Heading into your first year of uni this year? Uni can be a scary place if don’t know all the acronyms and terms so we’ve compiled it all here for you!
SSO: Student Services Online (where you enrol in your class and programmes).
Canvas: The online learning platform with all your classes and course material. There’s also a smartphone app which is pretty average.
ID: The number on your ID card. Usually 7 digits or more.
UPI: Unique Personal Identifier. Your username/login. E.g. dshe283
Student Email: Your student email. Should ALWAYS end in @aucklanduni.ac.nz
UoACal: A little programme which syncs your timetable with your phone/computers calendar. You can use it here: https://uoacal.auckland.ac.nz/home
AUSA: Auckland University Students’ Association. The students association located opposite Gen Lib on Alfred St. They can help you with many things such as hardship grants and student advice.
Summer School: An extra semester from January to February where you can take 2 papers. A good opportunity to get ahead.
Kate/IC (1-4): Kate Edgar Information Commons. Where Munchie Mart is and all the public computers. You can book a computer at https://bookpc.ic.auckland.ac.nz
Monday – Friday: 7am-12am
Weekends: 8am – 10pm.
Gen: General Library. The tall big library building on Alfred St.
Monday – Friday: 8am-10am
Weekends: 9am – 8pm.
Munchie: Formally known as Munchie Mart. The glorious dairy situated in IC0 with the legendary $1.80 pies at night.
Shadows: Shads with lads. The student bar located right in the middle of uni by the Quad where they serve the infamous $5 Shadows Lager.
Stage (1-4): The year of study in your programme or course that you’re in. It’s the first number in front of your course number e.g. ACCTG 101 is Stage 1. ACCTG 201 is Stage 2.
Programme: Your degree/qualification.
Course: Better known as paper. Each course is worth “15 points”. Your programme will usually say something like “You’re required to have 45 points from Stage 2” meaning you need to take 3 Stage 2 papers.
Gen Ed: A general course which is not too relevant to your programme but may be required to take. A course will have a ‘G’ at the end if it’s a gen ed. E.g. BUSINESS 101G.
Elective: A slot in your programme where you need to pick a course of your choice (as long as it’s approved by your programme).
Quad: The outside covered area between IC and Princes St.
Rec Centre: The university gym.
OGGB: Owen G. Glenn Building. The Commerce/Business building.
Overheard: Officially “Overheard @ University of Auckland”. A community run Facebook group where people post rumours and news.
Second Hand Books – Auckland Uni: A Facebook group for people to buy and sell their second hand textbooks.
Niesh: A pretty cool app with free student discounts for food and other things in the city.
Carlos Craig: The hero UoA needs but doesn’t deserve.
Xxx-xxx (e.g. 303-261): The location of a room. The first 3 digits are the building number like Engineering, OGGB, Arts 1, Arts 2. The last 3 digits are the room number, with the first number of that being the floor level.
Student Information Centre: Officially termed AskAucklandCentral, this helpful hub of knowledge is located in the Alfred Nathan House (in between the General Library and the Clock Tower). Go here to ask about enrolments, payments, or if you are lost.
The 5 Minute Rule: Every lecture, tutorial, and lab are in chunks of 50 minutes. Starts at 5 past and ends 5 to the hour.
Lecture: Your generic class where you sit down and listen to a lecturer. Usually optional and may be recorded onto Canvas.
Tutorial: A smaller sized class where you have a tutor (usually a student who’s already done the course) who teaches you that week’s material. Can be optional or marked.
Workshop: Similar to a tutorial but you usually won’t get one.
Lab: A practical tutorial.
DELNA: Diagnostic English Language Needs Assessment. A test everyone it required to do to test your English competency. It’s pretty easy if you’ve got good English so no need to study for it.
Grades: The grade you receive for your course based on your results.
| Grades | Mark |
|---|---|
| A+ | 90-100% |
| A | 85-89% |
| A- | 80-84% |
| B+ | 75-79% |
| B | 70-74% |
| B- | 65-69% |
| C+ | 60-64% |
| C | 55-69% |
| C- | 50-54% |
The grades C-, C, C+, B-, B, B+, A-, A, A+ are passing grades.
The grades D-, D, D+ are fail grades.
GPA: Your cumulative grade for your courses.
| GPA | Grade |
|---|---|
| 9 | A+ |
| 8 | A |
| 7 | A- |
| 6 | B+ |
| 5 | B |
| 4 | B- |
| 3 | C+ |
| 2 | C |
| 1 | C- |
Plussage: A condition which you can earn so that your final course grade can be added up differently to get the best possible grade. Not all courses have this. Usually something like go to all your tutorials and then your exam mark becomes your final course grade. Varies per course.
Conceded Pass: In special circumstances where you failed a paper, you can apply for a conceded pass where they let you pass the paper to continue the programme.
Test: Self-explanatory. It’s worth anywhere between 5-40% of your grade and usually around the mid-semester.
Exam: The big test at the end of the semester. Again it can vary between 20-75% of your grade. Also you can’t wear watches into the exam as smartwatches are a thing now.
Printing: 10c per side for B/W A3 and A4. 15c for colour.
It can be a lot to take in, but don’t worry! You’ll get more familiar with these terms throughout your time at uni.
