Programme requirements and approval
All providers of teacher education programmes in New Zealand must meet specific requirements set out and managed by the Teaching Council.
Programme requirements
Important note: All current ITE programmes must be approved by the Teaching Council under the new requirements no later than 1 January 2022.
Download a digital copy of the new ITE Programme Approval, Monitoring and Review Requirements
The new Requirements outline what is necessary for programme approval, monitoring and review. They represent a significant shift in the way teacher education programmes will be designed and delivered and how student teachers are assessed.
They are primarily outcome-focused with provider discretion where appropriate, and seek to give schools, centre and kura greater assurance that ITE graduates are well prepared to be effective beginning teachers from day one on the job. The new Requirements change the expectation around the kind of practical experience student teachers need, the nature of the coaching and support and the kind of assessments that will demonstrate they meet the Standards | Ngā Paerewa (in a supported environment).
Applying for approval
The new online ITE portal allows providers to submit new programme applications in a secure environment. You can also edit contact and provider information, submit student exemptions and track the progress of applications.
The basic steps for applying for approval of your programme are below, please contact your Teaching Council Lead Advisor for more detailed instructions and use the ITE provider toolkit for guidance when applying.
Please note that your appointed Teaching Council Lead Advisor should be involved at each of these critical steps, as should NZQA evaluators in the case of PTE’s, wānanga, and polytechnic applications.
- Early programme design – formulating a conceptual framework towards initial teacher education and working with partners towards a shared sense of programme needs.
- Advanced programme design – programme partners consulted on aspects such as programme assessment, content, delivery and entry.
- Programme documentation submission - all documentation submitted to Council (and NZQA for NZQA co-approved providers) through the Council ITE portal. Teaching Council (and NZQA) staff perform desktop analysis of documentation.
- (On basis that documentation is sufficient) In cooperation with the provider, a panel of teaching professionals is convened to evaluate the application. This panel is usually convened on the providers campus, but in certain circumstances may be convened online.
- Panel gives a recommendation to Teaching Council (and NZQA where necessary) whether to approve, approve with conditions or decline the application.
Current ITE Programmes leading to Teacher Registration in Aotearoa New Zealand
Provider |
Programme Title |
Auckland University of Technology |
Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching) Bachelor of Education (Pacific Early Childhood Teaching)* Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) Bachelor of Education (Pacific Primary Teaching) Graduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning (Early Childhood) Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning (Primary) Master of Teaching and Learning (Early Childhood) Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary) |
Bethlehem Tertiary Institute |
Bachelor of Education (Teaching) ECE Bachelor of Education (Teaching) Primary Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Secondary) |
Eastern Institute of Technology |
Bachelor of Education (Primary) Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) |
ICL Graduate Business School |
Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education |
Laidlaw College |
Bachelor of Education (Primary) Graduate Diploma in Education (Secondary) |
Manukau Institute of Technology |
Bachelor of Education (Primary Pacific) Bachelor of Education (Early Childhood Teaching) |
Massey University |
Te Aho Tātairangi Bachelor of Teaching and Learning Kura Kaupapa Māori (Primary) Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching (ECE) Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching (Primary) Graduate Diploma of Learning and Teaching (Secondary) Te Aho Paerewa Postgraduate Diploma Teaching MM (Primary) |
New Zealand Graduate School of Education |
Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary) Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) |
New Zealand Tertiary College |
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education) |
Open Polytechnic |
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) Bachelor of Teaching (Primary Education) Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education)* Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary Education) Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary Education) Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary Technology Education) |
