Tuition Fee Structure
Tuition Fees vary in price depending on the subject area of the course(s) you take, whether you are studying at undergraduate or postgraduate level, and whether you are a domestic student or an international student. Subjects that involve lab-work usually have a higher fee than lecture-based subjects, and postgraduate courses are normally more expensive than undergraduate courses. Tuition fees also reflect the point value, so that a 30-point course fee will be twice the fee of a 15-point course in the same subject area and level.
The Tuition Fee Band tables below show the fee for a standard year of courses (120 points) in the subject areas listed for each Fee Band.
2023 Tuition Fee Bands for domestic students
| Fee Band | Subject Area | Undergraduate Fee per 120 points |
Postgraduate Taught Fee per 120 points |
Postgraduate Research Fee per 120 points |
| 1 | Arts, Communication, Criminal Justice, Education, Social Sciences | $6,564 | $7,961 | $7,419 |
| 2 | Accounting, Business, Economics, Law | $6,947 | $8,295 | $7,766 |
| 3 | Computational Mathematics, Computer Science, Fine Arts, Music, Non-Bench Sciences, Theatre and Film | $7,330 | $8,635 | $8,117 |
| 4 | Antarctic Studies, Bench Sciences, Health Sciences | $7,609 | $8,908 | $8,397 |
| 5 | Engineering, Forestry, Product Design | $8,238 | $9,311 | $8,936 |
| 6 | Information Systems | $7,189 | $8,406 | $7,985 |
| 7 | Audiology, Speech and Language Pathology | $8,180 | $9,266 | $8,886 |
| 8 | Ecology | $7,903 | $9,024 | $8,633 |
| 9 | Art Curatorship, Mathematics, Statistics | $6,589 | $8,356 | $7,763 |
2023 Tuition Fee Bands for international students
| Band | Subject Areas | Undergraduate fee per 120 points |
Postgraduate fee per 120 points* |
| 1 | Arts, Education (Teaching), and Social Sciences | $30,000 | $34,000 |
| 2 | Business and Accountancy | $32,600 | $33,700 |
| 3 | Fine Arts, Music, and Law | $35,900 | $39,000 |
| 4 | Science (including non-bench and Health Sciences) | $38,000 | $41,000 |
| 5 | Engineering and Product Design | $46,000 | $46,000 |
| 7 | Communication Disorders and Forestry | $42,000 | $42,000 |
* Most postgraduate programmes have a Special Programme Fee for international students.
Special Programme Fees
While most tuition fees are calculated by adding together the fees for each enrolled course (set according to the Fee Bands listed above), some students instead pay a Special Programme Fee. This means you pay a set amount for the programme (in full) at the beginning of your studies, regardless of which courses you choose or how long it takes you to complete the qualification.
International students
International students pay a Special Programme Fee for most postgraduate qualifications at UC, except for 240-point Master's taught over 24 months.
A full list of tuition fees by qualification for international students is available on the International Postgraduate Fees page.
Domestic students
Domestic students pay a Special Programme Fee for the following qualifications:
| QUALIFICATION | 2023 SPECIAL PROGRAMME FEE for domestic students |
| Certificate in University Preparation (CUP) (6 weeks x 2) | $3,284 ($821 per course) |
| Headstart (maximum of 2 courses) | $821 per course |
| STAR | $580.50 per 15 point course unless otherwise stated |
| Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration (PGDipBA) (120 points) | $25,356 |
| Master of Business Administration (MBA) (180 points) | $38,033 |
Notes
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Students must also pay a Student Services Levy (SSL) and there may be additional course costs such as for field trips.
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All international students pay tuition fees at the international rate except those on an approved reciprocal exchange programme (covered by a formal exchange agreement) and those enrolled in a PhD and residing in Aotearoa New Zealand.
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Tuition fees are reviewed annually and are subject to change so if you have not paid a Special Programme Fee (in full) and your qualification takes more than one year to complete, your following year's fees will be at a higher rate.
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UC reserves the right to change published fees before enrolment to reflect any changes in Government or University Council Policy. See Enrolment and Fees Policies and Regulations for more information or contact the Enrolments team.
- All prices are in NZ Dollars and are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax unless otherwise stated.