Are you ready to apply for the online Postgraduate Diploma of Applied Data Science?

Congratulations on taking the next step towards further study! Applications to enrol into our Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Data Science are now open for our July 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.

Get your documentation ready

Before you start your application to enrol in the Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Data Science 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 your 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 applied data science, and what you'd like to achieve with this programme. 

How many courses do I choose?

The number of courses you choose to enrol into at this stage depends on if you would like to study full-time or part-time, and how you are financing your study.

Length of study:

• Full-time: you will need to take two courses (studying approximately 37.5 hours per week) each term*
• Part-time: you will need to take one course (studying approximately 18.5 hours per week) each term*

*Note: The course load differs when studying PHIL426 - Data Ethics (10 points) and MBUS655 - Project Management Fundamentals (5 points), as these two smaller-point courses are taken concurrently.

Financing:

• StudyLink Student Loan: if you’re using StudyLink to cover your tuition fees, you need to add at least two courses (in order to meet the StudyLink threshold) and we recommend selecting all of your 2025 courses, so you do not need to update your enrolment.
• 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(s) 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 wish to complete your diploma full-time, the courses you will need to search for and select are:

• DATA401 - Introduction to Data Science and DIGI405 - Texts, Discources and Data: the Humanities and Data Science (14 July - 14 September 2025)
• MBIS623 - Data Management and COSC480 - Computer Programming (29 September - 30 November 2025)

Please note: the specific course codes to search for are DATA401, DIGI405, MBIS623 and COSC480. The correct courses to select will then be shown in the course selector as follows: DATA401-25X3 (O) and DIGI405-25X3 (O), MBIS623-25X4 (O) and COSC480-25X4 (O).

If you wish to complete your diploma part-time, the courses you will need to search for and select are:

• DATA401 - Introduction to Data Science (14 July - 14 September 2025)
• MBIS623 - Data Management (29 September - 30 November 2025)

Please note: the specific course codes to search for are DATA401 and MBIS623. The correct courses to select will then be shown in the course selector as follows: DATA401-25X3 (O) and MBIS623-25X4 (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.

Submit your StudyLink application ASAP

If you’re planning on using a StudyLink student loan to finance your study, we recommend applying as soon as possible. StudyLink can take up to a month to process your application, so submitting early gives you the best chance of having everything ready for the start of your learning.

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) here with screenshots and more detailed instructions for support along the way.