What Qualifications and Skills You Need to Enrol in a Beauty Therapy Course or Nail Technology Course at The National School of Aesthetics
Entry criteria are the requirements you must meet to enrol in your beauty therapy course, nail technology course, or spa therapies course. We have listed the entry criteria below.
Entry Requirements for Programmes
Entry Requirements for All Programmes
All applicants must:
- Have successfully achieved:
- the National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) (Level 1) or an equivalent qualification, or
- an NZQA-approved qualification or an equivalent qualification at a higher level, or
- If 20 years old or older and without any qualifications, show evidence of the ability to successfully achieve and succeed in the programme, and
- Communicate effectively in all areas of English to a suitable and appropriate level.
Ākonga a Aotearoa / domestic students must:
- Be at least 16 years old by the programme’s start date.
International students must:
- Be at least 18 years old by the programme’s start date
- Meet the English language requirements set forth by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA)
We reserve the right to allow special entry to an ākonga / student where they demonstrate an extraordinary ability which compensates for a deficiency in one or more of the areas above. Our programmes are selected entry programmes, so applicants who demonstrate a strong record of academic achievement (for example, NCEA Level 3 versus NCEA Level 1) may rank higher in the selection process. If your originals are not in English, you will need to have a certified translator translate the document into English for your application.
Ākonga / Students with Medical Conditions
- You may need to provide medical diagnosis and medical clearance to undertake study with us to ensure your health and safety.
- You must have and maintain a good standard of health so you meet the attendance criteria.
- You may need to supply a model for treatments you are unable to be a model for.
Ākonga / Students with Learning Conditions
- You may need to provide us with any written reports on your learning conditions from a qualified professional to help us help you during the course.
- You may need help from a specialist tutor outside of class.
Ākonga a Aotearoa / Domestic Students Who Speak English as a Second Language
- You may need to provide evidence of suitability for the programme through adequate use and understanding of English.
Special Entry Requirements for Specific Programmes
The following programmes have additional entry requirements:
New Zealand Diploma in Beauty Therapy (Level 5) [NZ3445]
All applicants must have successfully achieved:
- New Zealand Certificate in Beauty Therapy (Level 4) [NZ3444], or
- an NZQA-approved beauty qualification or equivalent beauty qualification at level 4 or higher, including, but not limited to, full body anatomy and physiology, Swedish body massage and knowledge of associated contraindications, equivalent or similar to the content within our New Zealand Certificate in Beauty Therapy (Level 4) [NZ3444] programme.
Current NZQA English Language Requirements for International Students
Option 1: Progression from a New Zealand High School
International students who have English as a second language and are progressing from a New Zealand high school into our programme, should have gained, at minimum:
| NCEA |
|
| Cambridge |
|
| International Baccalaureate |
|
Option 2: Primary and Secondary Level Education in English
International students who meet the following primary and secondary level education requirements where the language of instruction was in English in one of the following countries:
| Primary and secondary education |
|
| Acceptable countries |
|
Option 3: Acceptable Tertiary Qualifications in English from an Acceptable Country
International students who have successfully completed a tertiary qualification to the level below where English was the language of instruction in one of the following countries:
| Acceptable tertiary qualification |
|
| Acceptable countries |
|
Option 4: English Language Test
International students who have gained the following scores from one of the following English language tests, taken overseas or within New Zealand, within the last 2 years:
| IELTS |
|
| TOEFL |
|
| Cambridge English Qualifications |
|
| OET |
|
| NZQA |
|
| Pearson Test of English (Academic) |
|
| LanguageCert |
|
| Trinity ISE |
|
Option 5: Certificate of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages
International students who have gained a certificate in teaching English to speakers of other languages including:
| Cambridge |
|
| Trinity College London |
|
Last updated: 4 August 2025
Refusal of Application or Enrolment, and Termination of Enrolment
We reserve the right to refuse the application or the enrolment of, or terminate the enrolment of, any ākonga / student who:
- Is not of good character (including, but not limited to, having a criminal conviction, a history of bad debt, a history of bad conduct, et cetera)
- Has been previously or currently found guilty of misconduct (including, but not limited to, plagiarism and copying)
- Is enrolled in a full-time programme at the same time at a different tertiary education organisation or secondary school as they are enrolled with us
- Has poor results or made insufficient progress academically after a reasonable amount of time
- Demonstrates a lack of serious interest in the programme (including, but not limited to, not showing up for appointments, not keeping in contact regarding application, enrolment or academic matters, and not showing up for class)
We also reserve the right to deny an application without revealing our reasons for doing so.
Other information on termination of enrolment can be found in the Application and Enrolment Forms, school rules and regulations, and Withdrawal and Refund Policies and Procedures.