About Te Kura Toi Whakaari O Aotearoa: New Zealand Drama School Incorporated
Te Kura Toi Whakaari O Aotearoa: New Zealand Drama School Incorporated is a performing arts training institution based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington). It offers programmes across acting, design, production, costume construction, set and props construction, musical theatre, dance, and postgraduate studies, as well as programmes delivered in partnership with Whitireia/WelTec.
The institution's stated kaupapa is to nurture students in the performing arts through co-creative learning programmes grounded in mātauranga Māori and tikanga. Its four core values — Manaakitanga, Rangatiratanga, Mātauranga, and Whakawhanaungatanga — shape its approach to teaching and community.
Day-to-day management is shared by three co-leaders operating collectively as Tira Mana Kōkiri, comprising the Tumuaki (Director and Engagement-focused), the Poukōkiri Mātauranga (Academic-focused), and the Pouhāpai Ahurea (People-focused). Tanea Heke is named as a current Tira Mana Kōkiri member holding the Tumuaki role.
Programmes and Qualifications
Toi Whakaari offers the following named qualifications:
- Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA) — Acting Endorsement — Bachelor's degree
- Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA) — Design Endorsement — Bachelor's degree
- Bachelor of Performing Arts (BPA) — Production Endorsement — Bachelor's degree
- Master of Creative Performance Practice (MCPP) — Master's degree — blended delivery, with a March 2026 intake available
Additional programmes listed on the school's website include Set & Props Construction, Costume Construction, Dance, and Musical Theatre, as well as programmes offered in partnership with Whitireia/WelTec, though these are not described in detail in the available source material.
Admissions and Application
Applications are submitted via an online form, with programme-specific requirements and deadlines.
All applicants must have the following documents ready to upload or email to apply@toiwhakaari.ac.nz:
- A digital headshot (passport-style, head and shoulders, in .jpg or .jpeg format)
- A copy of a passport or birth certificate
- A copy of the most recent academic record (such as an NZQA Record of Achievement, IB, GCSE, or degree/diploma certificate or transcript)
Additional requirements vary by programme:
- Costume Construction, Design, and Set & Props Construction: applicants must upload a portfolio or provide a link to one.
- Acting: applicants must book an audition workshop and prepare one monologue. The initial audition workshop costs $45.
- Master of Creative Performance Practice: applicants must complete a separate Expression of Interest before submitting the application form.
- Whitireia & WelTec Performing Arts programmes: a Toi Whakaari application form is not required.
- Dance and Musical Theatre: a Toi Whakaari application form is not required.
The following key dates apply for 2026 (for study commencing 2027):
| Milestone | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | Friday 29 May |
| Undergraduate Programmes Webinar | Wednesday 22 July |
| Open Day | Friday 21 August |
| Acting applications close | Friday 28 August |
| Acting auditions (Whāngārei) | Saturday 29 August |
| Acting auditions (Tauranga & Dunedin) | Saturday 5 September |
| Acting auditions (Christchurch) | Saturday 12 September |
| Acting auditions (Wellington) | Saturday 19–20 September |
| Acting auditions (Auckland) | Saturday 26–27 September |
| Production, Design, Costume, and Set & Props applications close | Friday 25 September |
| Applicants Weekend (Toi Whakaari) | Friday 23–Saturday 24 October |
| Applicants Weekend (Whitireia & WelTec) | Sunday 25 October |
| Master of Creative Performance Practice applications close | Early December (TBC) |
Subject area: Dance/Drama
The Ministry of Education groups Te Kura Toi Whakaari O Aotearoa: New Zealand Drama School Incorporated under Dance/Drama — the broad field of education and training it's classified under in the official tertiary directory.
Dance/DramaAddress
Where Te Kura Toi Whakaari O Aotearoa: New Zealand Drama School Incorporated is based, taken directly from the Ministry of Education's own address record for this provider.
- StreetTe Whaea: National Dance and Drama Centre
- SuburbNewtown
- CityWellington
- Postcode6242
- Territorial authorityWellington City
- RegionWellington Region
No coordinates are published for tertiary providers in this dataset, so no map is shown here.
Contact Te Kura Toi Whakaari O Aotearoa: New Zealand Drama School Incorporated
Find the published contact details for Te Kura Toi Whakaari O Aotearoa: New Zealand Drama School Incorporated, including its phone number, website and other available contact information.
- Phone04-3819251
- Fax04-3894996
- Websitewww.toiwhakaari.ac.nz/
Other Dance/Drama providers
Explore other New Zealand private training establishments listed under the same Dance/Drama subject area as Te Kura Toi Whakaari O Aotearoa: New Zealand Drama School Incorporated, including providers in different locations.
Fees
All fees and associated costs must be paid in full before the first day of the first term. The total fee for each student comprises three components: tuition fees (including compulsory course costs where applicable), a Student Services Fee (SSF), and a refundable Equipment Bond.
Domestic tuition fees for 2026, including compulsory course costs, are set out below.
| Programme | Tuition Fee (2026, domestic) |
|---|---|
| Bachelor of Performing Arts (Acting, Design, Production) | NZ$9,184 |
| NZ Diploma in Costume Construction | NZ$9,540 |
| NZ Diploma in Scenic Construction & Properties | NZ$9,540 |
| Master of Creative Performance Practice | NZ$14,052 |
The Student Services Fee in 2025 ranged from NZ$470 to NZ$655 per Equivalent Full-Time Student (EFTS), with the amount varying by year of study and domestic or international student status. The SSF covers health services (through Massey Health), internet access, Student Common Room facilities, advocacy, financial support, on-site counselling, pastoral care, and recreational and cultural activities.
An Equipment Bond of NZ$200 is also payable and is refunded at the end of the academic year, provided the student has not incurred costs through damage to or loss of loaned equipment.
International Students
Toi Whakaari accepts applications from international students across its programmes. Australian citizens and permanent residents are classified as domestic students in New Zealand and do not apply as international students.
Courses have been approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority under the Education Act of 1989. Fee amounts and application closing dates for international students are listed on individual course pages rather than in a single schedule.
Overseas applicants must submit their Personal Statement responses as a video link. Acting applicants must also submit monologues by video link; a self-chosen monologue may be delivered in the applicant's native language. Toi Whakaari occasionally accepts exchange students from overseas tertiary providers, with enquiries directed to the Registrar.
At the time of publication, international students enrolled at Toi Whakaari came from Canada, the USA, Japan, and Germany. No dedicated visa or immigration support service is described in the source material.
Nola Millar Library
Te Kura Toi Whakaari O Aotearoa: New Zealand Drama School operates the Nola Millar Library, located at 11 Hutchison Road, Newtown, Wellington. The library is also accessible online.
The library provides access to a range of external resources, including:
- Victoria University of Wellington Library
- Wellington City Libraries
- Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision
- NZ on Screen
- Theatre Aotearoa
- Ebsco Database
- Search other NZ Libraries
The library also maintains an online video archive and is powered by the Koha library management system.
Curated by the KuraData team from Te Kura Toi Whakaari O Aotearoa: New Zealand Drama School Incorporated's own website, reviewed 15 September 2026.
Data source
- SourceTertiary Providers Directory — Ministry of Education
- Ministry data last checked6 September 2026
- AI-assisted content based onTe Kura Toi Whakaari O Aotearoa: New Zealand Drama School Incorporated's official website — reviewed by KuraData 15 September 2026