Step 1: Submit your application form
Complete the online application, selecting your preferred programme track and term. Include your most recent school report if available — it helps us understand your current academic context.
Admissions
Who is Aucklandcore for — and what does the application involve?
Our admissions process is designed to place each student in the right programme at the right time, not simply to fill spaces.
How the admissions process works
Applications to Aucklandcore open four weeks before each term. All applicants complete a short written diagnostic — typically a 400-word piece of analytical writing and, for the STEM Track, a set of six mathematical problems. These diagnostics are not graded as pass or fail: they are read by a faculty member who uses them to determine whether the applicant is currently suited to the programme they have nominated, or whether a different track would serve them better. You will receive a written recommendation within five working days of submitting your diagnostic. There are no interviews for Level 1 or Level 2. The Level 3 Pre-Tertiary programme includes a brief 20-minute conversation with a faculty member, conducted in-person at the Wellington campus or via video call.
Steps in the admissions process
Step 2: Complete the written diagnostic
Write a 400-word analysis of a provided text (or complete a STEM problem set if applying to the STEM Track). This takes approximately 45 minutes and can be completed at home and submitted by email.
Step 3: Receive your placement recommendation
A faculty member reviews your diagnostic and sends a written recommendation within five working days. This recommendation specifies the programme track and, if relevant, any preparatory steps before enrolment.
Step 4: Confirm your enrolment
Once you accept the recommendation, you will receive an enrolment confirmation with your cohort timetable, required materials list, and first-day instructions. Fees are payable within five working days of confirmation.
Admissions questions we hear most often
Is there a minimum school performance requirement to apply?
There is no formal grade threshold. However, students who are significantly below Merit level in their school subjects are unlikely to benefit from our programmes without additional support we are not currently resourced to provide. We will say this clearly in our placement recommendation rather than simply enrolling a student and allowing them to struggle.
Can a parent or guardian apply on behalf of a student?
Yes, for students under 16. For students aged 16 and over, we expect the student themselves to complete and sign the application, though parents and guardians are welcome to be present at the Level 3 faculty conversation.
Are fees refundable if a student withdraws?
Fees are refundable in full if a student withdraws before the second scheduled class of the term. After that point, no refund is available — however, a student who withdraws for documented medical reasons before the midpoint of the term may apply for a credit toward a future term.
Begin the process today
Applications for the upcoming term are open now. Diagnostic submissions take approximately 45 minutes and can be completed from home.
Apply now