Domestic tuition costs
To help you estimate your annual tuition fees and costs, set out below are the approximate fees and other costs you are likely to incur if you are enrolled in one year of full-time study.
New to tertiary study? See what the government's "Fees-Free" policy means for you.
Pre-degree Programmes
Certificate of University Preparation: $2,990
The following approximate tuition fees are based on one semester (full-time study) consisting of four papers.
| Programme | Tuition fee ($NZ) |
|---|---|
| Certificate of University Preparation | $2,990.00 |
Please note:
- Students who enrol in papers worth more than 120 points will pay additional tuition fees.
- All fees are quoted in New Zealand Dollars ($NZ) and include New Zealand Goods and Services Tax (GST). Tuition fees are set annually by the University. Fees are subject to change.
Bachelors
See approximate costs
The approximate annual cost of our bachelors degrees are listed in the 'Key information' table for each degree. To see the latest info, start by finding your course.
Popular examples
These figures are indicative only.
- Bachelor of Arts: $6,117-$7,132
- Bachelor of Business: $6,590
- Bachelor of Laws: $6,591
- Bachelor of Science: $7,130 (approx)
Fees are charged for each paper
Your final tuition fees depend on the papers you take.
- Find fees for every paper in the Catalogue of Papers.
- If you already know the papers you'll take, use the Fees Calculator to total up their tuition fees.
Example: Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology, first year
A BA in Anthropology could start with the eight 100-level papers below. As you can see, some papers have higher fees than others.
| Paper Code | Points | EFTS | Fees ($NZ) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANTHY101 | 15 | 0.125 | $765 |
| ANTHY102 | 15 | 0.125 | $765 |
| ARTSC103 | 15 | 0.125 | $765 |
| ARTSC110 | 15 | 0.125 | $765 |
| HISTY107 | 15 | 0.125 | $765 |
| GEOGY101 | 15 | 0.125 | $883 |
| PSYCH101 | 15 | 0.125 | $883 |
| SOCPY100 | 15 | 0.125 | $765 |
| Total tuition fees | 120 points | 1 EFTS | $6,356 |
| Student Services Levy | (Full year) | $700 | |
| Total Fees Per Year | $7,056 |
Please note:
- Students who enrol in papers worth more than 120 points will pay additional tuition fees.
- All fees are quoted in New Zealand Dollars ($NZ) and include New Zealand Goods and Services Tax (GST). Tuition fees are set annually by the University. Fees are subject to change.
Bachelor (Honours), Masters, 1-year Postgraduate Diploma
The same approximate costs apply - includes Masters Degree and Masters Thesis.
The following approximate annual tuition fees are based on 120 points (full-time study) in 2018 (1.0 EFTS).
| Degree Area | Tuition fee ($NZ) 1-year-full-time |
|---|---|
| Arts, Languages, Social Sciences | $7,592 |
| Business, Management, Law (MBA, MBM, PGDip(mgtSt) – see Other Programmes below) | $7,592 |
| Computer Science, Information Science, Design | $8,085 |
| Engineering | $8,085 |
| Geography | $8,085 |
| Music | $8,085 |
| Psychology | $8,085 |
| Science | $8,085 |
| Teaching | $7,709 |
Example indicative fees
Below are some examples for working out the indicative tuition fees for your programme of study. For more accurate costs, use the Fees Calculator to work out the tuition fees for the papers you are selecting for your programme of study.
Master of Cyber Security – 180-point Master degree (example)
You may be able to complete this qualification in 1.5 years of full-time study.
First year of study fee: $8,085.00
Second year of study (1/2 year) fee: $4,042.50
Total cost of programme: $12,127.50
Master of Science – 240-point Master degree (example)
You may be able to complete this qualification in 2 years of full-time study.
First year of study fee: $8,085.00
Second year of study fee: $8,085.00
Total cost of programme: $16,170.00
Please note:
- Students who enrol in papers worth more than 120 points will pay additional tuition fees.
- All fees are quoted in New Zealand Dollars ($NZ) and include New Zealand Goods and Services Tax (GST). Tuition fees are set annually by the University. Fees are subject to change.
