Language competency requirements
High quality teaching requires competency in the languages of New Zealand’s national curricula – English or te reo Māori. Find out how to provide evidence of your competency.
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Teaching requires a high standard of English or te reo Māori language competency in speaking, writing, reading and listening. All applicants studying to be a teacher or applying for registration and certification must meet the language competency requirements.
The Council focuses on evidence-based proof and there are several opportunities to demonstrate competenc y. Read more details in our Language competency for teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand policy.
Information about the Council’s English language competency requirements has been translated into nine Pacific languages by the Ministry of Education and can be found on their “Teach in Aotearoa” website.
Please attach a certified copy of evidence of your language competency with your application. This should be supplied in the form of official results statements , testimonials or reference letters .
List of evidence to demonstrate English language competency
Please provide evidence of one of the following to meet the English language competency requirements:
- New Zealand University Entrance literacy credits at either NCEA level 2 or 3
- New Zealand University Entrance via NCEA as defined by NZQA
- NZ tertiary entrance (this preceded University Entrance)
- International Baccalaureate full diploma in English medium (24 points minimum)
- Cambridge International Examinations Cambridge International Examinations minimum 120 points on the UCAS Tariff plus meeting the CIE literacy requirements.
- All primary schooling and at least three years secondary schooling completed in the English language and while living in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland , the United Kingdom, the United States of America, or South Africa. ( For South Africa, applicants also need to provide a South African Matriculation Certificate Minimum Higher Grade D pass or Standard Level 5 in English or a South African Senior Certificate Minimum Higher Grade D pass or Standard Level 5 pass in English ).
- Six years ofsecondary and tertiaryeducation comprising secondary schooling to at least year 12 and at least two years of successful full-time tertiary education, taught in English as the primary language of instruction and through face-to-face learning and assessment such as tutorials, presentations, seminars, and supervisory meetings, and was gained while living in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland , the United Kingdom, the United States of America, or South Africa. ( For South Africa, applicants also need to provide a South African Matriculation Certificate Minimum Higher Grade D pass or Standard Level 5 in English or a South African Senior Certificate Minimum Higher Grade D pass or Standard Level 5 pass in English ).
- New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) qualification at or above level 7 Awarded a single qualification at NZQF level 7 or above which took two or more years of full-time study to complete and was taught in English as the primary language of instruction and through face-to-face learning and assessment such as tutorials, presentations, seminars, and supervisory meetings, and was gained while living in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, the United Kingdom, the United States of America, or South Africa. For South Africa, applicants also need to provide a South African Matriculation Certificate Minimum Higher Grade D pass or Standard Level 5 in English or a South African Senior Certificate Minimum Higher Grade D pass or Standard Level 5 pass in English.
- Cambridge CELTA
- Trinity CollegeCertTESOL
Or achieve an approved test outcome in one of the following test options within the past two years:
