Why Study New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Engineering (Level 3)

The New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Engineering (Level 3) at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology is a one-year, full-time practical programme designed to build foundational automotive servicing, repair and workshop skills. The programme combines hands-on workshop training with integrated, project-based learning and covers engines, driveline systems, brakes, steering, suspension, electrical/electronic systems and high-voltage safety. The qualification is at NZQF Level 3 and carries 120 credits.

Key Benefits

• Practical, hands-on training focused on servicing and repairing different makes and models of vehicles.
• Training includes engine disassembly, measurement and reassembly, as well as servicing engine, transmission and driveline systems.
• Students gain exposure to electrical and electronic systems, electronic controls, high-voltage systems and HVAC.
• Workshop engineering skills, tools, equipment and welding-related tasks are included.
• Training is supported by qualified tutors and uses project-based learning.
• Available at Mokoia Campus (Rotorua), Taup? Campus, Windermere Campus (Tauranga), Tokoroa Campus and Whakat?ne Campus for the listed 2027 intakes.
• The programme can provide a foundation for progressing to higher-level automotive qualifications, including Level 4 automotive programmes at Toi Ohomai.

Program Structure

• Level of study: NZQF Level 3.
• Qualification: New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Engineering (Level 3).
• Credits: 120 credits.
• Duration: 1 year, full-time, including holidays where applicable.
• Mode of learning: Primarily on-campus, workshop-based and practical learning. The published timetable is Monday–Wednesday, 8:30 am–3:00 pm and Thursday, 8:30 am–12:00 pm; timetables may change.
• Key topics:
  • Automotive Workshop Safety
  • Basic Workshop Engineering Tasks, Tools and Equipment
  • Engines
  • Engine Systems
  • Driveline Systems
  • Electrical and Electronic Systems
  • Starting and Charging Systems
  • Electronic Controls, High Voltage Systems and HVAC
  • Brake Systems
  • Steering and Suspension Systems
• 2027 intakes currently listed:
  • 15 February 2027 – Rotorua, Taup?, Tauranga, Tokoroa and Whakat?ne
  • 19 July 2027 – Rotorua and Tauranga
• International tuition fee information currently listed by international-course sources is approximately NZ$26,520 per year; Toi Ohomai's current course page specifically confirms that its published $8,462 figure is the domestic fee and says 2027 fees are still to be confirmed. Students should therefore confirm the final international fee directly with Toi Ohomai before applying.
• Course-related costs may also apply. The current domestic course page lists $300 for course materials, but international students should confirm their applicable materials, equipment, insurance and levy costs with the institute.

Discipline / Specialisation

• Automotive Engineering.
• The programme is a general foundational automotive engineering qualification rather than a separate specialist strand.
• Core areas include:
  • Vehicle engines and engine systems
  • Transmission and driveline systems
  • Braking systems
  • Steering and suspension
  • Automotive electrical and electronic systems
  • Starting and charging systems
  • Electronic controls
  • High-voltage systems
  • HVAC/climate-control systems
  • Workshop engineering and safety.

Programme Highlights

• Strong emphasis on practical workshop experience rather than classroom-only learning.
• Students develop basic diagnosis, servicing and repair capabilities applicable to automotive industry workplaces.
• Training covers both traditional mechanical systems and newer vehicle technologies such as electronic controls and high-voltage systems.
• The programme includes project-based training with support from qualified tutors.
• Entry requirements include either 10 credits in literacy and 10 credits in numeracy at NCEA Level 1 or demonstration of suitable knowledge and skills.
• A full Class 1 driver's licence is recommended; a Restricted or Learner Licence is acceptable, and applicants without a licence may still be considered if other entry requirements are met.
• International applicants whose first language is not English generally need to demonstrate English proficiency. The course page specifies IELTS General or Academic 5.0, with no band below 5.0, or an accepted equivalent pathway.
• Toi Ohomai may consider special admission where an applicant does not meet the standard academic requirement but staff are satisfied that the applicant can successfully complete the programme.

Career Outcomes

Graduates are prepared for entry-level employment in the automotive industry. The skills developed can support employment in junior automotive servicing, workshop and vehicle-repair roles, while the qualification can also provide a foundation for further automotive study.

• Potential employment areas include:
  • Automotive service and repair workshops
  • Vehicle servicing
  • Automotive maintenance
  • Entry-level automotive technician roles
  • Automotive workshop environments
• Further study at Toi Ohomai includes Level 4 automotive qualifications such as the New Zealand Certificate in Heavy Automotive Engineering and New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Electrical Engineering.
• Important for international students: the current Immigration New Zealand Post-Study Work Visa qualification list specifies eligible automotive qualifications at Level 4 or higher, including Automotive Electrical Engineering and Heavy Automotive Engineering. This Level 3 certificate itself is not listed as an eligible automotive qualification for a Post-Study Work Visa.

Visa Requirements (International Students)

• International students studying this one-year programme in New Zealand would generally need an appropriate student visa because the course is longer than three months. The Fee Paying Student Visa is the standard option for international students paying tuition fees to an approved education provider.
• Students need an offer of place from the education provider and must demonstrate funds for tuition and living expenses, as well as meet Immigration New Zealand's other visa requirements.
• Appropriate medical and travel insurance is required for a Fee Paying Student Visa.
• Student work rights depend on the conditions attached to the individual visa. Immigration New Zealand currently allows eligible tertiary students to work up to 25 hours per week, but the eligibility rules include study at NZQCF Level 4 or higher or certain other qualifying circumstances. Because this programme is Level 3, students should not assume that enrolling in this course automatically provides the standard 25-hour-per-week work right.
• Immigration New Zealand also provides full-time holiday work rights in certain circumstances, including where the course is at least one academic year, worth at least 120 credits and has at least two semesters over a minimum of eight months. The student's actual eVisa conditions should always be checked.
• Completion of this Level 3 qualification does not by itself establish eligibility for a Post-Study Work Visa. Current INZ rules list specific eligible non-degree qualifications at Level 4–7, including certain Level 4 automotive qualifications.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• Toi Ohomai's official course page was last updated on 16 September 2026. The next standard intake currently shown is February 2027.
• The currently listed February 2027 start date is 15 February 2027 at Rotorua, Taup?, Tauranga, Tokoroa and Whakat?ne; a further 19 July 2027 intake is listed for Rotorua and Tauranga.
• The institute currently states that 2027 course fees have not yet been confirmed on the official course page. Therefore, the international fee should be treated as indicative until Toi Ohomai issues the final 2027 fee information.
• The current Toi Ohomai scholarship listing includes several scholarships, but many are restricted to New Zealand citizens/permanent residents or specific domestic groups. The course page specifically references Te Ara Poutama – M?ori and Pasifika Trade Training; eligibility should be checked carefully because this is not a general international-student scholarship.
• Toi Ohomai's international prospectus has previously listed study grants for eligible international students from Pacific, Southeast Asian and Latin American countries, subject to terms and conditions. Availability and value can change by intake, so this should be confirmed for the 2027 intake before relying on it.
• The programme requires English proficiency for applicants who do not have English as their first language; the official course requirement is IELTS 5.0 overall with no band below 5.0, or an accepted equivalent.
• A driver's licence is recommended but is not an absolute requirement where the other admission requirements are satisfied.
• Students should distinguish this programme from the separate "Managed Apprentices" version. The managed-apprenticeship version is designed around employment in the automotive industry and is identified by Toi Ohomai as an industry-only course; it should not be treated as the same international full-time programme.