Bachelor of Teaching (ECE)

Our Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) is designed to equip you with the knowledge and practical skills required to achieve success as an early childhood teacher.

This three-year undergraduate programme will develop your understanding of young children’s learning and development, the early childhood curriculum, and the role it plays in supporting professional teaching practice in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Graduates develop valued expertise in bicultural teaching and learning as well as the ability to embrace te reo me ōna tikanga Māori and the cultural identities of all tamariki in their care.

Note: International students are required to be in New Zealand to study this programme.

Teacher Registration Pathway

Upon completing this program, students will be eligible to apply for Teacher Registration and a Practicing Certificate from the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

• Full-time or part-time
• Online
• Field-based
• Practicum

This programme can be studied from anywhere in New Zealand. It is delivered through a blend of online learning and field-based learning.

Throughout this programme, you will put your online learning abilities to the test, gain real-time experience by working or volunteering two days a week at an ECE centre in your local community and complete 13 weeks of practicum placement.

There will also be a 2-day noho marae experience each year. This will prepare you to become a qualified, registered ECE kaiako in your community.

You will be supported during your studies by our passionate and committed lecturers and pouako, further in-person support is available for you at any one of our 11 Regional Education Centres.

Assessment

This programme is assessed by internal assessment and online conversation participation. Assessments are varied and include essays, reports, PowerPoint presentations, multimedia presentations and other assessment types.

To be eligible for programme admission, you must:

• Be at least 17 years of age if you are a domestic student; or 18 years of age if you are an international student.

• Provide 2 written confidential referee reports.
  Reports from family members or friends will not be accepted.

• Complete and pass a Children’s Worker Safety Check as required under the Children’s Act 2014.

• Consent to and pass a Police Vetting check as required by the Children’s Act 2014.

• Show proficiency in English as per the Teaching Council’s language competency requirements.
  See: Language competency Requirements
  Applicants applying for the Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programmes and teacher registration can now use primary, secondary and tertiary schooling completed while living in the Pacific region, as evidence for demonstrating English language competency. 
  See: English Language Competency Pathway (ELCP) for Tagata o le Moana | Pacific Peoples

• Meet the minimum requirements to study at the tertiary level in New Zealand.
  We accept either:

  • Awarded University Entrance qualifications (or overseas equivalent), including the literacy and numeracy standards needed to go from school studies to New Zealand university studies.
    Visit: University entrance

  • Skills gained through sufficient work and voluntary experiences or other learnings.

• Arrange to work or volunteer at a licensed early childhood centre, supervised by a registered teacher with a full practising certificate, for a period of at least:
  • 12 hours a week; or
  • 6 hours a week if you are studying part-time

What is a verified copy?
A verified copy is a photocopy of your original document signed as being a true and accurate copy by a Justice of the Peace (JP), solicitor, church minister, kaumātua, police officer, school principal, Member of Parliament or Te Rito Maioha teaching staff member. You can find a list of Justices of the Peace in the Yellow Pages of the telephone book or at Royal Federation of NZ Justices’ Associations

Documents required to submit an application

1. Primary ID
You must supply a verified copy of one of the documents below:

• New Zealand Birth Certificate issued on or after 1 January 1998 carrying a unique identification number
• New Zealand Passport
• Overseas passport (must include relevant visa/residency permit)
• New Zealand Emergency travel document
• New Zealand refugee travel document
• New Zealand certificate of identity (issued under the Passports Act 1992 to non-NZ citizens who cannot obtain a passport from their country of origin)
• New Zealand certificate of identity (issued under the Immigration Act 1987 to people who have refugee status)
• New Zealand citizenship certificate

2. Secondary ID
You must supply a verified copy of one of the documents below:

• New Zealand Driver’s licence
• 18+ Card
• Community services card
• NZ student photo identification card – from another tertiary institution
• NZ employee photo identification card
• NZ electoral roll record
• Inland revenue number
• NZ utility bill, issued not more than six months earlier.

This programme consists of 9 (30-credit) courses and 6 (15-credit) courses.

In the first year, you will study 5 courses:

In the second and third years of the programme some of these courses and their themes are explored in more detail along with some new level 7 courses.

Fees cover all tuition costs, student guides, readings and Noho Marae.

All fees shown are for domestic students studying in 2026*:

Fees may be subject to late payment fees after the due date.

Enrolling as an international student, you will be subject to international fees.

Kahurangi Scholarship

Our scholarship aims to reduce barriers and help you to achieve your full qualification.

The Kahurangi Scholarship will cover your course fees for the full duration of the Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) programme.

Discover other scholarships, grants and loans to finance your studies