Research programmes
PhD, MPhil, EdD
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
The following approximate annual tuition fees are based on 120 points (full-time study) for study in 2018 (1.0 EFTS).
| Degree area | Tuition ($NZ) 1-year-full-time |
|---|---|
| Arts, Humanities, Social Sciences, | $6,138 |
| Business, Accountancy, Management, Law | $6,265 |
| Computer Science | $6,519 |
| Education | $6,883 |
| Engineering, Technology | $6,519 |
| Fine Arts, Music and Performing Arts | $6,519 |
| Law | $6,265 |
| Science | $6,519 |
Master of Philosophy (MPhil), Doctor of Education (EdD)
| Degree area | Tuition ($NZ) 1-year-full-time |
|---|---|
| Arts and Social Sciences | $6,748 |
| Computer Science | $7,325 |
| Education | $7,185 |
| Engineering | $7,325 |
| Geography, Music, Psychology | $7,325 |
| Law | $6,748 |
| Management | $6,748 |
| Māori & Pacific Development | $6,486 |
| Mathematics, Statistics | $7,325 |
| Science | $7,325 |
Please note:
- Students who enrol in papers worth more than 120 points will pay additional tuition fees.
- All fees are quoted in New Zealand Dollars ($NZ) and include New Zealand Goods and Services Tax (GST). Tuition fees are set annually by the University. Fees are subject to change.
Corporate & Executive Education Programmes
MBA, MBM, PGDip(MgtSt)
Programme fees through the Centre of Corporate & Executive Education are structured differently to other programmes at the University. Fees are inclusive of all papers and other study costs.There are still additional fees for these programmes.
| Programme | Tuition fee ($NZ) |
|---|---|
| Master of Business Administration (MBA) | $47,321.00 |
| Master of Business and Management (MBM) | $13,931.00 |
| Postgraduate Diploma in Management Studies (PGDip(MgtSt)) | $16,670.00 |
Please note:
- Students who enrol in papers worth more than 120 points will pay additional tuition fees.
- All fees are quoted in New Zealand Dollars ($NZ) and include New Zealand Goods and Services Tax (GST). Tuition fees are set annually by the University. Fees are subject to change.
Additional fees
Student Services Levy
You will need to pay the Student Service Levy on top of your tuition fees, to cover some university services. There may be other additional non-tuition fees you might need to pay.
| Non-tuition related fees and costs | ($NZ) 1-year-full-time |
|---|---|
| Student Services Levy | $173 (teaching period of 7 weeks or less) – $700* (full year) |
*The Student Services Levy is dependent on the location and duration of your study.
Commonly asked questions about tuition fees
Information about fee calculation and EFTS
How will the fees-free policy affect my tuition fees?
How are my fees calculated?
Your tuition fees are calculated on a per-paper basis. You will enrol in a number of papers during each year of study. These can be found in the Catalogue of Papers. Each paper has a set fee based on the degree area and the level of the paper. You only pay for the papers which you choose to take. If you know the papers that you wish to study, you can use the Fees Calculator to work out the total cost for your programme of study.
What are EFTS?
EFTS stands for Equivalent Full-time Student. This is the measure by which all tertiary education providers report student enrolments to the New Zealand government. The EFTS value of a paper indicates what proportion of a normal full-time programme of study the particular paper makes up. At the University of Waikato 1 EFT equates to a student workload of 120 points.
How do I calculate my EFTS consumption?
Use the table below to convert your points into EFTS. You can find the points value of every paper in the catalogue of papers.
| Points | EFTS value |
|---|---|
| 5 points | 0.0417 |
| 7 points | 0.0625 |
| 10 points | 0.0833 |
| 15 points | 0.1250 |
| 20 points | 0.1667 |
| 30 points | 0.2500 |
| 60 points | 0.5000 |
| 90 points | 0.7500 |
| 120 points | 1.0000 |
These conversions cover most papers offered at the University of Waikato; however you may have enrolled in papers of other points/EFTS values. If the points and EFTS for your papers are not listed here, contact 0800 WAIKATO or info@waikato.ac.nz for help.
How many papers are considered full-time study?
120 points per year is considered full-time study. In first year this generally equates eight papers (15 points each) however this varies from across faculties.
Please note:
- Students who enrol in papers worth more than 120 points will pay additional tuition fees.
- All fees are quoted in New Zealand Dollars ($NZ) and include New Zealand Goods and Services Tax (GST). Tuition fees are set annually by the University. Fees are subject to change.