Certificate in
Foundation Studies

Duration

  • Standard: 1 year
  • Fast-Track: 8/9 months
  • Accelerated: 4/5 months

2025 intakes

14 July, 29 September

The AUT Certificate in Foundation Studies is issued by UP Education on behalf of Auckland University of Technology.

Programme delivery

Partnered with AUT, UP Education has been delivering foundation programmes for over 20 years. All teachers are trained and registered with the Teaching Council of New Zealand.

Our programmes are designed to equip students with the academic skills, English language proficiency, and cultural understanding needed to succeed at university. Students gain confidence in research, critical thinking, and assignment writing — all within a supportive learning environment.

We also place strong emphasis on student wellbeing, with dedicated staff who provide high-quality care and support for students’ academic, practical, and social needs.

Prepare to study at university

The programme is designed to help you prepare for university-level learning through:

  • Developing study skills in English, including academic reading, writing, and independent learning
  • Understanding academic integrity, such as APA referencing
  • Building presentation skills and working collaboratively through group projects
  • Strengthening critical thinking and analytical skills

Students may apply for a pathway student visa, which covers the following two courses:

  1. The AUT Certificate in Foundation Studies
  2. AUT undergraduate degree

Who is this programme for?

Students who are currently studying at New Zealand secondary school Year 12 (NCEA Level 2), or

  • Grade 11/12 (Asia), or
  • Second/third year of senior high school, or equivalent

For students who do not meet the requirements above, there is a Foundation Connect option.

AUT

Foundation

Studies graduate

“The Foundation Studies programme at UP International College New Zealand gave me the academic skills, language support, and cultural understanding I needed to confidently transition into my studies at AUT.”

Emma from Vietnam

AUT Bachelor of Design in Communication Design student

How it works

1

Check requirements

Check if you meet the academic and English language requirements for the AUT Certificate in Foundation Studies.

2

Apply

Submit your application — our team is here to support you every step of the way.

3

Receive offer

If successful, you’ll receive an offer of place and can begin preparing for your study journey in New Zealand.

Subjects

The programme includes core subjects to build academic and language skills, along with electives tailored to your intended degree.

All subjects are internally assessed through a combination of tests, assignments, projects, and presentations, with assessments benchmarked against international standards to prepare students for success in AUT’s degree programmes.

Core subjects

In this subject, students will:

  • Engage in academic discussions and improve their presentation skills
  • Develop language and research skills that are necessary for writing academic essays
  • Practise a range of strategies for reading and understanding complex academic texts
  • Develop summary and paraphrasing skills
  • Use citations and references in the APA Style
  • Practise critical thinking and independent study skills that are essential for successful university studies
  • Learn to take effective notes using a range of strategies and techniques
  • Undertake independent research

Topics include:

  • Study skills
  • Exam techniques
  • Academic listening and note-taking
  • Listening for organisation in lectures
  • Lecture comprehension and note-taking practice
  • Microsoft Word Intermediate – Advanced
  • Microsoft Excel Intermediate – Advanced
  • PowerPoint
  • Referencing (The Harvard System)
  • Research project
  • The case study (case analysis report)
  • Oral presentations

Topics include:

  • Geographical features of New Zealand
  • New Zealand social customs
  • Consumer issues in New Zealand
  • Education
  • New Zealand politics
  • Treaty of Waitangi
  • Major historical events
  • Conservation in New Zealand
  • The New Zealand legal system
  • Employment in New Zealand

Elective subjects

Students will study 4 academic elective subjects, based on their own preferences and their undergraduate requirements.

Note: Availability of subjects might change each term.

Mathematics

If you want to apply for an Engineering degree, you must do this subject. The course is about the part of mathematics in which letters and other general symbols are used to represent in formulae and equations.

If you want to apply for an Engineering degree, you must do this subject. The course looks at collecting, analysing, interpreting and presenting data.

Sciences

There are two courses, Cell Biology and Organisms Biology. The courses are about the study of  living organisms.

There are two courses, Physics Mechanics and Physics Electricity. The courses are about the sciences concerned with the nature and properties of matter and energy.

Arts

There are two courses, one about social media and one about film studies.

In this course you will develop your ideas and skills to use in an application portfolio of work for AUT’s undergraduate Art and Design and Architecture programmes.

In this course you will learn about the Design industry, the history of Design and how it affects different societies.  

In this course you will study modern New Zealand history and get to know the country you are studying and living in.

Commerce

This course looks at the behaviour of decision takers within the economy, such as individuals, households and firms.

This course looks at large-scale or general economic factors, such as interest rates and national productivity.

This course looks at the business of promoting and selling products or services.

This course looks at organisational behaviour and managing resources.

In this course you will look at the history of the industry and also about sustainability issues.

Degree progression requirements

To progress to an AUT undergraduate degree, students must:

  • Successfully complete all credits in the AUT Certificate in Foundation Studies.
  • Achieve a minimum of 55% in English I, 60% in English IIA, 65% in English IIB, and 50% in two other core subjects (totalling 60 credits).
  • Achieve 50% or higher in all optional subjects.