they are New Zealand citizens or have permanent resident status
a positive recommendation from the school principal or Year 13 Dean
University Entrance numeracy and literacy:
- Literacy – 10 credits at Level 2 or above*, made up of:
  - 5 credits in reading
  - 5 credits in writing
- Numeracy – 10 credits at Level 1 or above*, made up of:
  - Achievement standards – specified achievement standards available through a range of subjects, or
  - Unit standards – package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627 [all three required])
a minimum of four Level 2 subjects from the NZQA list approved for University Entrance
80 high quality Level 2 credits in up to five approved subjects (we would expect students to have a good proportion of credits at excellence and merit)

If you are planning to apply for BHSc/BSc Biomedical Sciences and then the medical programme, you must not take any of the first year courses of either programme in advance as a Young Scholar.

Students studying for other qualifications, such as Cambridge International Examinations or International Baccalaureate, should contact:

Admissions and enrolments

What you need to know

You can enrol in one course per semester with a maximum of two courses (30 points) a year. We recommend you study in Semester One so that it doesn’t interfere with preparation for your final Year 13 school assessments.

Teaching methods vary across the University, but you will probably find yourself in a combination of lectures and tutorials.

Lectures are the core teaching method in most courses. Tutorials are classes where a tutor facilitates the learning of a smaller group of students. This is your chance to talk about the topics covered in lectures, ask questions and seek help in an informal setting.

Assessment will be a combination of coursework and a final exam. We try to provide additional mentoring and support for school students in the programme.