National Certificate of Educational Achievement - Specifications

Specifications

A student gains the NCEA when they achieve a specified number of credits from standards on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF), as follows:

• NCEA Level 1 is gained by achieving 80 credits at any level of the NQF, of which ten credits must demonstrate numeracy (i.e. Mathematics) and ten credits must demonstrate literacy (i.e. English or Te Reo Maori). As from 2011 in any other approved subject that has a literacy content will satisfy the minimal requirement so students will no longer have to do an actual language.
• NCEA Level 2 is gained by achieving 80 credits, of which 60 must be at Level 2 or higher and the remainder from any level. There is no literacy or numeracy requirement.
• NCEA Level 3 is gained by achieving 80 credits, of which 60 must be at Level 3 or higher and the remainder at Level 2 or higher.

Credits awarded can be used more than once, so a student that has achieved NCEA Level 1 only needs 60 Level 2 credits to pass NCEA Level 2 (20 credits are reused from Level 1).

Level 1 is generally studied by students in their eleventh year of schooling, and Levels 2 and 3 at years 12 and 13 respectively. NCEA Level 3 is the national school leavers' qualification. The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) administers these qualifications.

A standard is a module of work in which competence is demonstrated for the standard (and associated credits) are awarded. Standards in conventional school subjects, which are assessed against three passing grades (achievement, achievement with merit and achievement with excellence), are known as achievement standards. Unit standards were designed for vocational fields and are either achieved or not achieved. As from 2011 most Unit standards are being withdrawn as they were set at curriculum level 3 or 4.The remaining ones will mainly be ITO standards. Each credit is intended to represent ten hours of learning; a 120-credit course in one year is considered to be full-time equivalent. Standards at Levels 1 to 3 are generally worth between two and six credits, although there are some standards that do as high as twelve.