New Zealand Diploma in Early Childhood Education and Care

This Level 5 programme is designed for carers, untrained teachers | kaiako, parents, nannies and other interested educators wanting to improve their practice and knowledge in early childhood education and care. It provides a strong foundation in child well-being, early learning and development in the bicultural context of Aotearoa New Zealand.

This field-based Diploma offers opportunities for putting your new learning into practice and to work alongside experienced kaiako as you study.

You will gain deeper understanding and confidence as an educator to enrich your practice with infants, toddlers and young tamariki and their whānau.

All five courses may be credited towards the first year of the Bachelor of Teaching (ECE), providing you with a seamless pathway into further study toward a teaching qualification.

Teacher Registration Pathway

This programme does not qualify students for Teacher Registration and a Practicing Certificate from the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand.

• Full-time or Part-time
• Online
• Field-based

The programme is a one-year full-time diploma. You may also study part-time over a longer period of time. This programme blends online learning with practical experience in early childhood centres. You will be supported during your studies by responsive lecturers and pouako, and may access in-person support at any of our 11 Regional Education Centres.

You will study three 30-credit courses and two 15-credit courses to complete the programme.

Full-time study will involve:

• approximately seven hours a week of online learning and engagement, approximately 15 hours a week of independent study and 12 hours a week in a licensed early childhood centre (your home centre) supervised by a registered and certificated teacher.

• Four weeks of teaching practicum in an early childhood centre other than your home centre.

• An orientation day and a two-day, one-night noho marae.

To be eligible for programme admission, you must:

• be at least 17 years old (or 18 years old if you are an international student)

• have NCEA Level 3, including 10 literacy credits at Level 2 and 10 numeracy credits at Level 1; or have equivalent experience or learning sufficient to study in the programme, sufficient skills and ability may be gained through work or voluntary experience or other learning.

• show that you have arranged to be working or volunteering with children in a licensed early childhood centre supervised by a registered teacher with a full practising certificate (Category One or Two), for:
  • at least 12 hours a week; or
  • at least 6 hours a week if you are studying part-time
    
    

• provide two confidential written referee reports (not from a family member or friend)

• pass a children’s worker safety check and police vetting required under the Children’s Act 2014

• show proficiency in English if you do not have New Zealand permanent residency and English or te reo Māori are not your first languages. The minimum requirement is Academic IELTS 5.5 with no band score lower than 5, or Academic PTE 42 with no band less than 36.

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 5 courses that can be studied full-time over one year or part-time over two years:

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

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

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