Whitecliffe College, Grafton (Auckland)

About Whitecliffe College

Whitecliffe College is a Category One Private Training Establishment (PTE) founded in 1984. It describes itself as the result of consolidating three of New Zealand's oldest PTEs, giving it a combined institutional history of over 130 years across its subject areas.

The college offers qualifications from certificates through to master's degrees (NZQF Levels 4–9) across departments covering fine arts, design, fashion design, IT, and creative art therapies.

Whitecliffe states it is pursuing international expansion in Europe, Canada, Australia, China, and the UAE, and maintains industry advisory boards linked to each faculty.

Admissions and Application Requirements

The source material states entry requirements for individual programmes but does not describe a specific application process, steps, deadlines, or required documents beyond the following.

For the Certificate in Digital Media and Design, domestic applicants must be at least 17 years old (or turning 17 during their first year); international applicants must be turning 18 and hold an IELTS (Academic) score of 5.5. No portfolio or prior design experience is required.

For the Bachelor of Design + Digital Media, applicants must demonstrate the ability to undertake degree-level study and possess suitable skills in written communication and mathematics. Applicants who do not meet standard entry requirements may have previous qualifications or experience considered by the Head of Programme.

For the Bachelor of Fine Arts, a portfolio is required. It should show diversity of media, conceptual depth, technical skill, and originality. Acceptable formats include drawings, paintings, photography, sculpture, video, animation, or digital work.

For the Bachelor of Jewellery Design and Technology, domestic applicants must be at least 17 and international applicants at least 18 during their first year. Completion of the Certificate in Jewellery (Level 4) or equivalent experience is strongly recommended. International students must meet an IELTS score of 5.5, with no band lower than 5.

Fees

Whitecliffe College charges two categories of fees: tuition fees and compulsory non-tuition fees. Tuition fees are calculated per programme and published on each programme's page. The standard basis for calculation is one year of full-time study (120 credits / 1.0 EFTS). For part-year full-time enrolments — for example, the Certificate of Arts and Design Foundation course of 18 weeks (0.50 EFTS) — tuition fees are calculated proportionally on the full-year rate.

Non-tuition fees cover items such as course materials, equipment, folio, and ID/swipe card. These charges vary by programme and are itemised separately. They are payable on or before the enrolment date.

A Student Services Fee (SSF) of $300 per year (per EFTS) applies to all students. This fee funds services including careers advice, employment support, and counselling and pastoral care.

All fees must be paid in New Zealand dollars on or before the enrolment appointment. Accepted payment methods include cash, cheque, eftpos, and internet banking or telegraphic transfer (for tuition fees only).

Eligible domestic students may access Fees Free funding. Eligibility is determined by the Fees Free scheme's own criteria.

For the Master of Business Innovation and Leadership, a limited number of scholarships are available to eligible domestic full-time students that cover course fees, with a $3,000 administration fee payable by the recipient.

Subject area: Art/Design/Craft

The Ministry of Education groups Whitecliffe College under Art/Design/Craft — the broad field of education and training it's classified under in the official tertiary directory.

Address

Where Whitecliffe College is based, taken directly from the Ministry of Education's own address record for this provider.

• Street67-69 Symonds Street
• SuburbGrafton
• CityAuckland
• Postcode1150
• Territorial authorityAuckland - Waitemata
• RegionAuckland Region

No coordinates are published for tertiary providers in this dataset, so no map is shown here.

Contact Whitecliffe College

Find the published contact details for Whitecliffe College, including its phone number, website and other available contact information.

• Phone0800 800 300
• Fax09-3022957
• Websitewww.whitecliffe.ac.nz

Contact details combine official Ministry of Education records with information published on Whitecliffe College's own website, reviewed by the KuraData team on 15 September 2026.

Other Art/Design/Craft providers

Explore other New Zealand private training establishments listed under the same Art/Design/Craft subject area as Whitecliffe College, including providers in different locations.

• Media Design School Limited Auckland Central
• Yoobee Colleges Limited Auckland Central