Unistart
Get a head start in your education and complete university papers while you're still at school
What is Unistart?
If you’re a secondary school student, Waikato’s Unistart programme gives you a head-start in education by letting you take university papers while you’re still at school. There are options to take papers online or at our Hamilton and Tauranga campuses.
Choice and flexibility
There are more than 50 papers to choose from, many of which are taught online, and completed Unistart papers can be credited towards an undergraduate degree at the University of Waikato.
Teaching excellence
Our students learn from award-winning lecturers and researchers who are committed to delivering you a world-class, innovative education in a supportive learning environment. Join our warm and welcoming community of students from all over New Zealand as you study as part of the Unistart programme.
Workload
Unistart papers usually run over one trimester and worth 15 points. The workload is around 8-10 hours a week, which can include time spent online in classes or on campus, participating in tutorials, reading course materials, lab work or preparing for assignments and tests.
Entry
Unistart is open to all year 12 and 13 secondary school students who:
- have met the criteria for discretionary entrance to university,
- are between 16 and 20 years old at the start of the Unistart paper, and
- have approval from their school.
If you don’t meet the above entry requirements, email us to discuss your options.
Scholarship
The University of Waikato Unistart Scholarship covers the cost of up to two Unistart papers. Students will automatically be considered for this when accepted into Unistart - no additional application is required. As well as meeting the above entry requirements for Unistart, you will also need:
- NCEA Level 2 Certificate or above endorsed with merit or excellence; and
- New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency.
How to apply
Step 1: Complete the School Approval Form
Talk to your school about whether the Unistart programme is right for you. Then complete the School Approval Form with them and email it back to us.
- Fill in the Unistart Secondary School Support form
- Have your school complete and sign their approval section
- Email the completed form to unistart@waikato.ac.nz
- Apply for the Unistart programme online (instructions below)
Step 2: Applying online for the Unistart Programme
Visit MyWaikato to complete your online application to enrol into the Unistart programme and use the instructions below to help you.
- New Unistart students need to Create an Account for MyWaikato
- Fill out your personal details and list the email address you use most under your account details. Click the Create account button once finished
- From the Type of Qualification drop down box, select Individual Paper Credit and click the Search button
- Two results will be listed after the search. Select Unistart Paper Credit
- Select your start date
- Continue to answer all the questions to complete your application
- Upload your verified ID. This can be a birth certificate or passport. You will need to ask your school to stamp and sign a copy to verify it. If you have difficulties uploading your verified ID, then please scan and email it to unistart@waikato.ac.nz
- We will be in touch with you once your application has been reviewed
If you need help to complete your application then please contact us on 0800 924 528.
2025 papers
Find out more about the 2025 Unistart programme and papers on offer with the 2025 Unistart brochure
FLEXI papers
|
Subject |
Paper code | Paper title | Trimester(s) |
|
Communication
|
COMMS101-25B (HAM) | Communication Competencies |
B |
|
English
|
ENGLI100-25A (HAM) | Telling the Story | A |
|
|
ENGLI101-25B (HAM) | Adapting Stories | B |
|
Environmental Planning
|
ENVPL100-25A (HAM) | Introduction to Environmental Planning | A |
|
|
ENVPL101-25B (HAM) | Future Cities | B |
|
International Languages and Cultures |
INTLC221-25B (HAM) | Understanding East Asia | B |
|
|
SPNSH131-25B (HAM) | Spanish for Beginners | B |
|
|
SPNSH231-25A (HAM) | Intermediate Spanish 1 | A |
|
Māori & Indigenous Studies |
MĀORI100-25A (HAM) | Kōkiri: Academic Skills for Indigenous Studies | A |
|
|
MĀORI102-25B (HAM) | He Hinātore ki te Ao Māori: Introducing the Māori World | B |
|
|
MĀORI150-25A (HAM) | Te Tiriti o Waitangi: An Introduction to the Treaty of Waitangi | A |
|
Music |
MUSIC115-25B (HAM) | Composition 1 | B |
|
Screen and Media Studies |
MEDIA100-25A (HAM) | Understanding Visual Culture | A |
Where will I be studying?
FLEXI Unistart papers allow students to choose between studying fully online or on-campus.
When will I be studying?
