If you're starting Health Sciences First Year in February, your exams are about to finish and you've got three months before Otago. A lot of people spend that time either doing nothing and then panicking in week two, or trying to learn the whole of HSFY early and arriving burnt out. There's a better middle path.
This is what we'd do with the summer, based on what caught us out in first year.
First, the admin
Before any study, get these done:
- Apply for HSFY. Domestic applications for semester 1 2027 close on 10 December 2026.
- Sort accommodation. If you've applied for a hall, keep an eye on your email for offers and deadlines.
- Decide about catch-up courses. If you didn't do Level 3 Chemistry, look at CHEM150 at Summer School, which starts online on 11 January 2027. If you didn't do Level 3 Physics, look at JumpStart Physics, which runs in the three weeks before semester 1. Our post on Year 13 subjects for HSFY explains who these are for.
What's worth studying
Semester 1 is CHEM191, CELS191, HUBS191 and PHSI191, all running at once from the first week. You don't need to learn them early. What helps is arriving with the basic skills those papers assume, so the first few weeks feel like building and not catching up.
Chemistry: moles and concentrations
CHEM191 uses these from the start, and so does BIOC192 later. If they're automatic, you save yourself a lot of stress. Here's the level to aim for:
How many moles are in 9.0 g of glucose (molar mass 180 g/mol)? 9.0 / 180 = 0.050 mol. If that's dissolved to make 250 mL of solution, the concentration is 0.050 / 0.250 = 0.20 mol/L.
If you can do that without thinking, move on to balancing equations, then acids, bases and pH. If you can't, start there.
Physics: the maths behind the formulas
A lot of marks in PHSI191 are lost to the maths around the physics rather than the physics itself. Practise rearranging formulas, converting units and using scientific notation. For example, rearrange P = F / A to get F = P x A, and convert 2.5 cm² to m² (it's 0.00025 m², because 1 cm² is 0.0001 m²). Unit conversions with squared and cubed units trip up a lot of people.
Biology: the cell and DNA
CELS191 and HUBS191 start from the basics, so you don't need much. A clear picture of cell structure and how DNA is copied and used to make proteins is a good foundation. If you did Level 3 Biology, a quick refresh is enough.
Writing
Every HSFY student sits a compulsory English diagnostic early in semester 1. If you don't reach the threshold, you have to pass ENGL128 in semester 2, on top of everything else. Reading regularly and writing the odd short summary over summer is cheap insurance.
Set up how you'll study
This is the part most people skip, and it might matter most. In HSFY there's too much content to reread your way through. The students who do well test themselves constantly.
- Practise retrieval. When you study something over summer, close the book and write down what you remember. Then check. That habit is worth more than any amount of content you cover.
- Set up flashcards. If you'll use Anki, learn how it works now, when there's no pressure. Our Anki for HSFY guide covers how to use it without wasting hours.
- Plan a week. Think about how many hours a day you'll study in semester and when. It's easier to start a routine than to fix one in week four.
A sample summer
Here's a rough shape that leaves plenty of room for a break.
| When | What | How much |
|---|---|---|
| Mid November to mid December | Admin done. Rest after exams. | Very little study |
| Late December | Holidays. | None |
| January | Chemistry calculations, physics maths, set up Anki, some reading. | 5 to 8 hours a week |
| February | Light review, CHEM150 or JumpStart if you're doing them, move to Dunedin. | As much as feels right |
Five to eight hours a week in January is about an hour a day. That's enough to make the first month of semester noticeably easier, and small enough that you still get a summer.
What not to do
- Don't try to learn HSFY content in full before you start. Lecturers teach it their way, with their emphasis, and you'll relearn it anyway.
- Don't buy every resource you see recommended. Pick a couple and use them properly.
- Don't skip the break. HSFY is a full year of steady work. Starting it tired is a bad trade for a few extra hours of summer study.
For the stuff that isn't about study, like how the year feels day to day and what catches people off guard, read what nobody tells you about HSFY.
FAQ
Should I study over summer before HSFY?
A little, yes. Focus on the basic chemistry and physics maths, and on study habits. You don't need to learn the papers in advance.
How many hours should I study over summer?
Around five to eight hours a week in January is plenty for most people, with a real break in December.
Do I need to do CHEM150 or JumpStart Physics?
They're designed for students without Level 3 Chemistry or Physics. If you did those subjects, you probably don't need them.
If you're starting HSFY next year and want structured practice for the semester 1 papers, see how Cutline helps you start HSFY.
Cutline is not affiliated with the University of Otago. Dates are from Otago's HSFY, CHEM150 and AskOtago pages, checked 8 October 2026. Always check the official pages for your year.
