All 8 New Zealand Universities — IELTS Requirements (2025–2026)
| University | Rank | Undergraduate | Postgraduate |
|---|---|---|---|
University of Auckland NZ8 Universities | #1 NZ | 6.0 (no band < 5.5) | 6.5 (no band < 6.0) |
Victoria University of Wellington NZ8 Universities | #2 NZ | 6.0 (no band < 5.5) | 6.5 (no band < 6.0) |
University of Canterbury NZ8 Universities | #3 NZ | 6.0 (no band < 5.5) | 6.5 (no band < 6.0) |
University of Otago NZ8 Universities | #4 NZ | 6.0 (no band < 5.5) | 6.5 (no band < 6.0) |
Massey University NZ8 Universities | #5 NZ | 6.0 (no band < 5.5) | 6.5 (no band < 6.0) |
AUT (Auckland University of Technology) NZ8 Universities | #6 NZ | 6.0 (no band < 5.5) | 6.5 (no band < 6.0) |
University of Waikato NZ8 Universities | #7 NZ | 5.5 (no band < 5.0) | 6.0 (no band < 5.5) |
Lincoln University NZ8 Universities | #8 NZ | 5.5 (no band < 5.0) | 6.0 (no band < 5.5) |
Tips for New Zealand University IELTS Requirements
New Zealand has 8 state universities — all are part of the NZ8 group.
NZ student visa requires IELTS 5.5 minimum; university admission requires 6.0–6.5.
NZ universities are generally more accessible than Australian equivalents for IELTS requirements.
University of Auckland and Victoria Wellington are the most prestigious and have higher requirements.
Medicine at University of Otago requires 7.0 — one of the highest requirements in NZ.
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