Thinking about returning to study? Foundation Education at Unitec will make you feel right at home. Classes are small and our students come from a wide variety of ethnic backgrounds and age groups.

We know every student is different, with different needs and challenges. Maybe you are a school leaver who wants to explore your options. Or a mature student who wants a career change or another opportunity to study what you love. If you dream of returning to education and improving your career opportunities, we can support you to develop the confidence, study skills and background knowledge you need.

Flexibility is key. There are lots of entry levels, and we will work with you to choose the one that’s right for you. Foundation Certificates include lots of different subjects too, like maths, science and humanities. Which gives you plenty of options for what to study next. Our Certificate of University Preparation gets you ready to apply for a degree programme at Unitec or another institute of technology or university in New Zealand.

But first we will sit down with you and find out exactly what you want to achieve. And then we’ll find you a foundation education programme to make it happen.

Foundation Education programmes

If you want to prepare for study at certificate or diploma level:

Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 2)

Gain the tertiary study skills, background knowledge and confidence to study at certificate or diploma level. Learn in a supportive adult learning environment.

Do you want to study at certificate or diploma level? Need some guidance to get there? The Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 2) is a pathway programme that prepares you for certificate and diploma level study at Unitec and other tertiary education providers. You can also use it to move up to a higher level foundation certificate if your goal is to join a degree programme.

The Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 2) is not suitable for students with English as an additional language who need an intensive English language course.

Please note: To move into a degree programme, you need to complete the Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 3) and/or the Certificate of University Preparation (Level 4).

Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 3)

Want another chance at formal education? Gain the tertiary study skills, background knowledge and confidence to succeed in your future studies and the workplace. Learn in a supportive adult learning environment.

Thinking about doing a certificate or diploma but not sure you're ready for it? The Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 3) is a bridging programme that prepares you for the next step in your education or career. When you have completed the programme you can apply for a range of certificates and diplomas at Unitec and other tertiary education providers.

Or, if your goal is to study for a degree, you can go onto the Certificate of University Preparation (Level 4). This prepares you to apply for a degree at a university, institute of technology or polytechnic in New Zealand.

Please note: The Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 3) is not suitable for students with English as an additional language who need an intensive English language course.

If you want to prepare for study at degree level:

Certificate of University Preparation (Level 4)

The Certificate of University Preparation gets you ready for degree study at universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics in New Zealand. Completing the certificate gives you an entry-level qualification that you can use to apply for a degree programme.

You'll be supported throughout the certificate to help you make the right course choices to apply for the degree you want to study.

The Certificate of University Preparation is designed for native English speakers, but it's also suitable for non-native English speakers with good English language skills. If your qualifications or experience are different to the admission requirements you can still apply and your eligibility will be assessed.

This programme is suitable for international students who meet the English language requirements.

Courses include

Students must complete two compulsory courses:

FSTU206001 Communication Skills
FSTU187080 Study Skills

Students must choose two courses from:

FSTU110011 Foundation Studies in Accountancy
FSTU119010 Bridging Mathematics and Statistics
FSTU119011 Bridging the Physical Sciences
FSTU119012 Bridging the Biological Sciences*
FSTU123011 Foundation Studies in Chemistry
FSTU124011 Foundation Studies in Physics
FSTU150001 Bridging Studies in Maori Culture and Society
FSTU152011 Foundation Studies in Management
FSTU160011 Foundation Studies in Mathematics
FSTU178011 Foundation Studies in Economics
FSTU230001 Bridging the Humanities
FSTU230002 Bridging the Social Sciences

Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 4)

Want to study at degree level but don't meet the entry criteria? The Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 4) gets you ready for undergraduate study. Once you have completed the certificate you can apply for degree programmes at any university, institute of technology or polytechnic in New Zealand.

You'll get lots of support throughout the certificate to help you choose the right courses to get the career you want, or the subject you want to study.

The Certificate in Foundation Studies (Level 4) is suitable for international students OR domestic students from non-English speaking backgrounds who need additional English language learning.

Courses include

Students must complete two compulsory courses:

FSTU192018 Foundation Studies in English for Academic Purposes
FSTU192019 Foundation Studies in Academic Study Skills

Students must choose four courses from:

FSTU110011 Foundation Studies in Accountancy
FSTU119010 Bridging Mathematics and Statistics
FSTU119011 Bridging the Physical Sciences
FSTU119012 Bridging the Biological Sciences*
FSTU123011 Foundation Studies in Chemistry
FSTU124011 Foundation Studies in Physics
FSTU150001 Bridging Studies in Maori Culture and Society
FSTU152011 Foundation Studies in Management
FSTU160011 Foundation Studies in Mathematics
FSTU178011 Foundation Studies in Economics
FSTU230001 Bridging the Humanities
FSTU230002 Bridging the Social Sciences

To complete the Certificate you must pass a minimum of six courses, totalling 120 credits. Each course is worth 15 credits, except FSTU192018, which is worth 45 credits.

Short courses:

New Start: prepare yourself to return to study. Includes study skills, writing skills, and basic computing and word processing skills.

Special needs:

Short courses (Special Needs)

For more information, please contact one of our offices

Last Updated: 14 October 2012
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