Australian Students
Waikato warmly welcomes students from Australia. Our main campus in Hamilton covers 64 hectares of landscaped gardens and lakes, with extensive sporting and recreational areas and has four Halls of Residence. Or maybe you'll choose to study at our coastal campus in Tauranga, enjoy all the perks of student life with the added bonus of been surrounded by some of New Zealand’s most spectacular golden beaches and forests.
Whether you decide to study at Hamilton or Tauranga, your Waikato University experience will be a unique adventure where you'll gain a world-class education and make life-long friends!
How to apply and get into Waikato
Open this section to read more
Applying to the University of Waikato is easy. If you are a school student, you’ll need to have completed Year 12. Our entry criteria is:
| State | Entry Criteria |
|---|---|
| Australian Capital Territory | ACT Year 12 Certificate and ATAR 70 or higher |
| New South Wales | Higher School Certificate (HSC) and ATAR 70 or higher |
| Northern Territory | Northern Territory Certificate of Education (NTCE) and ATAR 70 or higher |
| Queensland | Queensland Certificate of Education (QCE) and OP 14 or lower |
| South Australia | South Australian Certificate of Education (SACE) and ATAR 70 or higher |
| Tasmania | Tasmanian Certificate of Education (TCE) and ATAR 70 or higher |
| Western Australia | Western Australian Certificate of Education (WACE) and ATAR 70 or higher |
| Victoria | Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) and ATAR 70 or higher |
If you left school a while ago, or don’t meet the entry criteria, talk to us about other pathways into university.
Email us at recruitment@waikato.ac.nz
Scholarships
Open this section to read more
Save some of your Aussie dollars with a school leaver scholarship.
At Waikato, our school leaver scholarships are awarded based on your ATAR or OP score. If you achieve an ATAR score of 85 or above (OP of 8 to 6), you automatically get $NZ 3,000. If your ATAR score is 92.5 or above (OP of 5 to 1), you automatically get $NZ 5,000. No application required, and unlimited scholarships available.
Find out more about our available scholarships
Accommodation
Open this section to read more
Choosing the right accommodation is an important step to ensure you get the most out of your time in New Zealand and make some life-long friends.
On-campus
We have four on-campus accommodation options; three fully catered Halls of Residence and 26 self-catered cottages in Orchard Park. Participate in activities and events organised by the residents and get involved in inter-hall competitions.
Off-campus
If you’d like to live off-campus, there are several options available to you. You could opt to live in a house or flat, and there are lots of inexpensive private student accommodation options close to the campus. Find out more about off-campus accommodation.
Fees and finance
Open this section to read more
Australian citizens currently living in Australia
If you’re Australian citizen or permanent resident and you’re going to live in New Zealand, you will pay domestic tuition fees at the University of Waikato.
Australian citizens and permanent residents do not qualify for the New Zealand Student Loan or Student Allowance.
Australian citizens currently living New Zealand for three years or more
You will be eligible for a New Zealand Student Loan or Student Allowance if you have resided in New Zealand for at least three years before study commences, and meet all other eligibility criteria. More information is available from StudyLink, New Zealand's student loan and allowance provider.
New Zealand citizens currently living in Australia
New Zealand citizens who currently reside in Australia are eligible for New Zealand domestic tuition fees and are also eligible to apply for a student loan or allowance through StudyLink.