To gain entry in the Competitive Graduates category, applicants must have completed, in the minimum academic time and within three years of the date of application, the requirements of a first degree awarded by a university in New Zealand at an academic level to be determined by the Admissions Committees from year to year. All other applicants who have completed a degree and do not meet the above requirements are considered under the Alternative category (Dentistry, Medical Laboratory Science, Pharmacy, Physiotherapy) or the Other category (Medicine).
All applicants in the Competitive Graduates category are ranked on the basis of a score derived from the grades achieved in their first degree. Applicants who have completed an honours degree immediately following a first degree will have their honours grades included in the calculation.
The score for candidates from each university in New Zealand is calculated from a numerical value assigned to the grades scored. This numerical value is then multiplied by the point value of the paper and by a university factor that compensates for differences between universities in their degree structures. Scoring is based on the best 126 points (equivalent to Otago) in each year of study.
It is to an applicant's advantage to ensure that each year of study is at least equal to an Otago 126-point course. A weighting factor is applied for each year of university study.
The weighting factors for a three-year degree see the first year score multiplied by 0.5, the second year score by 1.0 and the third year score by 1.5.
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