Teach First NZ: Ako Mātātupu |
Postgraduate Diploma in Secondary Teaching |
Te Pū Wānanga o Anamata |
Tohu Ako Paetahi: Ma te Reo (Bachelor of Teaching (Māori) (Primary) |
Te Rito Maioha |
Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) Graduate Diploma of Early Childhood Education Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Primary) Pōkairua Paetahi (Kura Tuatahi) |
Te Wānanga o Aotearoa |
He Korowai Ākonga | Bachelor of Education (Primary Teaching) |
Te Wānanga o Raukawa |
Poutuarongo Whakaakoranga Kōhungahunga (Bachelor of Teaching ECE) Poutuarongo Whakaakoranga (Bachelor of Teaching) (Maori Medium) Taught in Te Reo Maori (Primary, L7) Poutuarongo Whakaakoranga Wharekura (PWW) Undergraduate Bachelor Degree Wharekura EBITE Poutuarongo Te Rangakura Bilingual (Bachelor of Teaching bilingual) (Primary) Poutahu Whakaakoranga Akorau (Postgraduate Diploma in blended Teaching and Learning) (L8) (any sector) |
Te Wānanga Takiura o Ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori o Aotearoa |
Te Tohu Paetahi Ako Manukura ā Iwi o Aotearoa | (Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) EBITE Te Tohu Paetahi Ako o ngā Kura Kaupapa Māori (Primary) |
Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi |
Te Tohu Paetahi Ako: Bachelor of Education (Teaching) |
Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology |
Te Tohu Paetahi Whakaako Kōhungahunga: Bachelor of Teaching Early Childhood Education Tohu Paerua o te Whakaako i te Mātauranga Kōhungahunga: Master of Teaching Early Childhood Education |
UNITEC |
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) |
Universal College of Learning (UCOL) |
Te Tohu Paetahi Akoranga Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) |
University of Auckland |
Bachelor of Education (Teaching) (Early Childhood Education) Bachelor of Education (Teaching) (Primary) Bachelor of Education (Teaching) (Huarahi Māori) Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education) Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary) Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary) |
University of Canterbury |
Bachelor of Teaching: Mātauranga Māori* Bachelor of Teaching: Early Childhood Education Bachelor of Teaching: Primary Education* Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning with endorsements in Early Childhood, Primary and Secondary Education Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning with endorsements in Primary and Secondary Education Master of Teaching and Learning with endorsements in Primary and Secondary |
University of Otago |
Bachelor of Teaching (BTchg) - Early Childhood Education Bachelor of Teaching (BTchg) - Primary Education Bachelor of Teaching (BTchg) - Te Pōkai Mātauranga o te Ao Rua (Primary Bicultural Education) Master of Teaching and Learning (MTchgLn) - Early Childhood Education Master of Teaching and Learning (MTchgLn) - Primary Education Master of Teaching and Learning (MTchgLn) - Secondary Education |
University of Waikato |
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) Bachelor of Teaching (Primary) Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Early Childhood Education) Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary Education) Graduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary Education) Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching (Primary Education) Postgraduate Diploma in Teaching (Secondary Education) Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary Education) Master of Teaching and Learning (Secondary Education)* Te Ara Poutama Toitū Te Reo Kōhungahunga (TTR) Undergraduate Bachelor Degree ECE Te Ara Poutama Toitū Te Reo Kura Tuatahi (TTR) Undergraduate Bachelor Degree Primary Te Ara Poutama Toitū Te Reo Kura Tuatahi Kaupapa Motuhake (TTR/APXX) Undergraduate Bachelor Degree/Specialism subject Primary Te Ara Poutama Toitū Te Reo Wharekura Kaupapa Motuhake (TTR/APXX) Undergraduate Bachelor Degree/Specialism subject Secondary Te Ara Hou Te Ahikāroa (TA) Graduate Diploma |
Victoria University of Wellington |
Bachelor of Teaching (Early Childhood Education) Graduate Diploma of Teaching (Early Childhood, Primary, Secondary) Master of Teaching and Learning (Primary and Secondary) |
Wintec |
Te Paetahi Akoranga Bachelor of Teaching (ECE) |
This is a list of all available Initial Teacher Education programmes leading to Teacher Registration in New Zealand. ITE providers are fully accredited to offer these qualifications. For more information such as entry criteria, study dates and applications, please contact the relevant ITE provider. Please refer to Teach NZ website for information about studying to be a teacher. This includes information about how to get qualified, choose the right course, get financial support, and studying while employed as a trainee teacher.
*Approved under 2019 ITE requirements but not currently on offer. Will be offered at a later date.