Entry Requirements (International)

The following prerequisites are the minimum entry requirements applicable to International students wishing to study towards the NZ Diploma in Aviation - General Aviation (Level 5), Flight Instruction (Level 6) or Airline Preparation (Level 6) strands:

  • There are no academic entry requirements for a Private Pilot Licence Course. English as a second language students must have a minimum overall IELTS score of 5.5, and no subpart below 5.0 to hold a NZ CAA PPL licence.


English Level

  • Achieved NCEA level 3 and has met New Zealand university entrance requirements; or,
  • Been awarded an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A-level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English; or
  • Been awarded the Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA) or the Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL); or,
  • Achieved, within the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment, one of the internationally recognised proficiency test outcomes specified in the attached table, for the level of the programme in which the student is enrolling.

Alternative Prior Schooling English Level Equivalence

  • Prior schooling completed in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States, taught using English as the language of instruction, may be used as alternative equivalence, provided the completion of one of the following:
    • All primary education (equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13); or,
    • A minimum of five years of secondary education (equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13); or,
    • A Bachelor’s degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours Degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Master’s Degree or Doctoral Degree.
  • Pacific students who have been granted a New Zealand Short Term Training Scholarship funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, may use prior schooling taught using English as the language of instruction, as equivalence, provided completion of one of the following:
    • All primary education (equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13); or,
    • A minimum of five years of secondary education (equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13).

Aviation Experience

Some experience of being around aircraft, or provides evidence of self-motivated efforts to educate themselves about aircraft and the profession of being a pilot.

Cognitive Capacity

  • NCEA Level 3 Certificate (completed in the final year of High School, Year 13 in New Zealand), or equivalent. For overseas equivalency please see the attached Academic Entry Requirement Guidelines under Undergraduate Degree, or,
  • A pass in all CAANZ PPL subjects

NZ Diploma in Aviation - Airline Preparation Strand (additional requirements for this Diploma only)

  • at least 14 Level 3 credits in an English-rich subject (English, History, Art, Geography, Biology, Classics, Art History, Journalism, Media Studies, Religious Studies, Physical Education), and at least 14 Level 3 credits in a numbers-orientated subject (Calculus, Statistics, Chemistry, Accounting, Economics)

Appropriate Level of Health:

A CAANZ Medical Certificate Class 1. Applicants who are advised they have successfully completed the selection process must present their Class 1 medical to the flight training organisation before they commence training.

Fit and Proper Person:

The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand requires all prospective licence holders to meet a Fit and Proper Person Assessment prior to licence issue. You are therefore required to provide both criminal conviction and transport offence history on application for a New Zealand licence. This information will need to be obtained from the country or countries which you have spent more than six months in within the last five years.

An up to date Criminal Conviction Report and Traffic Offence Report from each country that you have lived in for more than six months in the last 5 years.

ADAPT© Pre-screening Assessment:

Students must achieve a Medium, Above Average or High result in the online ADAPT© Pre-screening Online Assessment to be considered for enrolment. The cost of this test is NZD$100 plus GST ($115.00) and must be completed prior to enrolment. To complete this assessment or for more information go to: www.nzskillsconnect.co.nz.

  • All applicants must prove competence in spoken and written English. Candidates who are unable to prove an adequate level of English during the selection process will not be successful.
  • In the event the successful applicant does not hold a Class 1 medical by their nominated course commencement date, they may transfer their enrolment to the next available course. Such a transfer of enrolment may occur more than once provided that the student is able to commence training within a period not greater than 180 days from the completion of the selection process. If the period will exceed 180 days, the applicant must re-sit the entire application process.
  • Applicants will be made aware that a conviction for drunk driving (or other serious offence or serial offending) while on the course breaches the fit and proper person criteria, and their training will be terminated.