About Whitireia Community Polytechnic
Whitireia Community Polytechnic was established in 1985 in Porirua, founded to provide the Porirua and surrounding region with tertiary education options that had not previously been available there. Its name derives from the Whitireia maunga (mountain) of Titahi Bay, the mountain with which Ngāti Toa Rangatira identifies as the highest in their rohe.
In 2012, Whitireia joined with WelTec (Wellington Institute of Technology) to operate together as Whitireia and WelTec. Both institutions currently sit within the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (NZIST) and are scheduled to become a single, standalone legal entity on 1 January 2027.
The combined institution enrols over 8,000 students annually across campuses in the Wellington region. It offers programmes at certificate, diploma, degree, postgraduate, and Master's levels, with a focus on vocational and applied learning developed in conjunction with industry.
Whitireia has a documented relationship with Ngāti Toa Rangatira, reflected in both its name and its founding identity. The institution's first principal, Turoa Royal, initiated an archival programme from 1986 to record the polytechnic's history, which later supported published institutional histories in 1996 and 2012.
Studying at Whitireia Community Polytechnic
Whitireia offers programmes across a range of levels, from secondary school trades academy courses through to diplomas and bachelor's degrees. Study is available in several modes, including full-time, part-time, and online. Short courses are also available, ranging from half-day workshops to 12-week programmes.
Some programmes combine on-campus and self-directed learning. The New Zealand Diploma in Engineering - Mechanical, for example, is delivered over two years full-time (with part-time options) at the Petone campus, using workshops, prototyping labs, CAD facilities, and engineering laboratories. A four-week Summer Maths course, delivered across three days per week with two days on campus and one self-directed, is available to enrolling students ahead of that programme.
The Trades Academy Health Pathways - Anatomy and Physiology programme illustrates how Whitireia delivers secondary-school-level vocational study. It runs for 34 weeks at the Whitireia Porirua Campus, with sessions from 9am to 2:30pm on either Tuesdays or Thursdays. Students must be enrolled in a Wellington region secondary school and registered in a Whitireia Trades Academy course by their school or kura. Free travel is provided subject to Ministry of Education requirements. Successful completion earns 21 NCEA credits — 6 at Level 3 and 15 at Level 4, with credit towards a Vocational Pathway award.
Support services available to students include academic, disability, pastoral, and financial support.
Programmes and Qualifications
The following named programmes and qualifications are offered across Whitireia's schools and faculties.
Business School
- Bachelor of Applied Business Management
- Master of Management
- Master of Professional Practice
- New Zealand Certificate in Business (Administration and Technology) — Level 3
- New Zealand Certificate in Business (Administration and Technology) — Level 4
- New Zealand Certificate in Business (Administration and Technology) (Workplace) — Level 4
- New Zealand Certificate in English Language (Academic) — Level 4
- New Zealand Certificate in English Language (Academic) — Level 5
- New Zealand Certificate in English Language (Applied) — Level 3
- New Zealand Diploma in Business — Level 5
Health School
- Bachelor of Health Science (Paramedic)
- Bachelor of Nursing
- Competency Assessment Programme for Nurses
- Enrolled Nurses in Mental Health & Addictions (Micro-credential)
- New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing — Level 3
- New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Peer Support) — Level 4
- New Zealand Diploma in Ambulance Practice — Level 5
- New Zealand Diploma in Enrolled Nursing — Level 5
- Postgraduate Certificate in Nursing (Mental Health)
- Postgraduate Certificate in Primary Health Care Specialty Nursing
School of Innovation, Design and Technology
- New Zealand Certificate in Information Technology Essentials — Level 4
- New Zealand Diploma in Information Systems — Level 5
- New Zealand Diploma in Information Technology Technical Support — Level 5
- Bachelor of Information Technology
