Te Reo Māori for Beginners

Taught in an encouraging, inclusive environment, this course introduces you to everyday vocabulary, pronunciation, tikanga, and basic sentence structures of Te Te Reo Māori—empowering you to communicate with confidence and appreciation for the richness of Māori culture.

You will learn greetings and farewells, numbers, asking and saying how you are, basic mihimihi, pronunciation and rules of the Marae (dos and don’ts when visiting a Marae).

This programme runs for 9 - 10 weeks.

Per week, your learning will include 2 hours of class time.

Timings are:

Manawatū

Starting 04 Feb 2026 & 22 Jul 2026: Wednesday evening, 6  -8pm

Starting 02 Feb 2026 & 20 Jul 2026: Monday evening, 6 - 8pm

Wairarapa

Monday evenings, 6 - 8pm

Whanganui

Thursday evenings, 6 - 8pm

Ngāti Apa

Wednesday morning, 10am – 12pm

All ākonga have access to the full range of the UCOL on-site facilities such as the library, learning hubs, study areas and computer labs.

Open entry.

For the domestic ākonga for whom English is not their first language, a diagnostic test may be used to identify the level of English language proficiency.

English language proficiency

If English is not your first language, you must also demonstrate English language skills equivalent to an IELTS overall band score (academic) of 5.5 with no band score less than 5 (or equivalent including TOEFL). IELTS scores used must be taken from a single IELTS Test Report Form (i.e. combining scores from more than one test is not permissible).

Successful completion of Te Reo Māori Beginner programme can further enhance their Te Reo skills with the Te Reo Māori Intermediate programme.

Application checklist

It will make the process easier if you prepare the following before you apply:

• National Student Number (NSN) (If you don't have a NSN, you may request one from NZQA, or you can supply a verified copy of your birth certificate, passport or Whakapapa statement.)

• Evidence of your highest level of academic achievement (and evidence of prior learning, if applicable)

• Evidence that you meet the entry requirements of the programme

• Check if you're eligible for additional support or a scholarship. If you're 19 years or younger, you may be eligible to enrol in one of our free Youth Transition programmes.

Note that you will need to provide any verified documents in person, via post or email (not via the online application form).