Skills and attitudes to last a lifetime.
Lifelong dynamic skills
Our portfolio of uniquely tailored learning environments provides much more than an educational foundation – we instil lifelong dynamic skills in our students, preparing them to take on everything their future holds.
Our offering
Bachelor degrees, Diplomas and Certificates
Our offering spans creative industries, information technology, tourism, hospitality, management, trades and services, health, beauty and early childhood education.
Many of our vocational training students are second-chance learners, and we are recognised by government regulators for the exceptional learning and employment outcomes our vocational campuses achieve.
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NZ’s largest independent education group providing vocational and higher learning | ||
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10 Private Colleges | ||
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12,000+ students educated each year |
Our Colleges
Work-ready, world-ready
UP Education is New Zealand’s largest independent tertiary education group and has ten private colleges across New Zealand and Australia.
All UP Education Private Training Establishments are NZQA Category 1 accredited; the highest accreditation awarded to training providers in New Zealand.
In Australia, The International College of Hotel Management has been named the best hotel and hospitality business school in Australia*
*QILT Student Experience Survey
Judged the best hotel and hospitality school in Australia, ICHM provides world-class hospitality teaching facilities, opportunities for work integrated learning placements, and exceptional employment outcomes, with 87% of students securing jobs after graduation.
Face and Beauty Academy’s position as one of NZ’s top training providers, along with its commitment to giving students the skills for success, makes it the ideal first career in the exciting hairdressing and creative makeup and beauty industries.
An established tertiary education provider for nearly 40 years, New Zealand Tertiary College (NZTC) provides internationally recognised qualifications to enable students to excel in – Early Childhood Education and Health and Wellbeing.
Inspired by the pride New Zealand has for its unique food culture, the goal of The Culinary Collective is to grow the next generation of chefs, bartenders, baristas and hospitality leaders to put us on the world map.
NZMA teaches real skills for today’s professions. Across seven campuses worldwide NZMA delivers employment-focused vocational training students in the fields of hospitality, cookery, trades, early childhood education and health.
Established in 1996 to provide tertiary level education with specialist courses in sport management, exercise prescription, personal training and pre-police training. Campuses are located in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Christchurch.
Preparing students for global careers in hotels, airlines, travel agencies, tourism companies, cruise ships, conferencing and more. NZST has eight vibrant campuses across New Zealand and a line up of industry-relevant certificates and diplomas.
For over 40 years, Cut Above Academy has given students the edge they need to become hairstylists, barbers, makeup and special effects artists. Direct industry links and on-site teaching studios deliver highly skilled, committed and technically excellent graduates.
Offering national and international qualifications, small classes and industry qualified teaching staff, Elite is the leading beauty therapy educator in New Zealand. Our students graduate with the skills they need to become successful beauty therapists.
For over 30 years, New Zealand’s largest specialist creative and IT college has been fuelling the creative and IT industries with talented graduates who go on to extraordinary careers in animation, film, emerging technologies, game development, graphic design and more.
Confident students
Real-world learning
The UP Education group of private colleges takes a unique approach to learning, centred on real-life experience and skills. Our supportive, student-centred approach creates engaging learning environments where our students stay on track with their programme and graduate ready to take on the world.
Many of our experienced tutors are still working professionally in their fields, allowing them to ground their teaching on the latest industry trends and developments.We work in partnership with industry leaders to ensure our programmes equip students with the skills and knowledge to stand out and gain employment.
Our approach to learning
Employment is the ultimate goal
To help launch our students into the right career, contemporary employment skills are embedded in our courses every step of the way. Opportunities for real-life work experience are an important part of many of our courses, and some include paid internships.
Tutors with real-life industry experience
For learning real-life, up to date skills, the best tutors are people who come directly from the industry. Our teaching staff are real-world professionals – enthusiastic experts who are excited to share their knowledge and skill with our students.
Small classes
Our class environment is the signature feature of all UP Education colleges. Small class sizes ensure our students learn with dedicated attention and feel supported. We’ve designed our learning experiences to be stimulating, effective and fun, so our students get to know their classmates well in a comfortable social atmosphere.
Fit for industry
Each of our campuses is designed to reflect the specific industry environments found in the workplace, from training bars, restaurants and commercial kitchens, to construction workshops. From film production facilities to a Boeing 737 aircraft cabin trainer, we take you right to the heart of your chosen industry.
Hands-on, practical training
At each of our colleges, we provide hands-on, practical experience. We design our courses with industry experts, so our students learn has a direct connection and practical application to their chosen career. That means our students graduate with the skills needed to walk straight into the workplace.