Universities Accepting Backlogs in New Zealand

Getting backlogs can be very stressful and fear-inducing. Especially if one aspires to study abroad from reputed institutions. To add fuel to fire, a common misconception that floats around is that getting backlogs could potentially mean the end of one’s academic studies as well as career. However, it is a myth that has been dispelled many times. Backlogs are accepted in almost every other country but there is a varying degree of tolerance towards the number and the kinds of backlogs accepted in different universities. Planning to study in New Zealand but confused about whether your backlogs will be accepted or not? Scroll through this blog to know all about requirements as well as universities accepting backlogs in New Zealand.

What is Backlog?

To put it simply, a backlog is an exam that the student could not clear in the first attempt. But it becomes mandatory to clear the exam without which one cannot procure their degree. Backlogs can be a list of exams the student attended and failed (arrears) or exams that the students could not take (absenteeism). Ideally, absenteeism shouldn’t be considered as a backlog as the student may have missed the exam for unavoidable reasons. However, it is important to confirm with the institution whether they mark ‘’zero’’ or ‘’absent’’ against the score column. A ‘’zero’’ against a score column would mean a backlog and therefore it is necessary to check this before getting your academic transcripts ready.

How are Backlogs Counted by Countries Abroad?

While some countries count the number of subjects as the number of backlogs, other countries count the number of attempts as the total number of backlogs. For instance, in countries like the USA and the UK if the student appeared 5 times to clear 1 backlog, the student would still have only 1 backlog and vice-versa. On the other hand, in countries like Australia and Germany, if you have cleared 1 subject in 3 attempts, the number of backlogs you have are 3. It is important to note that if the subject of your backlog was a major one, then some universities may not accept your application.

Backlog Requirements by Universities in New Zealand

The universities in New Zealand count the number of subjects for which you got backlogs as opposed to the number of attempts and they accept more than 5 backlogs and a maximum of 12 to 15 backlogs. There is a list of documents the student must produce mandatorily, whilst securing admissions to the university.

1. Backlog Certificate: This document is issued by the previous institution and provides all the details of backlogs and the number of reattempts, active backlogs, or inactive backlogs. In case of no backlogs, you must ask your institution for zero backlogs clearance certificate.
2. Exam score (GRE/GMAT/TOEFL/PTE/SAT)
3. SOP
4. CV/Resume
5. LORs
6. Essays
7. Financial Documents

The NZ universities also accept candidates based on a number of other factors such as 

1. Overall GPA / CGPA
2. Courses / Subject of Backlogs
3. Repeated Backlogs 
4. Backlog Status

List of Universities in New Zealand Accepting Backlogs

Here’s a list of universities in New Zealand accepting backlogs. These universities have a specified number of backlogs as well as the aforementioned factors. 

Universities accepting 0-5 backlogs in New Zealand 

• Waikato University
• Victoria University of Wellington
• Otago University
• University of Canterbury
• Auckland University of Technology
• Lincoln University
• Massey University
• University of Auckland

Universities Accepting 5-10 Backlogs in New Zealand 

• Manukau Institute of Technology
• Unitec New Zealand

Universities Accepting 10-15 Backlogs in New Zealand 

• Whitireia Community Polytechnic
• Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology
• Ara Institute of Canterbury

Universities Accepting 15+ Backlogs in New Zealand 

• Weltec Institute of Technology
• Eastern Institute of Technology

It is important to note that the higher your backlogs, the lower your chances will be of securing admissions to a university abroad. However, at such times your score in examinations such as the GRE, TOEFL etc and a strong extracurricular profile can pay dividends.

Backlogs and Student Visa Approval

Backlogs do not directly affect your chance of receiving a student visa, however, a visa is issued only after receiving the university admission from the chosen country and providing proof that the person is financially capable of studying abroad. If you have an active backlog and if you convince your university to clear them in the coming attempt, a lenient university might grant the admission letter but not the exact form that is needed to avail the student visa. Students failing to clear the backlogs may also have their admissions cancelled at the volition of the university.

We hope this blog cleared all your doubts related to universities accepting backlogs in New Zealand. If you are still unsure about which university to apply to, get in touch with our experts at Leverage Edu and we will guide you through the process of shortlisting the best university as well as sorting out the admission process.