- Graduate Diploma in Information Technology
- Master of Information Technology
- Postgraduate Diploma in Information Technology
- Postgraduate Certificate in Information Technology
Creative School
- Digital Media and Design
- Screen Production
- Music
- Performing Arts
- Publishing
- Creative Writing & Publishing
Construction School
- New Zealand Certificate in Foundation Skills (Construction and Infrastructure) — Level 2
- Carpentry
- Automotive
- Electrical
- Plumbing - Gas fitting - Drainlaying
- Allied Trades — Level 3
- NZ Certificate in Electrical Trade (General Electrical) — Level 4
Built Environment
- New Zealand Diploma in Architectural Technology — Level 6
- New Zealand Diploma in Construction (Quantity Surveying) — Level 6
- New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Civil)
- New Zealand Diploma in Engineering (Mechanical)
- Bachelor of Engineering Technology
Hospitality School
- New Zealand Certificate in Baking (Generalist) — Level 4
- New Zealand Certificate in Baking — Level 3
- New Zealand Certificate in Cookery — Level 4
- New Zealand Certificate in Food and Beverage Service (Restaurant Services) — Level 4
- New Zealand Certificate in Hospitality — Level 3
- New Zealand Diploma in Hospitality Management — Level 5
Te Wānanga Māori
- Bachelor of Nursing Māori
- Bachelor of Nursing Māori (Matariki)
- New Zealand Certificate in Te Reo (Immersion, Bilingual) — Level 1
- New Zealand Certificate in Te Reo (Rumaki Reo Rua) — Level 1
- New Zealand Certificate in Te Reo (Rumaki Reo Rua) — Level 2
- New Zealand Certificate in Te Reo (Rumaki Reo Rua) — Level 3
- New Zealand Certificate in Te Reo (Rumaki Reo Rua) — Level 4
- New Zealand Diploma in Te Reo (Rumaki Reo Rua) — Level 5
- Kapa Haka Whitireia
Social and Community Services
- Bachelor of Counselling and Addiction Practice
- Bachelor of Youth Development
- New Zealand Diploma in Youth Work — Level 6
- Bachelor of Social Work
- New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social and Community Services) (Community Health Work) — Level 4
- New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social and Community Services) (Whānau, Community and Social Services) — Level 4
- New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing (Social and Community Services) (Mental Health and Addiction Support) — Level 4
- New Zealand Certificate in Health and Wellbeing — Level 4
Wellington Trades Academy
- Trades Academy Barbering
- Trades Academy Construction Mixed Trades
- Trades Academy Cookery — Level 3
- Trades Academy Cooking/Cafe Service
- Trades Academy Digital Media: Animation and Game Design
- Trades Academy Health Pathways — Anatomy and Physiology — Level 3
- Trades Academy Health Pathways — Level 2
- Trades Academy Performing Arts
- Trades Academy Salon Environment
- Trades Academy Engineering and Automotive
Address
Where Whitireia Community Polytechnic is based, taken directly from the Ministry of Education's own address record for this provider.
- StreetWi Neera Drive
- SuburbPorirua Central
- CityPorirua
- Postcode5240
- Territorial authorityPorirua City
- RegionWellington Region
No coordinates are published for tertiary providers in this dataset, so no map is shown here.
Contact Whitireia Community Polytechnic
Find the published contact details for Whitireia Community Polytechnic, including its phone number, website and other available contact information.
- Phone0800 788 399
- Emailinformation@wandw.ac.nz
- Fax04-2373101
- Websitewww.whitireiaweltec.ac.nz/
Contact details combine official Ministry of Education records with information published on Whitireia Community Polytechnic's own website, reviewed by the KuraData team on 14 September 2026.
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Universal College of Learning (UCOL) Palmerston North CBD
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Waikato Institute of Technology Hamilton Central
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Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki New Plymouth Central
Campuses
Whitireia Community Polytechnic operates three campuses in the Wellington region.
- Te Awakairangi Campus (Petone, Lower Hutt) — located at 21 Kensington Avenue, approximately 15 minutes by road from Wellington city.
- Whitireia Campus (Porirua) — the original Whitireia campus, located at 3 Wi Neera Drive, Elsdon, approximately 20 minutes from Wellington city.