Heading into your first year of uni this year? Uni can be a scary place if don’t know all the acronyms and terms so we’ve compiled it all here for you!
SSO: Student Services Online (where you enrol in your class and programmes).
Canvas: The online learning platform with all your classes and course material. There’s also a smartphone app which is pretty average.
ID: The number on your ID card. Usually 7 digits or more.
UPI: Unique Personal Identifier. Your username/login. E.g. dshe283
Student Email: Your student email. Should ALWAYS end in @aucklanduni.ac.nz
UoACal: A little programme which syncs your timetable with your phone/computers calendar. You can use it here: https://uoacal.auckland.ac.nz/home
AUSA: Auckland University Students’ Association. The students association located opposite Gen Lib on Alfred St. They can help you with many things such as hardship grants and student advice.
Summer School: An extra semester from January to February where you can take 2 papers. A good opportunity to get ahead.
Kate/IC (1-4): Kate Edgar Information Commons. Where Munchie Mart is and all the public computers. You can book a computer at https://bookpc.ic.auckland.ac.nz
Monday – Friday: 7am-12am
Weekends: 8am – 10pm.
Gen: General Library. The tall big library building on Alfred St.
Monday – Friday: 8am-10am
Weekends: 9am – 8pm.
Munchie: Formally known as Munchie Mart. The glorious dairy situated in IC0 with the legendary $1.80 pies at night.
Shadows: Shads with lads. The student bar located right in the middle of uni by the Quad where they serve the infamous $5 Shadows Lager.
Stage (1-4): The year of study in your programme or course that you’re in. It’s the first number in front of your course number e.g. ACCTG 101 is Stage 1. ACCTG 201 is Stage 2.
Programme: Your degree/qualification.
Course: Better known as paper. Each course is worth “15 points”. Your programme will usually say something like “You’re required to have 45 points from Stage 2” meaning you need to take 3 Stage 2 papers.
Gen Ed: A general course which is not too relevant to your programme but may be required to take. A course will have a ‘G’ at the end if it’s a gen ed. E.g. BUSINESS 101G.
Elective: A slot in your programme where you need to pick a course of your choice (as long as it’s approved by your programme).
Quad: The outside covered area between IC and Princes St.
Rec Centre: The university gym.
OGGB: Owen G. Glenn Building. The Commerce/Business building.
Overheard: Officially “Overheard @ University of Auckland”. A community run Facebook group where people post rumours and news.
Second Hand Books – Auckland Uni: A Facebook group for people to buy and sell their second hand textbooks.
Niesh: A pretty cool app with free student discounts for food and other things in the city.
Carlos Craig: The hero UoA needs but doesn’t deserve.
Xxx-xxx (e.g. 303-261): The location of a room. The first 3 digits are the building number like Engineering, OGGB, Arts 1, Arts 2. The last 3 digits are the room number, with the first number of that being the floor level.
Student Information Centre: Officially termed AskAucklandCentral, this helpful hub of knowledge is located in the Alfred Nathan House (in between the General Library and the Clock Tower). Go here to ask about enrolments, payments, or if you are lost.
The 5 Minute Rule: Every lecture, tutorial, and lab are in chunks of 50 minutes. Starts at 5 past and ends 5 to the hour.
Lecture: Your generic class where you sit down and listen to a lecturer. Usually optional and may be recorded onto Canvas.
Tutorial: A smaller sized class where you have a tutor (usually a student who’s already done the course) who teaches you that week’s material. Can be optional or marked.
Workshop: Similar to a tutorial but you usually won’t get one.
Lab: A practical tutorial.
DELNA: Diagnostic English Language Needs Assessment. A test everyone it required to do to test your English competency. It’s pretty easy if you’ve got good English so no need to study for it.
| Grade | Mark |
|---|---|
| A+ | 90-100% |
| A | 85-89% |
| A- | 80-84% |
| B+ | 75-79% |
| B | 70-74% |
| B- | 65-69% |
| C+ | 60-64% |
| C | 55-69% |
| C- | 50-54% |
The grades C-, C, C+, B-, B, B+, A-, A, A+ are passing grades.
The grades D-, D, D+ are fail grades.
GPA: Your cumulative grade for your courses.
| GPA | Grade |
|---|---|
| 9 | A+ |
| 8 | A |
| 7 | A- |
| 6 | B+ |
| 5 | B |
| 4 | B- |
| 3 | C+ |
| 2 | C |
| 1 | C- |
Plussage: A condition which you can earn so that your final course grade can be added up differently to get the best possible grade. Not all courses have this. Usually something like go to all your tutorials and then your exam mark becomes your final course grade. Varies per course.
Conceded Pass: In special circumstances where you failed a paper, you can apply for a conceded pass where they let you pass the paper to continue the programme.
Test: Self-explanatory. It’s worth anywhere between 5-40% of your grade and usually around the mid-semester.
Exam: The big test at the end of the semester. Again it can vary between 20-75% of your grade. Also you can’t wear watches into the exam as smartwatches are a thing now.
Printing: 10c per side for B/W A3 and A4. 15c for colour.
It can be a lot to take in, but don’t worry! You’ll get more familiar with these terms throughout your time at uni.