A Trimester: 24 February - 19 June 2025
B Trimester: 7 July - 31 October 2025
D Teaching Period: 24 February - 31 October 2025
Online papers
|
Subject |
Paper code | Paper title | Trimester(s) |
| Anthropology | ANTHY102-25B (SEC) | Exploring Cultures: Aotearoa and the Pacific | B |
| Arts and Social Sciences | ARTSC112-25B (NET) | Music, Sound and Human Communication | B |
| Climate Change | CLIMT101-25A (NET) | Introduction to Climate Change Science | A |
| Computer Science | Introduction to Programming | A, B | |
| COMPX102–24B (SEC) | Object-Oriented Programming | B | |
| Criminology | CRIMN101–25B (SEC) | Criminology and Social Justice in New Zealand | B |
| CRSCI101–25B (SEC) | Crime Science and Prevention | B | |
| Data Analytics | DATAX121-25A (SEC) | Introduction to Statistical Methods | A |
| Design | DSIGN125-25A (SEC) | Introduction to Communication Design Production | A |
| Digital Learning | DLRNG100-25A (NET) | Developing Digital Fluency | A |
| Economics | ECONS101-25A (SEC) | Economics for Business and Management | A |
|
Engineering You will need the support of a maths teacher at your secondary school to enrol in these engineering papers |
ENGEN101-25A (SEC) | Engineering Maths and Modelling 1A | A |
| ENGEN102-25B (SEC) | Engineering Maths and Modelling 1B | B | |
| Forensic Psychology | FPSYC101-25A (SEC) | Introduction to Forensic and Criminological Psychology | A |
| Gender and Sexuality Studies | GNSEX101-25B (SEC) | Gender and Sexuality: Representations and Realities | B |
| Geography | GEOGY101-25B (NET) | Sustainable Geographies | B |
| GEOGY102-25A (NET) | A Planet Under Pressure | A | |
| Health | HTHPR101-25B (NET) | Promoting Mental and Physical Health | B |
| History | HISTY107-25A (NET) | Aotearoa Histories: Past and Future | A |
| Human Development | Lifespan Development | B | |
| International Languages and Cultures | Chinese for Beginners | B | |
| CHINE231-25A (SEC) | Intermediate Chinese 1 | A | |
| Intermediate Chinese 2 | B | ||
| French for Beginners | B | ||
| Intermediate French 1 | A | ||
| Intermediate French 2 | B | ||
| International Languages and Cultures | B | ||
| INTLC222-25A (NET) | Food Practices and Cultural Journeys | A | |
| Korean Language for Beginners 1 | A | ||
| Korean Language 2 | B | ||
| Japanese for Beginners | B | ||
| Basic Japanese 1 | A | ||
| Basic Japanese 2 | B | ||
| Intermediate Spanish 2 | B | ||
| International Relations and Security Studies | INTRL100-25A (NET) | International Relations of the Indo-Pacific | A |
| INTRL103-25A (NET) | Introduction to International Relations | A | |
| Law | LEGAL105-25A (NET) | Introduction to New Zealand Law and Society | A |
|
Mathematics You will need the support of a maths teacher at your secondary school to enrol in these maths papers |
Discrete Structures |
B |
|
| Music | MUSIC112-25A (SEC) | 1000 Years of Music | A |
| Pacific and Indigenous Studies | PACIS100-25A (SEC) | Introduction to Pacific Histories, Languages and Cultures | |
| Philosophy | PHILO102-24B (NET) | Introduction to Logic | B |
| Philosophy | PHILO103-25A (NET) | Critical Thinking | A |
| PHILO106-25A (NET) | Social and Moral Philosophy | A | |
| PHILO150-25A (NET) | The Big Questions: An Introduction to Philosophy | B | |
| Social Policy | SOCPY100-25A (SEC) | Introduction to Social Policy | A |
| Sociology | SOCIO101-25B (SEC) | Introduction to Sociology | B |
| Sport & Human Movement | SDCOA101-25B (NET) | Sport, Culture and Development: Trends and Issues | B |
| Teaching | LLTED101-25A (NET) | An Introduction to Children's Literature | A |
| Writing Studies | WRITE100-25 (NET) | Writing for Academic Success | A, B |
Where will I be studying?
Online papers are taught over the internet, so you can study from anywhere in New Zealand as long as you have a computer and internet connection.
When will I be studying?
A Trimester: 24 February - 19 June 2025
B Trimester: 7 July - 31 October 2025
Hamilton campus papers
|
Subject |
Paper code | Paper title | Trimester(s) |
| Biology | BIOEB101-25A (HAM) | Concepts of Biology - Ngā Huatau o te Koiora | A |
| BIOEB102-25B (HAM) | Introduction to Ecology and Biodiversity - Mātai Hauropi a Kanorau Koiora | B | |
| BIOMO101-25B (HAM) | Introduction to Molecular and Cellular Biology - Mātai Pūtau a Mātai Rāpoi Ngota Koiora | B | |
| Chemistry | CHEMY101-25A (HAM) | Structure and Spectroscopy - Tūramaramatia i ngā Hanganga | A |
| CHEMY102-25B (HAM) | Chemical Reactivity - Tauhohehohe Matū | B | |
| Earth Sciences | EARTH101-25A (HAM) | Introduction to Earth System Science - Pūtaiao Pūnaha Whenua | A |
| EARTH102-25B (HAM) | Discovering Planet Earth - Tūhuratia Papatūānuku | B | |
| Environmental Sciences | ENVSC101-25B (HAM) | Environmental Science - Pūtaiao Taiao | B |
| Music | MUSIC102-25D (HAM) | Jazz Improvisation Combo 1 | D |
Where will I be studying?
Hamilton papers are taught at the University of Waikato's Hamilton campus, which is located at Knighton Road, Hamilton. You will need to check with your school that you can attend tutorials, lectures, laboratories and other classes for your paper during the week at the Hamilton campus.
When will I be studying?
A Trimester: 24 February - 19 June 2025
B Trimester: 7 July - 31 October 2025
D Teaching Period: 24 February - 31 October 2025
Tauranga campus papers
|
Subject |
Paper code | Paper title | Trimester(s) |
| Biology | BIOEB102-25B (TGA) |
Introduction to Ecology and Biodiversity - Mātai Hauropi a Kanorau Koiora |
B |
| Earth Sciences |
Introduction to Earth System Science - Pūtaiao Pūnaha Whenua |
A | |
| Environmental Sciences | ENVSC101-25B (TGA) |
Environmental Science - Pūtaiao Taiao |
B |
Where will I be studying?
Tauranga papers are taught at the University of Waikato's Tauranga campus, which is located at Durham Street, Tauranga. You will need to check with your school that you can attend tutorials, lectures, laboratories and other classes for your paper during the week at the Tauranga campus.
When will I be studying?
A Trimester: 24 February - 19 June 2025
B Trimester: 7 July - 31 October 2025