Can you study at a university in New Zealand and Australia with a GED®?
Yes, you can. You can study at many international universities in other countries too. Read our GED Success Stories.
The GED® diploma is an accredited high school equivalency credential issued by the Superintendent of Education of the District of Columbia.
Students with a GED plus SAT are eligible to apply for admission to many degree courses in New Zealand, Australia, the USA and internationally.
The SAT is an American college entrance exam, which can be written internationally 6 times a year. Some universities accept students with the GED® alone.
Click here to learn more about how to take the SAT in New Zealand and Australia or internationally.
All eight universities in New Zealand accept both domestic and international students who have an American high school diploma, plus a minimum prescribed score on the SAT tests. Some faculties, offering degrees in the Science fields such as Engineering and Nursing degrees, also require students to take the Advanced Placement tests (AP) for subjects like Calculus, Physics etc.
Very Important: Always check the specific requirements of the faculty offering the degree or course that you would like to pursue. A GED + SAT combination is the legally required minimum but each faculty at each institution may set additional requirements.
Click here to scroll down this page for Australian university information.
Click here to scroll down to a list of online universities which accept students with a GED®
New Zealand Universities
The information below is from the respective websites of each of the eight universities in New Zealand. It shows their admission requirements for USA high school qualifications, published in 2020.
Lime Feather Learning has written confirmation from each one, that they will accept New Zealanders who meet these requirements. All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis and there may be additional criteria to fulfill for specific courses. Always check long in advance to ensure you meet all the admission requirements.
1. Auckland University
To see the entry requirements (by country) for your intended programme(s), visit Find a study option.
The requirements for different courses vary, but the minimum requirement for admission to university with a GED® plus SAT is as follows:
“SAT: The score is an aggregate of Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, Mathematic scores in the redesigned SAT Reasoning Test (available from March 2016) or the Critical Reading and Mathematics sores in SAT Reasoning Tests taken prior to March 2016. To be considered for entry, applicants must submit a SAT result and a High School Diploma with transcripts from a United States regionally accredited high school with above average grades. Applicants to the BEHONS and BEHONS conjoints can meet the Calculus and Physics requirements through SAT subject tests, AP (Advanced Placement) exams, or AP/Honours level Grade 12 courses.”
Update, September 2021:
The College Board in the US discontinued offering the SAT Subject tests in June 2021, as the expanded reach of the Advanced Placement tests and its widespread availability means that the Subject Tests are no longer necessary for students to show what they know.
In New Zealand, the AP Tests are available at Crimson Global Academy in Auckland.
I was accepted at all four institutions to which I applied: University of Auckland, MIT, Unitech and AUT
Kayleigh Erwee
I chose AUT and I am loving my degree course in Visual Communications.
2. University of Otago
“High School Graduation Diploma with minimum B grade average and a minimum SAT score of 1190 or a minimum ACT composite score of 24.”
3. Victoria University of Wellington
“High School Diploma, and a SAT score of 1200 or higher overall
or High School Diploma, and an ACT composite score of 24 or higher.”
4. University of Canterbury
“High School Diploma plus SAT 1 result of at least 1160 (out of 1600)*;
High School Diploma plus a composite ACT score of 24 or better;”
5. University of Waikato
“High School Diploma plus SAT-1 (taken in grade 12) score of at least 1000 combining Critical Reading and Mathematics scores; or High School Diploma and ACT scores with at least 24 in every section.”
I was accepted to study at three institutions in NZ in 2020: Massey University, Auckland University of Technology and Unitec.
Lucille Erwee
I chose to study a Bachelor of Business (Marketing) degree at Massey University.
6. AUT
“High School Diploma plus SAT. SAT tests now require a minimum score of 1150; scores below this may be considered on a case by case basis.
High School diploma plus a minimum ACT of 22;”
7. Lincoln University
“High School Diploma and SAT. At least 50 in each SAT test and a minimum combined score of 1150.”
8. Massey University
“Successful completion of High School Diploma from an accredited high school, plus a minimum ACT composite score of 24 or a minimum SAT result of 1100 out of 1600 (new SAT scores) or 1650 out of 2400 (old SAT scores) (Aggregate of Evidence-Based Reading and Writing, and Mathematic scores in SAT Reasoning Tests taken from March 2016, or the Critical Reading and Mathematics scores in SAT Reasoning Tests taken prior to March 2016.)”
