Varsities to relax entry criteria
AUCKLAND University will admit as students pupils without university entrance next year if they have been badly affected by the Covid19 lockdowns and their teachers believe they can cope with university study.
University vicechancellor Dawn Freshwater has written to Auckland high school principals, reassuring them that good pupils can still go to university despite losing almost nine weeks of classes this year.
Secondary Principals Association president Deidre Shea said it was ‘‘heartening’’ that universities understood the problems pupils faced this year.
‘‘They will be listening to us if we say this particular person may or may not achieve the required grades, but we recommend them as being ready and appropriate for this course.’’
The University of Auckland announced after the first lockdown it would ‘‘place a stronger emphasis on year 12 results than in the past’’ and would no longer require NCEA ‘‘rank scores’’ for entry to specific course.
All New Zealand universities agreed that for 2021 they would not enforce the normal rule that pupils who do at least six months in year 13 cannot apply for ‘‘discretionary entrance’’ based on their year 12 results.
Prof Freshwater told principals that ‘‘these changes, along with NZQA’s change to the university entrance requirement, will enable pupils on a track to access university study in 2021, to do so, despite Covid19related disruptions’’.
‘‘But we are also aware that there may be a small number of students whose programme of study has been so severely impacted by Covid19 that they are unlikely to meet even these modified requirements for 2021,’’ she wrote.
‘‘For these students we are open to considering a recommendation from you as to their suitability for university study.’’
A University of Otago spokeswoman said the institution had a longestablished admission pathway for people who had narrowly missed UE.
‘‘Where appropriate we would . . . liaise with both a student and their school about the pathway appropriate to their situation,’’ she said.
Victoria University removed rank score requirements after the first lockdown.
Waikato University deputy vicechancellor Robyn Longhurst said pupils who did not achieve university entrance this year ‘‘should certainly get in touch with our admissions team who will be able to offer advice and support on study options, including discretionary entrance, depending on their circumstances’’.
Massey University said 2020 had been a tough year at all levels and felt strongly ‘‘that this shouldn’t impact a student’s ability to enter into tertiary study’’.
Canterbury University said it could also provide discretionary entrance on the basis of NCEA level 2 results or provisional admission with the chance to complete catchup NCEA credits. — The New Zealand Herald