National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA)

New Zealand's National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) are national qualifications for senior secondary school students. Read more »

• Understanding NCEA
• How NCEA works
• Using NCEA after leaving school
• NCEA in business
• History of NCEA

Entry into NCEA

The National Certificate in Educational Achievement (NCEA) qualifications are organised by NZQA. Students automatically become candidates for NCEA when their school first sends results for internally assessed standards to NZQA, entries are made for externally assessed standards, or an entry is made for New Zealand Scholarship. Read more »

• Fees for NCEA

NCEA exams and portfolios

A number of standards are assessed externally, i.e. not by a school's teachers. These standards are either assessed by external exams or the submission of portfolios. Read more »

• External examinations

NCEA rules and procedures

The Assessment and Examination Rules and Procedures are an administrative guide for secondary schools and tertiary providers delivering achievement standards for students. There are also Rules and Procedures that relate to home-schooled students. Read more »

• Assessment and Examination Rules and Procedures for Secondary Schools - 2010
• Assessment and Examination Rules and Procedures for Secondary Schools - supporting information
• Assessment and Examination Rules and Procedures for Home Schools
• Rules and procedures for Tertiary Education Organisations assessing against achievement standards

NCEA results

Secondary school students will receive results for all internal or external standards that are assessed as part of NCEA. Read more »

• Reviews and reconsiderations

NCEA subject resources

NZQA is responsible for the exam papers for all externally assessed standards. These papers, and the associated documents are available to help with study and learning.

• NCEA subject resources