Read Lucille’s university success story at Massey
PLEASE NOTE: You MUST check with the colleges or universities and specific faculty of your choice that they will accept the GED® credential. Many degrees and courses have additional requirements such as the SAT, possibly a portfolio submission or an interview requirement, which you may also have to provide. As with any high school credential, there is no guarantee that a GED® graduate will be accepted to study the course of their choice. This remains at the discretion of the institution.
Can I study at university with a GED®in Australia?
Most universities around the world, require students with a GED® to also have achieved a minimum prescribed score on the SAT. In Australia this is generally required too. Always check the exact requirements at the university of your choice.
The following universities are listed on the website of the GED Testing Service® as universities which accept students with a GED®. We have listed more below this section. There are bound to be others too, which we have not checked. You can search their websites for the international admission requirements for undergraduate degrees or contact them directly.
- Australian Catholic University
- Central Queensland University
- ECU
- Griffith University
- La Trobe University
- James Cook University
- RMIT University
- Southern Cross University
- Taylors College
- The University of Adelaide
- University of Newcastle
- The University of Queensland
- University of Tasmania
- Victoria University
- Western Sydney University
- University of Wollongong
Admission requirements at top Australian universities
Lime Feather Learning researched the admission requirements at these top-ranked Australian universities. Thousands of universities across the world accept the GED. Check with your preferred university, even if not listed here, for their admission requirements to confirm they accept the GED. The GED is also widely accepted by TAFE institutes.
1. Australian National University
2020 Minimum Entry Requirements
“As well as presenting SAT or ACT results, students must also present: US-accredited high school diploma with an overall WGPA of 3.2 out of 4.0 (programs with an ATAR requirement below 90) or WGPA of 3.5 out of 4.0 (programs with an ATAR requirement of 90+). Students applying for entry to a Diploma program require a GPA of at least 2.0 out of 4.0.”
2. University of Sydney
“Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) examination or American College Test (ACT). SAT or ACT scores including a pass mark in the optional essay or writing component and completion of a secondary education (high school) qualification.”
3. University of Western Australia
“Students completing US College Board SAT or ACT in conjunction with a recognised high school qualification are eligible for admission to UWA.
The University of Western Australia welcomes applications from students who have completed the SAT or ACT program. To be admitted to the University, you must meet all criteria listed below by:
- having taken the SAT with the US College Board or the ACT within the past two years
- having successfully completed the US High School Diploma, or one of the recognised high school qualifications listed below, and achieved the required grades
- satisfying the University’s English language competence requirement by satisfactory performance in one of the English subjects detailed in the table below
- achieving a sufficient number of points to be offered a place
- satisfying any prerequisite subject requirements for your chosen course and major”
Minimum scores can be found on their website at the link above.
4. University of Technology in Sydney
“Successful completion of the US High School Diploma plus successful completion of:
SAT 1 (Total of Critical Reading, Mathematical and Writing scores) at competitive standard.”
5. University of Newcastle
“Undergraduate Senior secondary school qualification
Admission to our undergraduate degree programs usually requires successful completion of a senior secondary school qualification similar to the Higher School Certificate (HSC), the highest educational award in New South Wales schools.“
In addition, specific SAT scores are prescribed for each degree course on this page:
https://www.newcastle.edu.au/international/study-with-us/undergraduate
PLEASE NOTE: You MUST check with the colleges or universities and specific faculty of your choice that they will accept the GED® credential. Many degrees and courses have additional requirements such as the SAT, possibly a portfolio submission or an interview requirement, which you may also have to provide. As with any high school credential, there is no guarantee that a GED® graduate will be accepted to study the course of their choice. This remains at the discretion of the institution.
Study at an online overseas university with a GED®
The following universities accept students with a GED® alone. The SAT is not required.
- University of the People is an accredited US university online that accepts students with a GED® only.
- American Business and Technology University accepts students with a GED®.
- Penn Foster College (USA online college)
- Ashworth College (USA online college)
- Anim School of Animation (USA)