Are you ready to apply to our online Postgraduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership?

Congratulations on taking the next step towards further study! Applications to enrol into our Postgraduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership are now open for our February 2026 start date. If you're interested in studying later in 2026, please sign up for enrolment updates.

When you apply to enrol into a programme with Tuihono UC | UC Online you're applying to Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury. This means you'll be part of the University of Canterbury student body, and are eligible for a wide range of support and digital services as detailed here.

StudyLink Student Loan funding

Please note: StudyLink Student Loan funding is only available for our February intake of this programme. If you intend to use a StudyLink Student Loan to finance your studies, this is the intake you must apply for, not July 2026!

Get your documentation ready

Before you start your application to enrol in the Postgraduate Certificate in Strategic Leadership, you'll need to prepare these documents: 

• Verified evidence of your identity, such as a certified copy of your birth certificate, or a certified copy of the photo page in your passport. There are additional requirements depending on your visa status, or if you have legally changed your name - for more information view full verification requirements.
• Proof of any academic qualifications, such as a transcript or your UC student ID number if you studied your undergraduate degree with us. If you graduated with a bachelor's degree from another university, you will need to request a digital copy of your transcript through them.
• Proof of your professional work history, such as a CV or resume, including the years that you previously studied at tertiary institutes. 
• For international learners: proof of your English language proficiency.

It's also helpful to have: 

• Your National Student Number on hand - if you have one. You can locate your number through the NZQA website.
• Prepared two short paragraphs explaining what interests you about studying this programme, and what you'd like to achieve with this postgraduate certificate. 

How many courses should I choose?

The number of courses you choose to enrol into at this stage depends on how you are financing your study.

• StudyLink Student Loan: if you’re using StudyLink to cover your tuition fees, you need to add all four courses (in order to meet the StudyLink threshold). Please note: StudyLink student loan funding is only available for our February intake, not July. If you intend to use a StudyLink student loan to finance your studies, now is the time to apply!

• Self-funding: all courses added to your enrolment must be paid before the first course starts. This means if you are self-funding, you may only want to add your first term's course to your enrolment for now, so that you only need to pay for one term at a time. You can then add your next course as this new term approaches.

If you're self-funding, the course you need to search for and select is:

• MBAD615 - Leading Ourselves (2 February – 5 April 2026)

If you're using a StudyLink loan, please also add:

• MBAD643 - Leading Decisions and Change (27 April - 28 June 2026)

• MBAD617 - Leading Complex Systems (13 July - 13 September 2026)

• MBAD642 - Leading Teams (28 September - 29 November 2026)

Please note: the specific course codes to search for are MBAD615, MBAD643, MBAD617, and MBAD642. The correct courses to select will then be shown in the course selector as follows: MBAD615-26X9 (O), MBAD643-26X2 (O), MBAD617-26X3 (O) and MBAD642-26X4 (O).

Cap & minimum enrolment threshold: a minimum number of learners is needed for effective interaction and feedback, while a maximum cap of learners ensures high quality learning and support. If the minimum number of enrolments required for a course isn’t met, or the maximum cap is exceeded, learners will be given the option to defer their study or receive a refund.

Need help with your application?

We recommend allowing up to an hour to complete the application process. If you get stuck along the way, our team are here to help: 

• info@uconline.ac.nz 
• + 64 3 369 0600

You can also download our handy enrolment guide (PDF) with screenshots and more detailed instructions for support along the way.