Transfer of credit from NZ study
If you have completed courses at another NZ tertiary institution in the last five years, you can apply to have the credit for these courses transferred to a UC qualification. Credit to be transferred must be at NZQF Level 5 or higher and from a qualification that has not been conferred.
Credit transfers are not automatic. Applications are reviewed individually on a case-by-case basis. If your application is not successful, you have the option to appeal the decision.
You will need a UC Student ID number for your application to be considered, so will need to either be a UC student or have submitted an application to enrol in myUC.
Required documents
You will be required to provide a certified copy of your academic transcript that shows the grades you have achieved for all courses you wish to be considered for credit transfer.
The easiest way to do this is to request a digital My eQuals transcript from the institution(s) at which you have credit. They will send you information on how to set up a My eQuals account and share your transcript securely with UC.
If the tertiary institution you have completed courses at does not offer My eQuals, you can instead provide a certified copy of your academic transcript by getting a copy of your transcript signed by a JP or solicitor and uploading it to your Document Library in myUC. Uncertified copies will not be accepted.
If you're applying for credit transfer towards a teaching qualification, you will also need to supply the learning outcomes of each course you are seeking credit for.
If you're still completing courses that you want credit for, wait until your grades for these courses show on your academic transcript before applying.
Application fee
The application fee is NZD $105 and is non-refundable. Once you have submitted the form, you will be directed to the payment page. Your application will be assessed once payment is received and you will be notified of the outcome via email.
How credit is calculated at NZ universities
Most universities in NZ have a 360-point undergraduate degree structure with 15-point courses at all levels equating to 0.125 EFTS. This includes the University of Canterbury (UC), The University of Auckland, Auckland University of Technology, Victoria University of Wellington, University of Waikato, Massey University, and Lincoln University. Usually 1 point in an undergraduate degree at each of these universities is of equivalent value, i.e. 1 point at UC = 1 point at Waikato. The exception to this is the University of Otago which offers 18-point courses with a value of 0.15 EFTS.
Cross-credit
If you have had the qualification conferred, you may instead apply for cross-credit, which is when credit is shared between an undergraduate qualification that has been conferred and a subsequent undergraduate qualification. The amount of credit that can be cross-credited is limited by the points value of each qualification. Cross-credit cannot be applied to a postgraduate qualification.
A note for Bachelor of Laws (LLB) Applicants
If you are applying for the Bachelor of Laws and already have a non-law degree, you are likely exempt from the non-law requirements and do not need to apply for credit. Contact the Faculty of Law during October of the year before your intended enrolment year to be eligible for this exemption. A copy of your transcript will still be required.
If you have an incomplete bachelor's degree, you might still be eligible for the exemption but need to apply for your credits to be transferred towards the Bachelor of Laws.
If you have completed a Legal Executive Diploma, please contact the Faculty of Law directly. Do not apply for transfer of credit, as credit is unlikely but your individual qualification will be checked for you.
Applying for credit from study completed overseas
If you have completed study at a tertiary institution not in New Zealand, you will need to apply for credit transfer by following the instructions here.
