Admission Requirements

General Admission Criteria

Carey Baptist College, “Carey”, admits students to its academic programmes without prejudice in matters regarding ethnicity/race, age, gender, physical or other disability. It is our belief that people are divinely created, with gifts that render all capable of service to god and humanity, and should be given the opportunity to study to their level of ability.

It is expected that applicants will demonstrate an appropriate level of maturity and Christian character development. While students are not required to hold a personal commitment to the Christian faith, to enrol in courses they should acknowledge the existence and validity of Christianity as a ruling philosophy for personal daily life and social conduct.

Admission requirements

Admission requirements vary depending on the programme of study and are listed under specific programme regulations. See the Academic Regulations and Calendar available at
www.carey.ac.nz/study for further information.
International students are required to demonstrate NCEA equivalence for admission into undergraduate programmes. This can include IB, CIE and HSC (Australia). Admission is at the discretion of the Academic Director, who will make an assessment of equivalence.

Requirements for applicants under 18 years of age

International applicants who are under the age of 18 years are required to provide evidence of consent from their parent or legal guardian; this is submitted in writing to the Academic Registrar along with their application.

Further in accordance with the Code of Practice for Pastoral Care of International Students, international students under the age of 18 years must live full-time with either a relative, an approved caregiver, or in an approved home-stay; evidence of this must be presented to the Academic Registrar.

English language requirements

International applicants whose first language is not English will be required to take an internationally recognised English Language Proficiency Test
(IELTS), unless they meet the criteria for a waiver as listed below.
A waiver may be granted if an international applicant:

  • has studied for a minimum of 2 years at a New Zealand Secondary School and has received a minimum of 8 credits in English in their National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) at Level 2 or higher, 4 credits of which must be in reading with the remaining 4 in writing, or
  • has received a minimum of 10 credits at NCEA Level 2 through University Entrance, 5 credits of which must be in reading with the remaining 5 in writing, or
  • has received an undergraduate or higher qualification from either, New Zealand, Australia, Canada, The Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America, or
  • is a long-term resident, at least 10 years, of either New Zealand or another English-speaking country and can demonstrate English language competency at an appropriate level.

Once an IELTS is completed the applicant must provide Carey with a copy of their test results prior to acceptance on a programme. The minimum required results are as follows:

  • A minimum score of 6.0 in their International English Language Testing System (IELTS) Academic Test, with a score of 5.5 or higher in all bands; listening, speaking, reading, and writing, for admission into Undergraduate Programmes.
  • A minimum score of 7.0 in their IELTS Academic Test, with a minimum score of 7.0 or higher in the writing band, for admission into Postgraduate Programmes.

All costs associated with the IELTS Academic Test must be met by the student; see Fees Regulations and Schedule for more information.
For other equivalent English Language Proficiency scores please refer to www.nzqa.govt.nz/about-us/our-role/legislation/nzqa-rules/nzaf-related-rules/the-table/.

Additional requirements

International applications are accepted on the basis that enrolment at Carey will be of genuine benefit to the applicant in their Christian ministry or mission; applicants may be declined if their reason for studying at Carey is based on political, economic, or other personal needs. Therefore, the following information must accompany their completed application.

Church membership

A written statement regarding the applicant’s Church membership. This statement should include information about any group or denomination that the Church belongs to and a copy of the Church’s Statement of Faith.

Statement of intent

A short-written statement outlining the applicant’s personal desire to study at Carey, including why Carey has been chosen, as against other colleges and training centres, either in New Zealand or in other countries.

Referees

International applicants are also required to nominate referees. Three referees are required, one of which must be the applicant’s Pastor or Church Leader.
If references are not written in English a translation must be provided. This translation cannot be completed by the applicant and must be verified as genuine by a Notary Public.

Police clearance

International applicants must provide a Police Clearance Certificate, in place of the Police Vetting Service Request and Consent Form, from their country of citizenship and for any country in which they have lived for more than a period of 12 months within the last 10 years. Please also note that this Police Clearance should be less than 6 months old.

Declaration

International applicants must sign a declaration stating that they:

  • are willing to accept the rules and ethos of Carey while a student here
  • will not leave the course or transfer to any other course or institution without the full knowledge and agreement of Carey
  • are aware that Carey has no legal obligation to them as a student other than the obligations required by the “Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students” and our own Board
  • will not withhold any information that may materially affect Carey’s ability to assess their application
  • will inform Carey if they have applications in at the same time to other institutions in New Zealand or elsewhere.

All international applicants should submit their application before the closing date in order to allow time for the processing of visas.