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Te Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi, Whakatane

Wānanga · Whakatane

A wānanga (Māori university) established under New Zealand's Education Act, it focuses on mātauranga Māori and offers programmes from undergraduate to postgraduate level, with a particular emphasis on te ao Māori, Māori performing arts, and indigenous knowledge.

Jump to: About · Study · Campuses · Entry requirements · Fees · Library

At a glance

TypeWānanga
LocationWhakatane
RegionBay of Plenty Region
Provider informationKuraData curated
Ministry ID9386

About Te Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi

Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi is a wānanga — a category of tertiary institution defined under the Education Act 1989 — registered as such since 1997. It was established in 1992, with Ngāti Awa playing a central role in its founding. The institution offers programmes ranging from certificates to doctorates, open to Māori, New Zealanders, and indigenous students.

As a wānanga, it is characterised by teaching and research that maintains, advances, and disseminates knowledge regarding āhuatanga Māori (Māori tradition) according to tikanga Māori (Māori custom). This statutory definition shapes how the institution operates and distinguishes it from universities and polytechnics, which do not carry the same āhuatanga Māori and tikanga Māori responsibilities.

The institution's governing body is Te Mana Whakahaere o Awanuiārangi. Its structure reflects the relationship between the wānanga and Ngāti Awa: the majority of council members must be Ngāti Awa and registered with Te Rūnanga o Ngāti Awa, and the Tumuaki of the Council can only be elected from the six Ngāti Awa members. The institution's main campus is in Whakatāne, with a further campus in Tāmaki Makaurau (Auckland) and sites in Wairoa and Wellington.

Studying at Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi offers degree-level study with a focus on Māori and indigenous knowledge frameworks. Programmes are delivered primarily online, with optional in-person noho (on-site block learning stays) available to students.

Two named degrees appear in the source:

  • Te Tohu Toi Tangata: Bachelor of Humanities (BHUM) — an online degree covering fields including Māori and indigenous studies, history, sociology, politics, philosophy, and social justice
  • Te Tohu Paetahi Ako: Bachelor of Education (Teaching) — an NZQA-accredited teaching degree with classroom placements in settings such as kura, kōhanga reo, mainstream schools, and early childhood centres, with specialisation available in either Early Childhood Education or Primary Teaching

The Bachelor of Education (Teaching) prepares graduates for teacher registration with the Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand. Both programmes use blended delivery, combining online study with wānanga and in-person components.

Campuses and Delivery Locations

Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi operates from three named locations, with programmes also delivered at various sites and marae nationwide.

  • Whakatāne campus — the institution's main campus and headquarters, opened in December 2012. Named facilities include the Te Kōputu Kōrero a Tā Hirini Moko Mead (library and information commons), the Mark Laws Media Centre, teaching suites, lecture theatres with video conferencing, and a Noho Centre supporting noho wānanga (immersion learning).
  • Tāmaki Makaurau campus — located in Manukau, Auckland. Programmes are delivered full-time, in evening classes, and through weekend noho wānanga, including zero-fees foundation and bridging programmes.
  • Wairoa site — a dedicated staff and student space in the township of Wairoa. The Bachelor of Health Sciences Māori Nursing degree was extended to this region in 2024 with the support of the NZ Nursing Council.

Address

Where Te Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi 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 →

  • StreetFrancis St
  • CityWhakatane
  • Postcode3158
  • Territorial authorityWhakatane District
  • RegionBay of Plenty Region

Contact Te Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi

Find the published contact details for Te Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi, including its phone number, website and other available contact information.

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Contact details combine official Ministry of Education records with information published on Te Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi's own website, reviewed by the KuraData team on 14 September 2026.

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Entry Requirements

The eligibility criteria published by Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi focus on domestic student status rather than academic prerequisites. No specific academic entry requirements are stated — such as minimum NCEA credits, grades, or English language test scores.

To be classified as a domestic student, an applicant must be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident, an Australian citizen or Australian permanent resident residing in New Zealand, or an international student enrolled in a wholly research-based PhD (Level 10 on the NZQF). Students must generally be aged 16 or over, though those under 16 may enrol under specific conditions, including holding a school exemption certificate from the Ministry of Education and, where applicable, written approval from a school principal or home-schooling parent.

Students studying outside New Zealand may qualify as domestic enrolments if they are enrolled in a programme leading to a qualification at Level 7 or above on the NZQF, and their overseas study is full-time, face-to-face, and conducted in a country approved by Education New Zealand.

Fees

Te Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi offers a range of tuition fee free courses for domestic learners who meet the relevant entry requirements. The zero-fees provision covers tuition only; costs such as textbooks, equipment, and other additional fees remain the responsibility of the student.

Library — Te Kōputu Kōrero a Tā Hirini Moko Mead

Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi's library and information commons is named Te Kōputu Kōrero a Tā Hirini Moko Mead. Students enrolled in Awanuiārangi programmes receive free library membership, though programme fees must be paid before borrowing, and a student ID card must be presented at the time of borrowing.

The library holds two categories of collections. The main collections are:

  • DVD Collection
  • Newspaper/Periodical Collection
  • Picture Book/Fiction Collection
  • Photographic Collection
  • Theses Collection
  • Electronic Resources
  • Online Databases

The special collections are:

  • Sir Harawira Gardiner Book Collection
  • Sir Sidney Moko & Lady June Mead Collection
  • Evelyn Stokes Indigenous Book Collection
  • Raupatu Document Bank
  • Waitangi Tribunal Reports Research Collection
  • Archives Collection
  • Crown Forestry Rental Trust Collection
  • Māori Land Court Minute Books

Services offered include library inter-loan, photocopying, scanning and laminating, library tutorials, and distance library services.

Standard opening hours are Monday to Friday, 8.30 am to 5.00 pm. Extended hours and weekend openings may apply during noho delivery. The library is closed on public holidays, Wānanga holidays, and over the Christmas and New Year period.

Curated by the KuraData team from Te Whare Wananga O Awanuiarangi's own website, reviewed 14 September 2026.

Data source