Dunedin, New Zealand
New Zealand's oldest university, and home to the country's oldest medical and dental schools.
Otago, founded in 1869, is New Zealand's oldest university and holds the country's oldest medical school, based in Dunedin — a compact university town where the university is genuinely central to city life. It also has New Zealand's oldest dental school.
Submit a free enquiry and Tutopiya's admissions team will guide you through your application to Otago — personal statement, interview prep and deadlines — at no cost, no obligation. Application fees are typically waived through our university partnerships.
AAB (A Level) · IB 33
High tier · indicative for the flagship courses below — always verify per-course requirements directly with the university.
NZ$35,000–NZ$45,000/yr
high tier for New Zealand — figures are typical ranges, not this specific university's published fee.
English
campus campus, Dunedin
Informational only — scholarship amounts, deadlines and even which schemes are running change often (sometimes per intake), so treat this as a starting point, not a guarantee. Always confirm current details directly with the scholarship provider or Otago's financial aid office.
New Zealand universities commonly offer international excellence scholarships tied to entry grades, alongside a small number of government-funded scholarships mostly aimed at postgraduate or partner-country applicants.
Want help figuring out which of these you'd actually qualify for? Talk to a free Tutopiya counsellor.
Medicine
⏱️ Typical duration: 5–6 years where entered straight from school (UK, Ireland, Australia, NZ, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong); typically a 4-year postgraduate MD entered after a Bachelor's (US, Canada)
Typical entry: Requires Chemistry + Biology · UCAT ANZ · Interview (MMI, most universities)
Dentistry
⏱️ Typical duration: 5 years where entered straight from school; typically a 4-year postgraduate DDS/DMD entered after a Bachelor's (US, Canada)
Typical entry: Requires Chemistry + Biology · UCAT ANZ (Otago is New Zealand's only dental school)
Health Sciences
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years
Typical entry: Requires two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths
Natural Sciences
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years
Typical entry: Requires two of Biology, Chemistry, Physics or Maths
Business
⏱️ Typical duration: 3 years
Typical entry: Mathematics helps but usually isn't required recommended
Durations are typical for New Zealand — always confirm the exact length (including any placement or integrated Master's year) on the course's own page before applying.
Not sure which course fits your grades and interests? Run the full shortlist builder →
IELTS: 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0)
Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.
Enter your grades and budget in the free New Zealand University Shortlist Builder to see whether Otago is a reach, target or safety for you — alongside every other New Zealand university that matches.
Build my New Zealand shortlist →Quick answers about grades, tuition, deadlines and applying to Otago as an international IGCSE / A Level / IB student.
As a typical benchmark for international entry, Otago expects around AAB at A Level or 33 points on the IB Diploma. This is indicative for Otago's flagship courses — competitive subjects like Medicine and Law usually sit above this baseline, and the exact requirement varies by course, so always confirm the specific figure on Otago's own admissions page before applying.
International tuition at Otago typically falls in the NZ$35,000–NZ$45,000/yr range (high tier for New Zealand). This is a typical range for the university's tuition tier, not Otago's specific published fee for every course — confirm the exact figure for your intended programme directly with the university.
Otago follows New Zealand's typical intake calendar: February (Semester 1), July (Semester 2), with applications generally due early december for the february intake. Always verify the exact date on Otago's own admissions page, since deadlines can shift year to year.
New Zealand universities, including Otago, typically ask international applicants for 6.5 overall (no band below 6.0). Most universities waive this requirement if you've completed 2+ years of English-medium schooling (e.g. IGCSE / A Level / IB) — always confirm the specific university's waiver policy before booking a test.
New Zealand's oldest university, and home to the country's oldest medical and dental schools. Otago, founded in 1869, is New Zealand's oldest university and holds the country's oldest medical school, based in Dunedin — a compact university town where the university is genuinely central to city life. It also has New Zealand's oldest dental school.
Yes — Otago accepts applicants from IGCSE-to-A-Level, IGCSE-to-IB-Diploma, and directly from the IB Diploma. Tutopiya's free New Zealand University Shortlist Builder matches your predicted or actual grades against Otago and every other New Zealand university we track, tagging each as reach, target or safety.
Need help applying to Otago? Get free application support.