study at nayland

International Curriculum Overview

Nayland College Nelson

Nayland College offers a broad and varied curriculum designed to cater for the individual needs of our international students.

Subjects include academic courses in preparation for study at university or polytechnics, general interest courses and specialist programmes such as Outdoor Education and Earth Marine Science.

Click here for more subject information 

Junior School Subjects

Year 9

All Year 9 students take the following subjects as part of their core programme:

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Health
  • Physical Education

In addition to these, students select 6 junior modules. Please click here for more Year 9 information

Year 10

All Year 10 students take the following subjects as part of their core programme: 

  • English
  • Mathematics
  • Science
  • Social Studies
  • Health
  • Physical Education

In addition to these, students select 6 junior modules. Click here for more Year 10 information.

Senior School Subjects

Multi-level learning

Nayland College embraces an effective pedagogy of multi-level learning.

Our teachers aim to:

  • design lessons at multiple levels that challenge students at their own ability.
  • support and scaffolding are put in place so students can push ahead to their own level of learning.
  • engage the multiple intelligence’s and learning styles of students so that multiple pathways for learning and demonstrating achievement are available.
  • involve students in collaborative, pair or group work where they draw on each other’s strengths.

Year 11

Students take compulsory subjects of English, Mathematics and Science, and they select another three subjects.

Year 12

Students are able to select six subjects and depending on ability and experience these subjects can be from other year levels.

Year 13

Students are required to take five subjects at any level.

Depending on subjects taken (see Nayland College Courses), as well as NCEA and Unit Standards students are able to study towards a variety of qualifications from the National Qualifications Framework. Scholarship may also be studied in some subjects at Level 3.

ESOL and Cambridge English

Intensive English is taught to students who arrive with very little English.

This course aims to bring the students’ English skills to the required standard ready for their study programmes. This class is 12 hours per week and is designed to suit the particular needs of students.

ESOL classes run at 3 different levels – elementary, pre-intermediate and intermediate. We prepare students to pass NCEA level 2 English credits that are a requirement for entrance to university. Students study unit standards and NCEA ESOL credits in their courses.

Education Outside The Classroom (EOTC) introduces international students to cultural experiences unique to Nelson and New Zealand. In a small group students get out and about using English in practical contexts and have fun!

Every second week this class spends three hours enjoying all that Nelson has to offer. You could learn to row a boat and kayak, you might pick berries and visit a farm. The opportunities are endless in this very popular programme.

Nayland College has achieved outstanding results in the Cambridge English examinations. The course is held once a week and prepares you to sit the international examination in either June or December, in Nelson. It also prepares students to sit IELTS and TOEFL examinations. There is no extra cost for this class, however, there is an examination fee.

New Zealand Education System

The New Zealand education system has been ranked number one in the world in the Prosperity Index survey of 142 countries, due to the high quality of teachers, the range of subjects taught and the balance of academic and practical teaching.

Year Levels

New Zealand children start primary school when they are five years old and attend secondary school until they are 18 or 19.

Year 9: 13/14 years old
Year 10: 14/15 years old
Year 11: 15/16 years old
Year 12: 16/17 years old
Year 13: 17/18 years old
National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA)

NCEA is a flexible and internationally well-recognised qualification, consisting of both internal assessments and external assessments to cater for different learning styles. Students sitting NCEA are assessed throughout the year with assignments, practical assessments, presentations, examinations and project work.

The NCEA exam fees ($383.30) are not included in the tuition fee and if you wish to sit our National Examinations then you will need to pay the fee. However, students are expected to participate in all assessment tasks throughout the year, expect the national examinations in November, unless they pay the fee.

To enter a University in New Zealand, students must have:

10 credits in Mathematics at level 1 or higher
5 credits at level 2 or above in Reading
5 credits in level 2 or above in Writing
14 credits in 3 approved subjects at level 3
60 Level 3 credits
20 Level 2 credits

Approved subjects at Nayland College include:

Accounting, Art History, Biology, Business Studies, Calculus, Chemistry, Computer Programming, Dance, Design Art, Design and Visual Communication (Graphic Design), Digital Media, Digital Technology, Drama, Earth and Marine Science, Economics, English, French, Geography, Health, History, Journalism, Media Studies, Music Performance, Painting, Photography, Physical Education, Physics, Printmaking, Sociology, Spanish, Statistics, Te Reo Maori, Textiles Technology.

These criteria for entering a University are the same for international students who have attended school in New Zealand as for New Zealand students.

Most other tertiary institutions, including Polytechnics at the present time will also accept students who have an IELTS pass of at least 5.5 in each Band. Some may require a higher grade.

Foundation courses are available at both University and Polytechnics as a bridging course for students who are near to meeting the requirements.

For more information on NCEA please visit the NZQA web site.

Download the free NCEA app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store, or download the PDF NCEA Guide.

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology (NMIT)

NMIT is the place for a world class education. NMIT is a NZQA Category 1 institute (the highest possible) where you can study among renowned, award-winning buildings, guided by industry-savvy tutors and the latest technologies, studying with students from around the globe – all leading to internationally respected qualifications.

Click here to find out more about NMIT

Programmes & courses:

Pathways: NZ Universities

There are eight universities in New Zealand, offering a wide range of tertiary education. All New Zealand’s universities remain among the top 3% in the world according to the QS international rankings . Nayland College maintains a strong working relationship with all Universities in New Zealand and can help facilitate the transition to tertiary study.

The 8 Universities are:

Studying in New Zealand

Each university is of excellent quality and each has strengths in research and teaching across a range of disciplines. For information on studying at each of the universities please contact the international offices of each of the universities.

To find out which universities offer subjects of interest refer to the Directory for International Students.

Admission and English Language Requirements

For information on the admission and English Language requirements, please go look at each University for their own requirements.

Scholarships for Students from Overseas

Universities New Zealand – Te Pōkai Tara does not offer any scholarships for international students.  Scholarships are available from:

  • New Zealand Aid Programme Scholarships:  New Zealand Aid Programme offers a range of scholarships for students from selected countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific.
  • Education New Zealand Scholarships:  Education New Zealand offers scholarships for PhD students who would like to study in New Zealand.  Applicants can be from any country, but must be eligible for admission to PhD study in New Zealand.
  • University scholarships:  Each university has its own scholarships available for international students. Please contact the International Office (see the Related Links) of the university you would like to study at to find out whether the university has any scholarships you are eligible for.

Student Visas and Work Rights

Generally, international students require a student visa.  For further information please refer to Studying in New Zealand.

To see if you would be able to work on your student visa visit www.nzstudywork.co.nz.

If you are able to work in New Zealand then please read some of the information on this website to find out your rights and obligations - working in New Zealand

Come join our Nayland Family

We welcome all enquiries and are very happy to assist you in making this important decision for your future.