VicStart
With VicStart, Year 12 and 13 students can take university courses while still at secondary school. Find out what’s involved, and what courses you could take.
Taking an entry-level university course (100-level) while you’re still at school can help you get a head start on your university journey. You can explore your academic interests, earn credits towards your future degree at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, and better prepare yourself for university study.
- How it works
- Eligibility
- VicStart scholarship
- Planning VicStart study
- Courses
- How to apply
- Information for school staff
How it works
VicStart is an opportunity to do a normal university course, with other first-year university students. University courses run across a ‘trimester’ which typically includes 12 weeks of lectures. As a general rule, one course requires around 10 hours per week—this could be attending lectures (online or in-person), tutorials, and labs, as well as working on assignments and preparing for exams.
VicStart runs alongside your secondary school learning programme, while you work towards meeting University Entrance.
Eligibility
You can apply for VicStart if you:
- are 16 years or older by the time your course begins
- have met the literacy and numeracy requirements for University Entrance and have a high level of achievement at NCEA Level 2
- have approval from your secondary school.
VicStart Scholarship
You may also be eligible for a VicStart Scholarship, which covers up to 40 points’ worth of course fees. When you apply for VicStart, you’ll automatically be considered for a scholarship.
To be eligible for a VicStart Scholarship, you need to:
- have NCEA Level 2 Certificate or above endorsed with Merit or Excellence and/or have a Merit course endorsement in the subject you are applying to study under VicStart
- be a domestic student
- provide evidence of support from your school to confirm that you’re capable of undertaking university-level study while still at school.
Planning VicStart study
We’ve put together a selection of courses that we think are suitable for high-school students. Some courses are available to be taken by distance, online, while others are designed to be experienced in person, on campus.
You can take up to two courses in the academic year—one course per trimester. Taking a 100-level course can give you a head start on your studies and help you decide which degree is right for you.
Timing in the school year
Our number one goal is for you to successfully achieve University Entrance, so consider your exam timetable in Term 4 and how you’ll balance your schoolwork and university assessments. We recommend getting involved in the VicStart programme in Trimester 1, which will start in your school Term 1. This way you have a sense of the workload and can make a decision on whether you would like to take another course in Trimester 2.
On campus or online
If you’re studying from outside Wellington, our online courses will be more suitable for you. For online courses, you don’t have to attend University in person—not even for tests, assessments, or end-of-trimester exams.
For Wellington based students, you can take any course—however, if you’d like more information about the in-person requirements for courses, make an appointment with one of our Future Student Advisors.
Recommended courses
ANTH 101—Foundations of Culture and Society
This course introduces students to the subject by focusing on how anthropologists understand and explain social and cultural differences.
| Online | 20 points | Offered in: Trimester 1 |
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COMP 102—Introduction to Computer Program Design
This course serves as an introduction to the foundational principles of programming utilising the high-level object-oriented programming language Java.
| On campus | 15 points | Offered in: Trimester 1, Trimester 3 |
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COMP 103—Introduction to Data Structures and Algorithms
This course focuses on the techniques for designing, building and analysing computer programs that deal with large collections of data.
| On campus | 15 points | Offered in: Trimester 2, Trimester 3 |
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CYBR 171—Cybersecurity Fundamentals
Hacker—hero or villain? Explore the world of cyber criminals, state-sponsored hackers, and commercial and government defenders.
| On campus | 15 points | Offered in: Trimester 1 |
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FHSS 103—Great Ideas
Great Ideas is a course reflecting on some of the most exciting, important and revolutionary ideas that have shaped society and culture as it is today.
| Online | 20 points | Offered in: Trimester 1, Trimester 3 |
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GEOG 114—Sustainability: People and Environment
This course brings together the social and physical sciences to help understand key environmental issues and work towards possible solutions.
| On campus | 15 points | Offered in: Trimester 1 |
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GLBL 101—Introduction to Global Studies: Collaboration in Global Contexts
Big, complex global challenges require creative and ethical interdisciplinary solutions.
| On campus | 20 points | Offered in: Trimester 1 |
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INFO 101—Introduction to Information Systems
An examination of the role of information systems in the business operations, managerial decision making and strategy of modern organisations.
| On campus | 15 points | Offered in: Trimester 2 |
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LCCM 171—The Art of Writing: Literary and Creative Communication
Even in a modern world dominated by visual and digital media, written communication remains the most essential and powerful tool in all social and professional contexts.
| On campus | 20 points | Offered in: Trimester 1 |
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MATH 161—Discrete Mathematics and Logic
Logic underlies all of mathematics. This course introduces the basic notions of logic and discusses what makes some arguments good or valid, and others invalid.
| On campus | 15 points | Offered in: Trimester 1 |
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PHYS 101—Introduction to Physics
This course is designed for students who want a university level introduction to physics. It will serve students majoring in physics without requiring prior knowledge in physics.
| Online | 15 points | Offered in: Trimester 1 |
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PHYS 142—Calculus-based Physics
This course covers topics in electrostatics and will also cover mechanics (circular and harmonic motion) and required math concepts (differential equations and integration).
| Online | 15 points | Offered in: Trimester 2 |
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PSYC 121—Foundations in Psychology 1
This course introduces core concepts in psychology with a focus on research methods, social psychology, social development, and mental health.
| On campus | 15 points | Offered in: Trimester 1 |
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SCIS 101—Your Body, Your Data, Your World: Science in Everyday Life
How does science materialise in our day to day lives? How does it interact with culture, political context, and economies?
| Online | 15 points | Offered in: Trimester 1, Trimester 3 |
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STAT 193—Statistics in Practice
Topics we will cover include data display and inference, estimation, confidence intervals and hypothesis testing, comparison of means, linear regression and correlation, and analysis of variance.
| On campus | 15 points | Offered in: Trimester 1, Trimester 2, Trimester 3 |
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Other 100-level courses
You can take any other 100-level course as part of the VicStart programme, however many courses have in-person attendance requirements. Search or browse our courses to find courses that can be completed remotely.
How to apply
We’re currently reviewing our application process for 2025. We hope to have this process confirmed by the beginning of November, and we’ll update this page when it is.
In the meantime, you can take the following steps:
- Talk to your secondary school—look through the suggested courses and talk to your careers advisor about how this could fit into your school timetable and your learning pathway.
- Let us know you’re interested, by filling out a form—the Expression of Interest form ensures our VicStart team know that you are interested in studying as part of VicStart in 2025. You can either submit this yourself or ask a staff member at your school to submit on your behalf. This step isn’t compulsory, but when you complete this form, it helps us to get back in touch with you more quickly.
If you’re interested in being part of VicStart or have specific questions around a programme of study, book a course advice appointment with one of our Future Student Advisers.
Information for schools
If you are a staff member from a school looking for information on how to support your students to apply for VicStart, submit an Expression of Interest form or get in contact with our Schools Partnership Manager, Monique Warder.