About Ara
The Ara Institute of Canterbury is the largest vocational training facility in New Zealand's South Island. It is a thriving, active, and government-funded tertiary institution that provides world-class university education throughout the Canterbury and Waitaki districts. It was founded in 2016 when education providers CPIT and Aoraki Polytechnic merged, bringing together two prestigious associations with over 200 years of combined expertise and accomplishment.
The professional personnel, innovative corporate partners, and committed community partners are enthusiastic about their role in students' achievement. The organisation as a whole is dedicated on providing each student with the business-related information, skills, and experience they need to get the job they want and to perform well in it. Its learning models and course content are updated on a regular basis to keep up with industry changes.
Ara offers a growing number of workplace training opportunities, internships, apprenticeships, and industry partnerships to ensure that students get real-world experience. It also provides an expanding range of online, mixed delivery, and part-time programmes to meet the need for flexible learning alternatives. The Ara Institute of Canterbury has six locations across the South Island. It offers certifications, diplomas, degrees, and graduate qualifications that are nationally recognised and remarkable.
The practical, hands-on training takes place in a welcoming, friendly setting. When students graduate from Ara, they will be job-ready in their chosen industry or career, with the skills that businesses require. The Ara Institute of Canterbury is successfully seeking out and using new innovative technology in the classroom. Simulations, iPhones, virtual reality technologies, and software provide students an advantage in their study. Ara follows the New Zealand Qualifications Authority's (NZQA) Education (Pastoral Care of International Students) Code of Practice 2016.
Why study with Ara?
Ara is a government-owned, NZQA category 1 institution with campuses in Christchurch, Timaru, Ashburton, and Oamaru. Every year, we enrol 17,000 students, including 1800 overseas students.
We offer:
- Degrees and postgraduate qualifications in a wide range of topics that are internationally recognised.
- Tutors with years of practical expertise and connections in the industry.
- Class sizes are kept small (you will get to know your tutors and they will get to know you).
- Employers are looking for certain skills (you will be work-ready upon graduation).
- Opportunities for work placement that will prepare you for the reality of the job.
Christchurch - City Campus
The City campus is Ara's largest campus, located on the outskirts of Christchurch's central business district. It provides a wide range of programmes and services for students, including a health centre, gym, indoor sports courts, library, and various eateries. The City campus is adjacent to supermarkets, stores, cafes, entertainment venues, parks, sports, and amenities, and is well-served by public transportation.
Christchurch - Woolston Campus
The Woolston campus, located in the city's east end, is dedicated to trades education. Workshops, classrooms, and equipment are all up to industry standards. On-site student amenities and services are also available.
Ashburton Campus
The Ashburton campus lies west of the town centre, close to the town's shopping district, supermarkets, department shops, and recreational amenities. Ashburton is a bustling rural town around an hour south of Christchurch, and it's a fantastic place for recreational interests, with ski fields, lakes, and reserves all within easy driving distance.
Oamaru Campus
The Oamaru campus is one block east of Oamaru's major shopping district on Humber Street. Supermarkets, retail stores, coffee shops, and Oamaru's famous heritage precinct are all within easy walking distance.
Timaru Campus
Timaru is Ara's largest South Canterbury campus, located close to the city centre. It features state-of-the-art facilities and offers a wide range of services to students. Timaru is home to a diverse range of leisure, cultural, athletic, and adventure activities.
Why Ara Institute of Canterbury?
- The Ara Institute of Canterbury is New Zealand's largest vocational training institute, providing practical, hands-on training and education in a supportive and inviting environment.
- Ara Institute of Canterbury, founded in 1906, has an average class size of 20 pupils.
Ara Institute of Canterbury English Language Requirments
| Internationally recognised proficiency tests | Programme Level and required outcome | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate at Level 3 | Certificate at Level 4 | Certificate or Diploma at Level 5 | Certificate or Diploma at Level 6 Diploma or degree at Level 7 Graduate Certificate or Diploma at Level 7 |
Post-graduate Diploma or Post-graduate Certificate at Level 8 Bachelor Honours Degree at Level 8 Master’s Degree at Level 9 Doctoral Degree at Level 10 |
|
| IELTS test | General or Academic score of 5 with no band score lower than 5 | General or Academic score of 5.5 with no band score lower than 5 | Academic score of 5.5 with no band score lower than 5 | Academic score of 6 with no band score lower than 5.5 | Academic score of 6.5 with no band score lower than 6 |
| TOEFL Paper-based Test (pBT) where the test was carried out prior to 1 October 2017 | Score of 500 (with an essay score of 4 TWE) | Score of 530 (with an essay score of 4.5 TWE) | Score of 550 (with an essay score of 5 TWE) | Score of 550 (with an essay score of 5 TWE) | Score of 590 (with an essay score 5.5 TWE) |
| TOEFL Internet-based test (iBT) | Score of 35 (with a writing score of 14) | Score of 46 (with a writing score of 14) | Score of 46 (with a writing score of 14) | Score of 60 (with a writing score of 18) | Score of 79 (with a writing score of 21) |
| Cambridge English Qualifications | B2 First or B2 First for Schools with a score of 154. No less than 154 in each skill; | B2 First or B2 First for schools with a score of 162. No less than 154 in each skill; | B2 First or B2 First for schools with a score of 162. No less than 154 in each skill; | B2 First, or B2 First for schools, or C1 Advanced, or C2 Proficiency with a score of 169. No less than 162 in each skill; | C1 Advanced or C2 Proficiency with a score of 176. No less than 169 in each skill; |
| OET | Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests | Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests | Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests | Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests | Minimum of Grade C+ or 300 in all sub-tests |
| NZCEL a) Expiring b) Current |
a) Level 3 (General) or (Workplace) b) Level 3 (General) |
a) Level 3 (Academic) b) Level 3 (Applied) |
a) Level 4 (General) or (Workplace) b) Level 4 (General) or (Employment) |
a) Level 4 (Academic) b) Level 4 (Academic) |
a) Level 5 (Academic) or (Professional) b) Level 5 |
| Pearson Test of English (Academic) | PTE (Academic) score of 36 with no band score lower than 36 | PTE (Academic) score of 42 with no band score lower than 36 | PTE (Academic) score of 42 with no band score lower than 36 | PTE (Academic) score of 50 with no band score lower than 42 | PTE (Academic) score of 58 with no band score lower than 50 |
| LanguageCert | B1 Achiever IESOL (LRWS) with PASS and no less than Pass in each skill | B2 Communicator IESOL (LRWS) with PASS and no less than Pass in each skill | B2 Communicator IESOL (LRWS) with HIGH PASS and no less than Pass in each skill | C1 Expert IESOL (LRWS) with PASS and no less than Pass in each skill | C1 Expert IESOL (LRWS) with HIGH PASS and no less than Pass in each skill or C2 Mastery IESOL (LRWS) with PASS and no less than Pass in each skill |
| Trinity ISE | ISE I with no less than distinction in any band | ISE II with no less than pass in any band | ISE II with no less than merit in any band | ISE II with no less than distinction in any band | ISE III with no less than pass in any band |
