About Ara Institute of Canterbury
Ara Institute of Canterbury is a New Zealand polytechnic formed in 2016 through the merger of CPIT (Christchurch Polytechnic Institute of Technology) and Aoraki Polytechnic. Both predecessor institutions had operated for approximately 100 years before the merger, with CPIT based in Christchurch and Aoraki Polytechnic serving South Canterbury from its Timaru campus.
The institution's roots trace to the early 1900s. Evening technical classes began in Timaru in 1901 and in Christchurch in 1902, initially covering subjects such as arithmetic, drawing, and apprentice trades training. Over the following decades both organisations expanded their offerings to include nursing, business studies, languages, and degree-level programmes. The first degree programmes — a Bachelor in Japanese Language and a Bachelor in Broadcasting — were introduced in 1993.
Ara offers vocational and tertiary education across campuses in Christchurch and Timaru. Its programme mix includes apprenticeships, workplace training, internships, online, blended, and part-time study options, reflecting its historical focus on accessible vocational education aligned with regional and industry needs.
Research at Ara Institute of Canterbury
Ara's Research Office supports applied research and knowledge transfer across the institution, with a stated focus on the Canterbury region. Research is carried out primarily by degree teaching staff and is categorised as either applied research or creative endeavour.
The Research Office's stated functions include:
- Supporting applied research and postgraduate research
- Providing research and knowledge transfer services to private and public sector organisations
- Supporting industry with emergent research
- Contributing to research globally
Research at Ara is assessed by the Tertiary Education Commission, which provides funding. Staff are also encouraged to apply to external research funding organisations. Research outcomes are disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, trade publications, conferences, exhibitions, and performance.
Ara publishes annual Research Outputs reports, with records available from 2007–2008 through to 2023. A separate publication series, Research Korero, covers individual and team research and is available for 2019, 2020, and 2021.
Studying at Ara Institute of Canterbury
Ara Institute of Canterbury offers study across a range of health and social services subjects, including nursing, midwifery, medical imaging, and osteopathy. Health programmes are delivered at the Manawa Campus in Christchurch, which includes purpose-built facilities such as a simulation centre, a mock apartment for home visit conditions, programmable manikins, and clinical equipment.
Health placements are conducted in collaboration with agencies including Canterbury District Health Board, South Canterbury District Health Board, West Coast District Health Board, Nurse Maude, private hospitals, and community organisations.
Ara also offers short courses on a part-time basis across a range of areas. Named options include electrical industry training and registration preparation, English language, literacy, barista skills, furniture making, te reo Māori, Samoan language, host responsibility, and a suite of personal development courses delivered through the Next Step Centre for Women.
Some short courses are offered free of charge, including an introductory te reo Māori course and a literacy course for employment or further study.
Address
Where Ara Institute of Canterbury is based, taken directly from the Ministry of Education's own address record for this provider.
Approximate location, estimated from the provider's address via OpenStreetMap — not an official Ministry-verified coordinate. View larger map →
- Street130 Madras Street
- SuburbChristchurch
- CityChristchurch
- Postcode8140
- Territorial authorityChristchurch City
- RegionCanterbury Region
Contact Ara Institute of Canterbury
Find the published contact details for Ara Institute of Canterbury, including its phone number, website and other available contact information.
- Phone03-9408000
- Websitewww.ara.ac.nz
Contact details combine official Ministry of Education records with information published on Ara Institute of Canterbury's own website, reviewed by the KuraData team on 10 September 2026.
Other institutes of technology & polytechnics in New Zealand
-
Eastern Institute of Technology Taradale
-
Northtec Whangarei
-
Otago Polytechnic Dunedin North
Entry Requirements
Entry requirements at Ara vary by qualification level. University Entrance (UE) is required only for degree-level study. Certificates, diplomas, postgraduate programmes, and non-assessed courses have different requirements, though the source does not specify what those requirements are for each category.
University Entrance requires:
- NCEA Level 3 — at least 60 credits at Level 3 and 20 credits at Level 2 or higher, including 14 credits at Level 3 in each of three approved subjects
- Literacy — 10 credits at Level 2 or above (5 in reading, 5 in writing)
- Numeracy — 10 credits at Level 1 or above, via specified achievement standards or unit standards 26623, 26626, or 26627
Applicants without UE may be considered under Discretionary Admission (for those under 20, assessed on NCEA credits and potential) or Special Admission (for those over 20, applicable to programmes up to and including Level 7 with no selection criteria).
Some programmes have additional selection steps beyond academic entry requirements, such as an audition, interview, referee check, or portfolio. These are listed on the relevant programme page and managed by the relevant academic department.
For international applicants, all mainstream programmes carry both academic entry requirements and English language requirements. Evidence of English ability must take the form of an accepted English language test result or proof of previous study conducted in English; a medium-of-instruction statement is not accepted. Specific English language scores or test thresholds are not stated in the source.
Applicants who do not meet entry requirements for a diploma or degree may enrol in the New Zealand Certificate in Study and Employment Pathways (Level 3 and Level 4), which is available across subject pathways including health, technology, engineering, and construction.
Credit recognition is available for prior study or industry experience, through credit transfer, cross-credit, or Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL). A limit applies to the total amount of credit recognition that can be counted toward an Ara qualification.
Fees
Fees for international students are listed in New Zealand dollars. A full list of student fees is available on the Ara international fees page. Due to immigration restrictions, international students are ineligible for some qualifications.
The New Zealand Government's Fees Free scheme covers tuition fees for the final year of a provider-based qualification, or the final two years of a work-based programme, up to a maximum of $12,000. The Government has confirmed that final-year Fees Free will end at the close of December 2026. Learners who complete an eligible qualification in 2026 may apply for their entitlement within 12 months of completion, up to 31 December 2027.
Curated by the KuraData team from Ara Institute of Canterbury's own website, reviewed 10 September 2026.
Data source
- SourceTertiary Providers Directory — Ministry of Education
- KuraData last checked6 September 2026
- Editorial content based onAra Institute of Canterbury's official website — reviewed 10 September 2026