STAR Programme
What is the STAR programme?
The STAR programme offers capable senior secondary school students the opportunity to enrol in first-year degree-level courses at UC while still at school. It is a chance to experience what it's like studying at university, get a headstart on tertiary studies, and meet with other like-minded secondary school students.
Both on-campus and distance courses are offered, and completed STAR courses can normally be credited towards a university degree once the student has achieved University Entrance.
In 2021 UC had over 500 STAR students enrolled from 123 secondary schools around NZ.
Who can enrol?
The STAR programme is intended for NZ secondary school students in Years 12 and 13 who have met the literacy and numeracy requirements of NCEA University Entrance (or equivalent). Interested students require the approval of their school and should speak with their Careers Advisor or STAR Coordinator.
While most of our STAR students are (partially) funded by Ministry of Education STAR funding, our courses are open to students at independent schools, home-schooled students, international and adult secondary school students, provided schools meet the course costs through other means.
If a student younger than 16 years of age is identified as a potential STAR student, the school STAR Coordinator (or equivalent) should contact the UC STAR Coordinator to discuss whether enrolment in a STAR course is appropriate for the student.
UC reserves the right for the UC STAR Coordinator and/or the relevant Course Coordinator to interview any student under the age of 16 prior to enrolment being approved, in order to assess whether the student is ready for tertiary study (academically, socially, and emotionally).
Eligibility to enter pre-Med studies
Students who are intending to become a Health Sciences student at the University of Otago once they leave school are advised to contact health-sciences@otago.ac.nz to query if the STAR course they wish to enrol in would affect their eligibility to enter pre-Med studies.
At the University of Auckland, students are selected for the Bachelor of Health Science or the Bachelor of Science (Biomedical) (i.e. 'pre-Med') on the basis of their academic merit only; it is our understanding that there are no courses that will make students ineligible for selection, like at Otago. If a student has completed tertiary level study, they will look at the grades they received for that study as well as NCEA. We advise students to contact the University of Auckland directly to double-check if their STAR at UC plans will fit with their plans to enrol in pre-Med studies at Auckland (studentinfo@auckland.ac.nz).
Services for STAR students
On-campus and distance STAR students have access to numerous services and resources:
The Academic Skills Centre offers free workshops on writing and study strategies, individual consultations with a Learning Advisor to discuss a specific assignment and copious online resources.
The Student Accessibility Service offers support for students with a disability, medical condition, specific learning difficulty, mental health condition or a temporary impairment, including study and exam support.
STAR students have the same borrowing privileges as undergraduate UC students at UC Libraries, and can make use of computer and photocopying facilities, study space, access distance services, high demand collections, AskLive (Live Chat with a Librarian), Roving Librarian, Information Desk and one-to-one consultations with a subject specialist.
STAR courses
While STAR students can enrol in almost any first year (100-level) course at UC with the right approval, we have identified courses that we believe are most suitable for STAR students to take. A full list of on-campus and distance courses is available on our Suitable Courses for STAR Students page. If you are interested in a first year course that is not on the list, you will need to get approval from the Course Coordinator and from your school.
Secondary school students interested in a Performance Music course (MUSA141, MUSA142 or MUSA143) will need to submit a Performance Music Secondary School Student Application Form and will need to audition before being approved into these courses. Check the closing date for applications and all other course details with the School of Music.
For some courses, STAR students attend lectures alongside tertiary students, while other courses are offered exclusively to STAR students (such as in Mathematics, Computer Science, and Economics).
Course fees
STAR students are normally charged at a reduced rate for courses and are exempt from paying the Student Services Levy (SSL). International STAR students are charged at the same rate as domestic STAR students. The STAR course fee is shown on the Suitable courses for STAR students page while the regular UC student fee is listed on the Course page.
| 2023 Course costs ($NZ) for STAR students | |
| 15-point courses | $580.50 per course |
| 30-point courses | $1,161 per course |
Exceptions
- On campus (C) occurrences of ECON104 and ECON105 are covered by the UC Business School and schools will not be invoiced.
- On campus (C) and distance (D) occurrences of MATH199 are covered by the Faculty of Engineering and Schools will not be invoiced.
- Performance Music courses MUSA141, MUSA142, and MUSA143 will be charged at the full domestic or international rate, as shown on the course information page and will need to be paid up-front instead of invoiced to the School.
Please note, text books are an additional cost.
Credit for STAR courses
On successful completion of a STAR course you will be awarded a grade and credited the points value of the course on your UC academic record. You can view your academic record in myUC and your School will be advised of your grade by email. Students can be credited up to 60 points for completed STAR courses towards a degree at UC.
This credit may be transferred to another university, but this is at the discretion of the other University. As STAR courses are (equivalent to) first-year UC courses, it's highly likely they will be accepted for credit transfer at another university. You will need to supply an academic transcript from UC for consideration. When filling in a Credit Transfer Application form you should put "STAR Programme" in the 'Qualifications taken' field.
