New Zealand Diploma in Animation (Level 5)

Graduates of this qualification will be equipped to work as:

2D Animators

2D Digital Artists

Stop-motion animation artists

Storyboarders

Animators

All applicants must submit a portfolio and attend an interview to be considered for entry. 

School Leavers

University Entrance - NCEA Level 3.  Three subjects – at Level 3, made up of 14 credits each, in three NZQA University Entrance approved subjects, and

Literacy – 10 credits at Level 2 or above, made up of five credits in reading and five credits in writing, and

Numeracy – 10 credits at Level 1 or above, made up of specified achievement standards through a range of subjects, or package of three numeracy unit standards (26623, 26626, 26627 – all three required).

Mature Applicants
Must be at least 20 years of age when the programme begins and provide evidence of aptitude or appropriate work or other experience.  

Preference will be given to those mature aged applicants who can demonstrate evidence of successful completion of a programme of study to NZQA Level 3 or higher.

Addition Criteria - Portfolio Requirements

Applicants are required to submit a portfolio of their work with their application as follows:

1. A paragraph introducing yourself and your interests in your chosen field.
2. A link or digital samples of your creative work, for example:
   a. 5-10 pieces of digital or traditional artwork, or 
   b. a short film, or animation,  or game you have worked on, or
   c. Photographs of a small garment collection or design spec sheets.
3. You may be asked to do a short interview with the programme manager or appropriate staff member.

(Please do not include any original material in your portfolio)

English Language Requirements

Applicants, whose first language is not English, or who come from a country where the language of instruction in schools is not English, are required to provide evidence of having achieved one of the following

NCEA Level 3 with University Entrance, or

an International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge A- level qualification for which the teaching and assessment was conducted in English; or

Cambridge Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CELTA),or Trinity College London Certificate in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (CertTESOL);or

Successful completion of all primary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand primary school years 1 to 8) and at least three years of secondary education (being the equivalent of three years from New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand,,Australia,Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States one of the countries listed in Rule 18.5 where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or

Successful completion of at least five years of secondary education (being the equivalent of New Zealand secondary school years 9 to 13) at schools in either New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom and the United States where the student was taught using English as the language of instruction; or

Successful completion of a Bachelor's Degree, Graduate Certificate, Graduate Diploma, Bachelor Honours degree, Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Masters' Degree or Doctoral Degree, the language of instruction of which must be in English and which must be from a tertiary education provider from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, South Africa, the United Kingdom or the United States or

Successful completion of one of the following internationally recognised proficiency tests listed below to the level required of the programme of study and with all scores achieved in a single test during the two years preceding the proposed date of enrolment

IELTS test - Academic score of 5.5 with no band score lower than 5
TOEFL Paper based test (pBT) - Score of 550 (with an essay score of 5 TWE)
TOEFL Internet based test (iBT) - Score of 46 (with a writing score of 14)
Cambridge English Examination - B2 First or B2 First for schools with a score of 162. No less than 154 in each skill
OET - Minimum of Grade C or 200 in all sub-tests
NZCEL - a) Expiring Level b) Current: a) Level 4 (General) or (Workplace) b) Level 4 (General) or (Employment)
Pearson Test of English (Academic) - PTE (Academic) score of 42 with no band score lower than 36
Language Cert - B2 Communicator International ESOL Written (LRW) HIGH PASS with no less than 25/50 in each skill and Spoken (S) PASS
Trinity ISE - ISE II with no less than merit in any band

* New versions of some NZCEL qualifications, and in some cases new qualifications, were published on 13 June 2017. These are intended to replace pre-existing versions and qualifications, which have been given expiring status until discontinued on 31 December 2019. (a) denotes expiring (b) denotes current

To satisfactorily complete the New Zealand Diploma in Animation (Level 5), and be awarded this qualification the student must successfully achieve: 

• A minimum of 120 credits in accordance with the Programme schedule for the New Zealand Diploma in Animation (Level 5).
• The student will normally be expected to complete the New Zealand Diploma in Animation (Level 5) full-time over one year or part-time over two years.

(Please Note: students failing to attend for 80% of timetabled programme hours may forfeit zero fees entitlement)

For those wishing to pursue further study, SIT offers:

• New Zealand Diploma in Animation (Level 6)
• Bachelor of Screen Arts (Animation)