Why Study New Zealand Certificate in Animal Management (Companion Animals) (Level 4)

The New Zealand Certificate in Animal Management (Companion Animals) (Level 4) at Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology is a one-year, 120-credit vocational qualification designed for students who want to develop practical skills for working with companion animals. The programme combines campus-based learning, online study and work-integrated learning, allowing students to apply animal-care knowledge in real-world settings. The current course page lists Tauranga’s Windermere Campus as the location and 22 February 2027 as the next intake.

Key Benefits

• NZQF Level 4 qualification with 120 credits.
• One year of full-time study, including holidays where applicable.
• Study is delivered through a blended format: on-campus classes on Tuesday and Wednesday, online learning on Thursday, plus some animal duties offsite. Timetables may change.
• Practical work-integrated learning is a major component, with 60 hours per semester at an external facility over the year.
• Provides practical knowledge of companion-animal care, husbandry, healthcare, behaviour and welfare.
• Current location: Windermere Campus, Tauranga, New Zealand.
• Next listed intake: 22 February 2027.
• For international students, an indicative 2026 international tuition fee of NZ$26,520 for one year is reported by international education listings; however, Toi Ohomai's current official course page states that fees for the 2027 intake have not yet been confirmed. Students should therefore confirm the final international fee directly with Toi Ohomai before enrolment.
• Toi Ohomai's general scholarship listings currently do not identify a scholarship specifically attached to this Animal Management course. Several listed scholarships are restricted to New Zealand citizens or permanent residents, so international students should not assume eligibility.

Program Structure

The programme focuses on companion-animal management and combines theoretical study with practical experience. The current course page lists the following topics:

• ANML 4002: Anatomy and Physiology
• ANML 4122: Companion Animal Husbandry A
• ANML 4123: Companion Animal Husbandry B
• ANML 4124: Companion Animal Healthcare
• ANML 4125: Companion Animal Behaviour
• ANML 4126: Companion Animal Welfare
• ANML 4127: Companion Animal Practicum A
• ANML 4128: Companion Animal Practicum B

The programme is delivered in a blended format, with on-campus learning at Windermere Campus, online learning and off-campus animal duties. Students complete 60 hours per semester at an external facility, giving them industry-based practical experience during the qualification.

Discipline / Specialisation

• Animal Management
• Companion Animal Management
• Companion Animal Husbandry
• Animal Healthcare
• Animal Behaviour
• Animal Welfare
• Practical Animal Management through supervised practicums and external work-integrated learning

The qualification is specifically focused on companion animals rather than veterinary nursing. Toi Ohomai identifies the New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6) as a possible further-study option after this qualification.

Programme Highlights

• Qualification: New Zealand Certificate in Animal Management (Companion Animals) (Level 4)
• Study level: NZQF Level 4
• Credits: 120
• Duration: 1 year full-time
• Campus: Windermere Campus, Tauranga
• Mode: Blended — on-campus, online and offsite practical learning
• Intake: 22 February 2027
• Practical component: 60 hours per semester at an external facility
• Entry requirement: 40 NCEA Level 1 credits including 10 Literacy and 10 Numeracy credits, or a recognised equivalent, or successful completion of the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Care (Level 3).
• Applicants must provide a criminal-history declaration and sign an off-campus student learning contract.
• All applicants must complete a health declaration and declare any criminal convictions before acceptance.
• Applicants aged 20 or over who do not meet the academic entry requirements may be considered for special admission if Toi Ohomai is satisfied they can successfully complete the programme.
• English requirement: IELTS General or Academic 5.5 overall, with no band below 5.0, or an accepted equivalent English qualification/outcome specified by Toi Ohomai/NZQA.

Career Outcomes

Graduates can pursue entry-level and supervisory roles involving the day-to-day care and welfare of animals. Potential career areas identified by Toi Ohomai include:

• Animal centre worker
• Animal sanctuary worker
• Kennel supervisor
• Cattery supervisor
• Doggie daycare supervisor
• Animal rehabilitation
• Animal breeding facilities
• Animal quarantine facilities
• Animal-care technician or related animal-care roles

The qualification can also provide a pathway towards further animal-related study, with Toi Ohomai currently identifying the New Zealand Diploma in Veterinary Nursing (Level 6) as a further-study option.

Visa Requirements (International Students)

International students studying this full-time, one-year programme in New Zealand would generally require a Fee Paying Student Visa. Immigration New Zealand requires an offer of place from an approved education provider, evidence of tuition-fee payment or ability to pay, sufficient funds for living costs, acceptable medical/travel insurance, and evidence of meeting health, character and genuine-study requirements.

• Current Immigration New Zealand living-cost requirement for tertiary study of one year or more: NZD $20,000 per year.
• Students must also demonstrate funds for tuition fees and normally evidence that they can leave New Zealand at the end of their stay.
• Appropriate medical and travel insurance is required for the period of study.
• Eligible student-visa holders may be permitted to work up to 25 hours per week during study and full-time during permitted holidays, subject to the conditions on their visa.
• Because this programme includes external practical/work-integrated learning, students should retain evidence of the practical component when preparing visa documentation if Immigration New Zealand requests it.

Latest Updates / Special Requirements

• The Toi Ohomai course page was last updated on 16 September 2026.
• The latest listed intake is 22 February 2027 at Windermere Campus, Tauranga.
• The 2027 tuition fee has not yet been confirmed by Toi Ohomai. The official page currently displays NZ$8,290 as the indicative domestic fee, not the international fee.
• An international education listing currently reports NZ$26,520 as the international tuition fee, based on the institution's international fee information; this should be treated as indicative until Toi Ohomai confirms the 2027 amount.
• Students must complete a health declaration and criminal-conviction declaration as part of the admission process.
• A criminal-history declaration and signed off-campus student learning contract are specifically required.
• An information meeting is part of the enrolment process to discuss the programme and ensure it matches the student's career goals and experience.
• The course page does not currently identify a dedicated scholarship for this specific programme. General Toi Ohomai scholarships exist, but eligibility varies and several current awards are limited to New Zealand citizens/permanent residents.