You don't need any particular Year 13 subjects to get into Health Sciences First Year at Otago. The University says there are no subject requirements for entry. It does strongly recommend Chemistry, Physics and Calculus to NCEA Level 3 (or equivalent), plus an English-rich subject.
You can get in without them. What changes is how hard the first few months feel, and what you can do about it before February. Here's what each subject is for, and how to catch up if you're missing one.
Why those subjects
HSFY is seven papers. In semester 1 you take CHEM191, CELS191, HUBS191 and PHSI191. In semester 2 it's BIOC192, HUBS192 and POPH192, with an optional 8th paper. Our guide to what HSFY is covers how the year is structured.
Chemistry
CHEM191 starts in your first week and moves quickly through bonding, equilibrium, acids and bases, and organic chemistry, using calculations with moles and concentrations throughout. BIOC192 in semester 2 then builds on that chemistry. If you've done Level 3 Chemistry, a lot of early CHEM191 is revision with more depth. If you haven't, you're learning it for the first time at university pace, alongside three other papers.
Physics
PHSI191 is the paper people most often underestimate. It covers physics applied to the body, and it's examined with a long multiple-choice paper where speed and accuracy with formulas matter. Without Level 3 Physics, the content isn't impossible, but you'll spend more of your time on it than your friends who did it at school. Our PHSI191 exam strategy post gives a feel for what the paper asks.
Calculus
Calculus isn't taught as its own paper in the core seven. What you get from it is fluency: rearranging equations, working with exponentials and logs, reading graphs. That shows up in PHSI191 and CHEM191 calculations. If your algebra is shaky, those papers feel harder than they are.
An English-rich subject
Every HSFY student sits a compulsory English diagnostic early in semester 1, according to AskOtago. If you don't meet the threshold, you have to pass ENGL128 in semester 2, on top of your other papers. Subjects like English or History at Level 3 build the writing that the diagnostic, POPH192 and the written parts of exams reward.
What about Biology?
Biology isn't on Otago's strongly recommended list. It helps with familiarity, since CELS191 and the HUBS papers will feel less foreign if you've done it. But those papers start from the fundamentals, so missing Biology is easier to recover from than missing Chemistry or Physics.
If you didn't take Chemistry
Otago runs CHEM150 Concepts in Chemistry over Summer School. It's designed for students with limited chemistry backgrounds who are going on to CHEM191. For 2027, the online classes start on 11 January, the last two weeks are full time on campus in Dunedin in February, and the final exam is on 22 February. According to Otago's paper information, students with more than 14 credits of Level 2 Chemistry won't normally be allowed to enrol, so check whether it applies to you.
If CHEM150 isn't for you, work through the basics yourself over summer. Start with moles and concentration calculations, then balancing equations, then pH and acids and bases. Doing a few questions a day for a few weeks beats cramming in February.
If you didn't take Physics
Otago runs JumpStart Physics, a three-week intensive course right before semester 1, built to prepare students for PHSI191. If you haven't done Level 3 Physics, it's worth looking at.
On your own, focus on the maths side first. Rearranging formulas, units and unit conversions, and scientific notation cause a surprising number of lost marks in PHSI191.
If you're still in Year 12
If you're choosing Year 13 subjects now for HSFY in 2028, take Chemistry, Physics and Calculus if you can, and keep an English-rich subject. Biology is a reasonable choice if you have room for it. If something has to give, keep Chemistry and Physics, because they're the two that take the most time to learn from scratch during HSFY.
The dates that matter now
If you're starting HSFY in 2027, applications for semester 1 2027 close on 10 December 2026 for domestic students. Get that done first. Then decide which of the gaps above you'll work on over summer.
FAQ
Can I do HSFY without Year 13 Chemistry?
Yes. There are no subject requirements for entry. It's harder, though, because CHEM191 moves fast. CHEM150 at Summer School is designed for exactly this situation.
Do I need Year 13 Physics for HSFY?
No, but it's strongly recommended. If you didn't take it, look at JumpStart Physics before semester 1 and practise the maths behind the formulas.
Is Biology required for HSFY?
No, and it isn't on Otago's strongly recommended list. It helps a bit with familiarity, but the biology papers in HSFY start from the basics.
What is the HSFY English diagnostic?
A compulsory test early in semester 1. If you don't reach the threshold, you need to pass ENGL128 in semester 2.
If you're starting HSFY next year and want to get ahead on the papers over summer, see how Cutline helps you start HSFY.
Cutline is not affiliated with the University of Otago. Details are from Otago's HSFY, AskOtago and CHEM150 pages, checked 8 October 2026. Always check the official pages for your year.