- Wellington Regional School of Construction (Petone, Lower Hutt) — located at 18 Western Hutt Road on State Highway 2, this campus opened in 2015 and offers workshop-based training in carpentry, painting, decorating, and tiling.
International Students
Accommodation support
The international support team assists international students with accommodation arrangements. For students arriving for the first time, the institution recommends homestay accommodation, which must be booked at least four weeks before arrival. An Accommodation Placement Fee of $310.00 NZD (non-refundable) applies, and the weekly homestay fee is $340.00 NZD, with a minimum commitment of four weeks. Homestay includes a furnished room, bedding, laundry access, meals, and reasonable use of internet, electricity, and water.
Students under 18 must live with a parent, a designated caregiver, or an approved homestay provider, in accordance with the Code of Practice.
Flatting — renting a shared house or apartment — is also an option. Renting a room in a shared house costs approximately $180 to $200 NZD per week.
Visa and immigration support
International students must hold a valid student visa for the duration of their study. A copy of the visa must be provided to the International Team as a condition of full enrolment. Failure to provide a valid visa may result in suspension of the student account, withdrawal from the programme, or cancellation of enrolment.
Student visas are applied for directly through Immigration New Zealand. The institution advises applying as early as possible, as processing can take a minimum of one month. International students are required to study full-time and attend all scheduled classes; the international team is required to notify Immigration New Zealand of poor attendance or academic progress.
Students on a visitor visa may be able to study a short course of 12 weeks or shorter. Holders of student, work, or visitor visas may be able to apply for a variation of conditions to change their programme, provider, or work entitlements. Graduates with qualifications completed in New Zealand may be eligible for a Post-Study Work Visa allowing work for between one and three years, depending on the qualification and study location.
International partnerships and pathway programmes
Whitireia and WelTec maintain partnerships with tertiary institutions in China, India, Russia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. These include joint institutes, joint programmes, articulation agreements, and a joint research arrangement. Students who begin study at a partner institution overseas may be able to complete their qualification in Wellington.
Joint institute arrangements operate with two institutions in China:
- Qingdao Huanghai University — Bachelor of Information Technology (2 majors), Bachelor of Creativity (2 majors)
- Shaanxi College Communication Technology — Diploma in Information Technology (2 majors), Diploma in Design (1 major)
Joint programme arrangements in China are in place with the following institutions:
- Bailie Vocational College — Teachers training programme
- Hexi University — Teachers training programme
- Hunan City University — Undergraduate programme of Creativity
- Hunan Industrial Polytechnic — Diploma in Mechanical Manufacturing and Automation
- Hunan Institute of Engineering — Bachelor of Information Technology
- Xi'an Kedagaoxin University — Bachelor of Information Technology
Articulation agreements in India cover the following institutions and qualifications:
- DPG Degree College — Bachelor of Information Technology, Master of Information Technology
- Kings Cornerstone College — Bachelor of Information Technology, Master of Information Technology, Master of Professional Practice
- NITTE Technical Institute — Master of Information Technology
- Sahrdaya College of Technology — Master of Information Technology
Articulation agreements in Sri Lanka cover:
- Academy of Finance — Master of Management
- AIMS College of Business & Information Technology — Master of IT, Bachelor of IT
- BMS Business School — Master of Management
- IDM Nations Campus — Master of Management
- Institute of Business Administration (IBA) — Master of Management
In Russia, an articulation agreement exists with Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University, covering the Master of Information Technology and Master of Management.
A joint research arrangement in the area of Paramedicine operates with Chulabhorn Royal Academy in Thailand.
These joint and articulation programmes are available only to students residing overseas in the country where the programme is delivered.
Curated by the KuraData team from Whitireia Community Polytechnic's own website, reviewed 14 September 2026.
Data source
- SourceTertiary Providers Directory — Ministry of Education
- KuraData last checked6 September 2026
- Editorial content based onWhitireia Community Polytechnic's official website — reviewed 14 September 2026