Diploma in Culinary Arts

Do you love working with food and want to become a creative professional in this field? The Diploma in Culinary Arts is an advanced professional cookery qualification that covers the theoretical and practical skills to work in a professional culinary environment.

Courses cover the professional cookery concepts and systems essential for managing a professional kitchen. You study in AUT’s outstanding facilities, which are rated among the best in Australasia and resemble a professional culinary arts environment.

Download programme guides

Minimum entry requirements

If you have New Zealand qualifications

  • Completion of Year 12
  • NCEA: 48 level 2 credits or higher including eight level 2 credits in any one subject from Classical Studies, Drama, English, Geography, Health Education, History, Art History, Media Studies, Social Studies, Te Reo Māori, Te Reo Rangatira, Business Studies, Economics, Physical Education
  • CIE: 60 points on the UCAS Tariff, including any one subject similar to the NCEA subjects listed above
  • IB: Completion of Year 12

If you have qualifications from another country

See entry requirements for students from other countries. Select your country from the dropdown menu.

English language requirements

  • IELTS (Academic) of 5.5 overall with all bands 5.0 or higher; or equivalent.

English language requirements

Other requirements

The practical side of this programme involves using commercial kitchen tools and equipment and requires you to demonstrate a level of skill that doesn’t compromise any health and safety standards for yourself and others.

Skills needed for culinary arts courses

Year 1

Courses this year lay the foundation of professional cookery concepts and systems essential for managing a professional kitchen.

Complete the following courses

Year 2

Courses in Year 2 build on from Year 1 and help you develop confidence in your culinary and supervisory skills.

Complete the following courses

Skills you will develop in the Diploma in Culinary Arts

The outcomes for graduates of the Diploma in Culinary Arts are outlined in the Graduate Profile below.

Graduate Profile

  • Professional chef
  • Product development
Quick facts
Programme code:
AK3714
Level:
5
Points:
240
Duration:
2 years full-time
Campus:
City Campus
Starts:
15 Jul 2024
3 Mar 2025
21 Jul 2025

Key semester dates
Fees
Domestic
$8,435 - $8,454 (for 120 points)
($7,289 - $7,308 tuition fees + $1146 student services levy)
International
$34,746 (for 120 points)
($33,600 tuition fees + $1146 student services levy)
  • Fees shown are based on a full-time workload for the points indicated next to the fee. The exact fee charged will depend on which courses you select at the time of enrolment.
  • Fees are subject to change year to year. If you are planning for study beyond the current year, fees may vary from those stated.
  • There may also be other fees and charges you need to pay.
  • International students' tuition fees reflect the full cost of tuition. Domestic students' tuition fees are less due to a proportion of the tuition fees being funded by the New Zealand Government.
  • Fees-free study may be available for domestic students

Scholarships

The information on this page was correct at time of publication. For a comprehensive overview of AUT qualifications, please refer to the Academic Calendar.