How to apply
If you are a secondary school student wanting to apply for a STAR course/courses:
Step 1. Prepare
- Fill in the STAR Consent Form below and get the necessary signatures from a parent/caregiver and the STAR Coordinator at your school.
- Get a copy of your passport or birth certificate certified (signed and dated) by your School Principal or a Justice of the Peace (JP) or solicitor.
- Ask your School for your NSN.
- Prepare a high quality scan/photo of your completed and signed Consent Form and signed identity document.
Step 2. Complete an Application to Enrol in myUC
- (New STAR students must first create an account in myUC).
- Log in to myUC.
- Select New Application.
- Select STAR Programme.
- Answer the questions and upload:
- a scan or photo of your completed and signed STAR Consent Form, and
- a scan or photo of your identity and citizenship documentation (that has been certified by your School Principal).
- Select the course(s) you wish to enrol in. See the list of courses most suitable for STAR students.
- Click Submit.
If you are having issues with your Application to Enrol, call 0800 827 748 for assistance.
Once you're enrolled
You will receive a STAR Enrolment Confirmation letter (via email) once you're enrolled. Your next steps will involve:
Getting a UC student IT account
You will receive an email with details on how to activate your UC student IT account. It will give you your username and a password that is valid for 7 days. You can get another password sent to you if it expires by going to https://uc.okta.com/ > then clicking on "Need help signing in?" > "Forgot password?" > and entering your username or email address. If you have problems with setting the password for your student IT account, call 0800 VARSITY (0800 827 748) or (03) 369 3999. Phones are answered between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Accessing course material on LEARN
All course material (including assignments, recorded lectures and communication from lecturers and tutors) will be posted on the relevant LEARN course site - you will not be mailed any course material (including for distance courses). You will have access to the course LEARN page before lectures start as long as you're enrolled in the course.
Log in to LEARN using the username and password you created when activating your IT account (above). The LEARN link can also be found on the UC home page under the logins list on the top right of the page.
Accessing your student email account
When you activate your student IT account you will be given a student email address (username@uclive.ac.nz). Lecturers and tutors will communicate via this email address so you should check your student email at least once a week. You can access your student email account by signing in to Outlook using your student email address (username@uclive.ac.nz) and the password you set when you activated your IT account. This link can also be found on the UC home page under the logins list on the top right of the page (Student email).
Getting a Canterbury Card
A student Canterbury Card will be needed if you want to get books out from the UC Library, do printing or photocopying on campus, or as a form of ID when sitting tests or exams on campus. To get your Canterbury Card, visit the Security Office (114 Ilam Road) with a photo ID (such as a passport, drivers' licence or high school ID with photo. If you don't have a photo ID, take your birth certificate and STAR Enrolment Confirmation letter instead.
Getting required textbooks
Required and recommended textbooks will be listed on the Course page (searching by the course code) and possibly also on the LEARN course page.
Text books can be purchased from the University Book Shop on campus or online. They should also be available to borrow from the UC Library. Secondhand textbooks may be available on the "UC Textbooks: buy, sell and trade" Facebook group.
Providing your identity and citizenship documents
If you're new to UC you'll likely need to provide suitable identity and citizenship documents to the Enrolments team at Te Pātaka in the Puaka-James Hight Building (or certified copies if you're studying by distance). Details of which documents you will need to provide is available on the UC Identity and Citizenship Verification page as well as how to get them verified.
Getting your timetable
Times of lectures, tutorials and labs for on campus (C) courses is normally found on the relevant course page (searching on the course code). You can choose your tutorial stream in the myTimetable system once you have your IT account set up. For some courses this is done through the course site in LEARN instead. You will not have a timetable if you are studying by distance (D).
Application closing dates
Applications for Semester One (S1) and Whole Year (W) STAR courses are open until 10 February 2023.
Applications for Semester Two (S2) STAR courses are open until 7 July 2023.
Withdrawing from courses
Schools must notify the UC STAR Coordinator of any student who wishes to withdraw from a STAR course.
Last date to withdraw with a full fee refund
Schools will not be invoiced if students withdraw by these dates and the student will not receive a grade for the course on their record.
- Semester One courses: Sunday 5 March 2023
- Whole-year courses: Sunday 19 March 2023
- Semester Two courses: Sunday 30 July 2023
Last date to withdraw with no refund
Schools will be invoiced for the course and will not be refunded. Students will not receive a grade for the course on their record.
- Semester 1 courses: Sunday 14 May 2023
- Whole-year courses: Sunday 27 August 2023
- Semester 2 courses: Sunday 1 October 2023
University holidays
School holidays and university holidays can be at different times.
- Mid-Semester 1 break: 3 – 21 April 2023
- Mid-year break: 25 June – 16 July 2023
- Mid-Semester 2 break: 28 August – 10 September 2023
Exams
You will be advised of all course assessment dates (including exams) in the first weeks of your course.
Students who started their UC journey as STAR students
UC STAR Coordinator
Sarah Saywell
Phone: +64 3 369 1884
Email: star@canterbury.ac.nz
In person: Te Pātaka, Puaka-James Hight building