Scholarship questions and answers
What is the purpose of Scholarship exams?
Scholarship exams are designed to challenge, identify and recognise the country's top students, and provide them with monetary rewards. Scholarship requires high-level analytical skills and critical thinking. It is hard and will test the most able students.
How many get Scholarship?
About 3 per cent of Year 13 students studying each subject at level 3 will get Scholarship, if they reach the standard that has been set. There will be some tolerance around the 3 per cent mainly for those subject with small numbers of candidates.
What does 'studying the subject at level 3' mean?
The intended 3 per cent is based on the number of Year 13 students who are attempting 14+ credits of the subject at level 3 in unit and/or achievement standards (internally or externally assessed).
What happens if too few students reach the standard?
Where too few students reach the standard, fewer Scholarships will be awarded in that subject.
How will the top 3 per cent of students be identified?
Each question in the Scholarship exams will be marked on a Generic Marking Guide of 0 - 8, with 8 being a superb performance. From a total of these marks the student's work is ranked. The top performing students in each subject will be awarded Scholarship.
Are the exams different from NCEA exams?
Scholarship exams are hard. They are for the most able students, and require high-level analytical skills, critical thinking, and advanced written language skills.
When do students get the results?
Students' results will be released towards the end of February each year.
How many Scholarships are awarded?
Full details of the numbers of candidates and awards.
Does the timing of the Scholarship results affect entrance to University?
No. Entrance to University is determined by NCEA results. Scholarship provides recognition and monetary reward to top students; it is not an entrance qualification.
Do you have to sit all three subjects in the one year to get the top prizes?
Yes. To be eligible for the awards for three Scholarship subjects, the student must attain Scholarship in each of the subjects in the same year.
Page updated: 16 February 2007