Headstart FAQs
What is covered in Headstart courses?
Headstart courses cover essential pre-university material – generally equivalent to the key concepts in subjects at NCEA level 2, or Cambridge AS level.
The exceptions are Chemistry and Physics which also cover some concepts at level 3.
The Physics course covers mainly mechanics and electromagnetism.
Academic writing and study skills covers skills that are useful for all degree courses, and essential for education, law, commerce, the humanities and the arts.
Do I need Headstart?
If you have a strong recent background in a subject at NCEA level 3 you do not need Headstart.
I don’t have my NCEA results yet, so I don’t know whether to enrol in Headstart or not.
If you are waiting for NCEA results to be released, you can enrol in Headstart to ensure a place, then withdraw if you find you don’t need it.
Where do Headstart courses lead to?
| Headstart courses | Prepares you for … | Which can then lead to … |
| TRNS007 Preparatory Mathematics | MATH101 | EMTH118, EMTH119 and other 100-level maths courses |
| TRNS006 Chemistry: An Introduction to atoms, bonding and reactions | CHEM114 or (if you achieve a B grade) CHEM111 | further study in chemistry or biochemistry if required |
| TRNS008 Fundamental Physics | PHYS111 or (if you achieve a B+ grade) PHYS101 | further physics and astronomy courses |
| TRNS001 Academic Writing and Study Skills | Useful for all subject areas |