Staff + Student LoginFrequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What is STAR?
The intention of the Secondary Tertiary Alignment Resource (STAR) is to enable secondary schools to facilitate their students' smooth transition from schooling to further education, training or employment. It enables secondary schools to provide or purchase tertiary courses which will better meed students' needs.
What papers does the University of Waikato offer through STAR in 2012?
| BIOL101-12B (SEC) | Cellular and Molecular Biology |
| BIOL102-12A (SEC) | The Biology of Organisms |
| CHEM101-12A (SEC) | Chemical Concepts |
| CHEM102-12B (SEC) | Chemical Change and Organic Compounds |
| COMP103-12C (HAM) | Introduction to Computer Science 1 |
| COMP103-12C (SEC) | Introduction to Computer Science 1 |
| COMP103-12D (HAM) | Introduction to Computer Science 1 |
| COMP103-12D (SEC) | Introduction to Computer Science 1 |
| COMP104-12C (HAM) | Introduction to Computer Science 2 |
| ECON100-12A (SEC) | Business Economics and the New Zealand Economy |
| ECON110-12B (SEC) | Economic and Society |
| MATH101-12C (HAM) | Introduction to Calculus |
| MATH101-12D (HAM) | Introduction to Calculus |
| MATH102-12C (HAM) | Introduction to Algebra |
| MATH102-12D (HAM) | Introduction to Algebra |
| MUSI121-12Y (HAM) | Chamber Music 1 |
| PHIL106-12C (SEC) | Social and Moral Philosophy |
| PHYS103-12B (SEC) | Physics for Scientists and Engineers 1 |
| STAT111-12B (SEC) | Statistics for Science |
What are the fees?
The current fees for STAR papers are $500 per student per paper (including GST) except for Computer Science and Mathematics papers which are $250 per student per paper (including GST), and Te Reo Maori papers which are $550 per student per paper (including GST). There is an additional $50 per student for admission to the Univeristy under Discretionary Entrance for all STAR papers.
How are they offered?
Some papers are taught entire online (lectures and tutorials); some papers are taught by secondary school staff in their school; some papers require students to attend classes on campus; and some papers are taught through either distance distance education or video-conferencing.
In what teaching weeks are they offered?
- All papers that have the semester code 'A' in their course code (e.g. CHEM101A) are taught in the A Semester which runs for 17 weeks from week beginning 28 February to week ending 24 June, in 2011. COMP103C, MATH101C and MATH102C are also taught in the A Semester.
- All papers that have the semester code 'B' in their course code (e.g. CHEM102B) are taught in the B Semester which runs for 17 weeks from week beginning 11 July to week ending 4 November, in 2011. COMP104C, MATH101D and MATH102D are also taught in the B Semester.
- PHIL106C runs for 15 weeks from week beginning 7 March to week ending 17 June, in 2011.
- MUSI121-11Y runs for a total of 32 weeks between 28 February and ending 4 November, in 2011.
How are they assessed?
For most papers, assessment will be a combination of coursework and / or tests and a final exam.
Where are exams held?
Not all papers have final examinations, but for those that do, examinations are either held on campus (Hamilton) or at the University of Waikato Tauranga campus. Depending on the physical location of your secondary school, if neither of the above campuses are suitable, examinations will usually be held at your local tertiary education provider (e.g. your local University or Polytechnic) or at your secondary school.
Who should apply?
Academically able students can enrol under Discretionary Entrance regulations. Some papers have additional pre-requisites that must be met.What is Discretionary Entrance and what are the requirements?
Discretionary entrance is the name given to provisional entrance as specified in Section 257 of the Education Act 1989. Students are eligible to be considered for Discretionary Entrance if they do not have University Entrance (or have not completed the required subjects at NCEA Level 3) and meet the following criteria:
- Are a NZ Citizen or Permanent Resident and
- Will be at least 16 years of age and under 20 years of age at the start of the paper, and
- Have received secondary schooling to at least Year 12 level, and
- Have gained at least 14 credits in one approved subject at NCEA Level 2, and
- have met the Literacy and Numeracy requirements of University Entrance under NCEA.
What are the Literacy and Numeracy requirements?
- Numeracy: 14 credits in Mathematics or Pāngarau at Level 1 or higher.
- Literacy: 4 credits in Reading and 4 credits in Writing at NCEA Level 2 from the approved standards list in either English or Te Reo Māori/Te Reo Rangatirā
Can students still enrol in STAR papers if they have not met the Literacy or Numeracy requirements?
No.Can students be considered for STAR papers if they are under the age of 16?
