The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) 

Rangi Ruru offers the NCEA. The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is the main qualification at all senior secondary school levels in New Zealand. It provides a sound pathway to tertiary education and workplace training both within New Zealand and abroad.

The National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA) is New Zealand’s national qualification for senior secondary students. NCEA is part of the National Qualifications Framework.

NCEA Assessment is based on Standards
NCEA uses standards to describe the level of work students have produced and how well they have done. The standards have been set to challenge and reward students. Every standard is worth a set number of credits. These are like points towards a qualification.

Level 1 NCEA
Although most students study for Level 1 in Year 11, some Year 9 or 10 students gain credits in one or more subjects and these can be included in their Level 1 Certificate the following year. To be awarded a Level 1 NCEA students need 80 credits at Level 1 or higher:

• including eight credits from literacy standards (English achievement standards or unit standards)
• including eight credits from numeracy standards (Mathematics achievement standards or unit standards)

Level 2 NCEA
In Year 12 most students study Level 2 subjects. To be awarded a Level 2 NCEA students need 80 credits:

• including at least 60 credits at Level 2 or higher
• and 20 credits at any other level (these may include credits which counted towards the Level 1Certificate)
• they should also plan to gain literacy credits in Level 2 English for their University Entrance the following year

Level 3 NCEA
In Year 13 most students study Level 3 subjects but they may also study some subjects at Levels 1 or 2 if they wish.To be awarded a Level 3 NCEA students need 80 credits, including:

• at least 60 credits at Level 3 or higher, and
• 20 credits at Level 2 or higher (these may include credits which counted towards the Level 2 Certificate)

Endorsement of NCEA certificates
Students’ NCEA results can be ‘endorsed’ at Merit or Excellence level, depending on the number of credits they have gained at these levels. Their Record of Achievement will show them if they have been awarded an Endorsement.

If students gain 50 credits at Excellence, their NCEA will be endorsed with Excellence. Likewise, if they gain 50 credits at Merit (or Merit and Excellence) their NCEA will be endorsed with Merit. Students can earn credits counting towards endorsement over more than one year and more than one level.

However, these credits must be gained at the level of the certifi cate or above. For example, Level 2 credits will count towards endorsement of a Level 1 NCEA, but Level 1 credits will not count towards endorsement of a Level 2 NCEA.

University Entrance

Most students aim to achieve University Entrance in Year 13. University Entrance is awarded on the basis of three Level 3 subjects and a minimum of 14 credits from each.
As well, 14 credits must be from Mathematics at Level 1 or higher and eight credits in Reading and Writing at Level 2 or higher. Universities and other tertiary providers will use NCEA results for entry selection.

Good grades such as Excellence or Merit in achievement standards, will be advantageous, particularly in selection for limited entry courses.

University Entrance Requirements
Students in Years 11, 12 and 13 should note the following standard features:

• a numeracy requirement focusing on Mathematics.
• a literacy requirement focusing on English.
• credits from two approved subjects plus additional credits drawn from no more than two approved subjects or domains on the national Qualifi cations Framework.

A student qualifies for entrance to a university in New Zealand if he/she has obtained:

1. A minimum of 42 credits at Level 3 or higher on the National Qualifi cations Framework, including a minimum 14 credits at Level 3 or higher in each of two subjects from an approved subject list, with a further 14 credits Level 3 or higher taken from no more than two additional domains* on the National Qualifications Framework approved subjects. (* A domain is a division of a Sub-Field. E.g. Field = Sciences, Sub-field = Mathematics, Domain = Algebra)
2. A minimum of 14 credits at Level 1 or higher in Mathematics or Pangarau on the National QualificationsFramework.
3. A minimum of eight credits at Level 2 or higher in English or Te Reo Maori; four credits must be in Reading and four credits must be in Writing. The literacy credits will be selected from a schedule of approved achievement standards and unit standards.

New Zealand Scholarship

The top students in the country are identified and acknowledged through the scholarship examinations.

Scholarship will not attract credits nor contribute towards a qualification but the fact that a student has gained a Scholarship or Outstanding Scholarship will appear on the Record of Achievement. There is also a monetary reward associated with attaining a scholarship. The content assessed for New Zealand Scholarship will be the same as that covered for Level 3 achievement standards.

NCEA and Admission to Tertiary Courses Overseas

Internationally, universities require foreign students applying for admission to have achieved the university entrance standard set by their own countries. The same principle generally applies to other tertiary providers overseas.

This is the way in which New Zealand’s University Bursaries results acquired international recognition. The same applies to NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship results.

• NCEA Level 1 is broadly equivalent to the English General Certificate of Education (GCE).
• Level 3 is equivalent to English A Levels and Australia’s Higher School Certifi cate.

For further information visit the NZQA website at www.nzqa.govt.nz.