Special Admission

You should apply for Special Admission if:

  1. You are a New Zealand or Australian citizen or permanent resident
  2. You are over 20 years of age
  3. You do not hold a recognised University Entrance qualification

What do I need to provide?

  1. A CV (of up to three pages) of your work and life experience to date. This is an opportunity to tell us about your achievements. Need help? The Career Services website has tools to help with CV writing.
  2. A one-page personal statement, which must be written by you, explaining your goals and objectives for university study.
  3. Academic transcripts of any secondary or tertiary-level qualifications you have achieved.
We may also ask you to come in to the University to complete an assessment of your English and mathematics skills.

What steps do I need to follow?

  1. Apply online by the deadline.
  2. Submit your CV, personal statement and academic transcripts.
  3. If required you will be asked to come into the University to sit follow-up English and mathematics assessments. Assessments will take place in Wellington and Auckland.
    Practice Assessments: Mathematics (PDF, 147KB) and Mathematics Answers (PDF, 31KB); English (PDF, 356KB) and English Marking Guide (PDF, 30KB).

Applicants assessed as being ready for degree level study will be accepted into their chosen programme. Others will be waitlisted or advised of alternative study options.

What criteria will be used to assess my application?

We will seek evidence of the following.

  • Work experience that has prepared you for university study by requiring you to use higher-order thinking skills and high-level written communication and numeracy skills.
  • Clear goals and objectives for degree-level study.
  • Qualifications that are relevant to your proposed programme of study.
  • Demonstrated English and mathematics skills (if we ask you to come in for a follow-up assessment).
Please note: Victoria is committed to providing pathways to university for under-represented groups. If you are a Māori or Pacific applicant and we assess you as degree-ready, you will be admitted to your programme(s) with the following conditions.
  • You must attend study and course planning interviews.
  • You must attend Māori or Pacific orientation
  • You must participate in a faculty support programme for Māori and Pacific students.

Applications from students with disabilities who achieve University Entrance but do not achieve the Guaranteed Entry Score will be assessed on a case-by-case basis.