Yes - provided students meet the Discretionary Entrance criteria specified above, and any additional paper prerequisites. Admission will be considered on a case by case basis by the Head of Student and Academic Services, under delegated authority of the Academic Board. A letter of support should be provided by the applicant's high school principal, this should be addressed to the Head, Student and Academic Services and include the students record of learning and any recommendations from the principal/school advisor.How many STAR papers can I take?
This is dependent upon your workload for the year and what your secondary school (Year 13 Dean or STAR Coordinator) deems appropriate. Usually three STAR papers would be the maximum a student could manage on top of their secondary school study in any one year.Can STAR papers count towards a University of Waikato degree?
Yes - papers can be credited towards University of Waikato undergraduate degrees.What facilities will I have access to on campus?
Library; computer and internet access; some papers also allow access to laboratories.How do I get started?
The first thing you need to do is talk to your STAR coordinator at your secondary school and advise them of which STAR paper(s) ;you are interested in. If you do nto have a STAR Coordinator then your Year 13 Dean or Careers Advisor should be able to help you out. They will then get in contact with the STAR Coordinator at the University of Waikato who will explain the enrolment process and provide the secondary school with enrolment application forms, STAR contracts and necessary documents and information useful to STAR students and the secondary school.What is STAR funding and who is eligible for it?
The Ministry of Education's STAR funding is a capped resource available to secondary, composite, area or special schools that have Years 11 to 13 students. It is not available to private schools. Foreign fee-paying students and adult students are not included in STAR funding calculations. The goal of the grant is to assist schools to better meet the needs of senior students. It does this by granting additional funding for schools to use in accessing a wide range of courses to provide greater opportunities for senior students. For more information on STAR funding you can visit the Ministry of Education's website (www.minedu.govt.nz) and search for the Funding, Staffing and Allowances Handbook. STAR funding is part of the Operational Funding Chapter and can be viewed there.
Can secondary schools offer STAR papers to their students without being STAR funded?
Yes - all papers are detailed in the UniSTARt brochure, and others, can be made available to secondary schools that choose not to use their STAR funding. Students from private schools are not entitled to STAR funding. These students pay the standard tuition fee for the paper. Schools are required to ensure their students are fully enrolled and have paid all relevant fees before they are able to participate in papers.
What support is available to STAR students?
Secondary schools are required to have suitable staff, facilities and resources, in consultation with the University of Waikato, to assist with (or for some papers teach) students the work required to complete the paper(s). Students are provided with tutorial support either from their secondary school teacher(s) and / or University lecturer / tutors. The contact details of the University lecturers / tutors are provided at the beginning of the paper - this may include phone, e-mail, in-person (office hours), web forums or video-conferencing. The University's STAR Coordinator and School / Faculty staff are also available to respond to any queries related to STAR. Additional mentoring and support will be provided by the University where it is required.
If you have any questions about your students' course work, assignment requirements or progress please contact the course convenor or administrator. Contact details are provided with the STAR pack sent to your high school Star Coordinator.
How do we find out the grades of our STAR students?
Final results are available on iWaikato once grades have been confirmed; usually about four weeks after the University examination period. Students can view these by logging into their iWaikato account. A results notice is sent to individual students in December each year. Upon request, the University STAR Coordinator can release a summary of final results to the secondary school STAR Coordinator once grades are made final. However, students must sign a STAR Student Agreement Form (included with each application to enrol) in order for the University to do so.
If at any time you have questions about a result for a particular assignment or a student's overall progress you can contact the course convenor or administrator.
What do I do if I want to withdraw from a STAR paper?
Contact your School / Faculty of Study and the Enrolment Office immediately. Your School/Faculty of Study and the Enrolment Office must be notified by the second Friday (or the specified date in the Appendix) of any given semester (A, B, C, D or Y) or students wishing to withdraw from any papers. Notification of withdrawal between the second Friday and the sixth Friday of any given semester (A, B, C, D or Y) will result in the student receiving a 'withdrawn' grade (WD) and the Secondary School will still be charged for the student. A student cannot be withdrawn after the sixth Friday of any given semester and will result in the student receiving an 'incomplete' grade (IC) and the Secondary School will still be charged for the student.What does this mean for applying to University later on?
A person at a New Zealand secondary school who is attempting to qualify for University Entrance may apply for Discretionary Entrance int he same year. Any person admitted under this regulation who does not subsequently meet the University Entrance standard during the period enrolled at the University will be required to withdraw from the University and may re-apply for admission at mid-year. Any papers passed during the period enrolled at the University will not be credited to a qualification until a University Entrance qualification is gained.
Please refer to the UniSTARt brochure for further information or visit: UniSTARt - University Papers for Secondary School Students.
