Qualifications
NCEA, NZQA Fees, University Entrance
NCEA Certificates
REQUIREMENTS
Level 1
60 credits are required at any level (level 1, 2 or 3) + 20-credit co-requisite in literacy and numeracy
Level 2
60 credits at level 2 or above (+ 20-credit co-requisite in literacy and numeracy*)
Level 3
60 credits at level 3 or above (+ 20-credit co-requisite in literacy and numeracy*)
Credits can be gained over more than one year.
Credits may also be used towards other qualifications. For example, Unit Standards in the domain ‘generic computing’ might be used towards a Level 2 NCEA certificate, as well as towards a National Certificate in Computing (Level 2).
* Learners need to complete the co-requisite once only.
Level 1 NCEA – Literacy & Numeracy
REQUIREMENTS
For 2026, to be awarded any level of NCEA, learners will need to achieve the new 20-credit co-requisite in literacy and numeracy through achieving either the new standards in Literacy-Writing, Literacy-Reading, Numeracy, Te Reo Matatini, and Pāngarau or gaining 20 credits from a list of literacy and numeracy-rich standards.
For more information visit NZQA website here. Some transition provisions may still be available.
NCEA Certificate & Course Endorsements
Certificate Endorsement
Excellence Endorsement
The NCEA Certificate will be endorsed with Excellence if 50 or more credits are gained at Excellence.
Merit Endorsement
The NCEA Certificate will be endorsed with Merit if 50 credits or more are gained at Merit or Excellence.
Credits earned can count towards an endorsement over more than one year. However, they must be gained at the same level of the certificate.
For example, Level 2 credits will count towards endorsement of a Level 1 NCEA certificate if gained in the same academic year, but Level 1 credits will not count towards endorsement of a Level 2 NCEA.
Course Endorsement
Excellence Endorsement
A course will be endorsed with Excellence if 14 or more credits at Excellence are earned within the course and within a single school year.
Merit Endorsement
A course will be endorsed with Merit if 14 or more credits at Merit or Excellence are earned within the course and within a single school year.
For more Endorsement information visit the NZQA website here.
NZQA Entry Fees
Domestic candidates
Entry fees have been abolished from 2019
International fee-paying candidates
Basic fee, regardless of number of subjects entered $383.30
NZ Scholarship fee, per subject $102.20
New Zealand University Entrance – through NCEA
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS TO UNIVERSITY
You must meet the admission requirements for your programme(s) of study. In addition to achieving university entrance, many undergraduate programmes require you to have taken specific subjects and have gained minimum credits in certain subjects. Many universities have also set minimum rank scores for guaranteed entry to specific courses. Some programmes have other requirements such as a portfolio, audition and/or interview.
UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE
For the most up-to-date information including Special Admissions visit here.
NCEA APPROVED SUBJECTS FOR UNIVERSITY ENTRANCE
Only certain school subjects can be used toward gaining University Entrance. This subject list is constantly being reviewed by NZQA.
For the most up-to-date information visit here.
GUARANTEED ENTRY SCORES (GES)
Some universities use a rank score system for guaranteed or preferential entry into some courses of study, especially for those with limited or competitive entry.
The score is based on the number of Level 3 credits gained with Excellence, Merit or Achieved.
Students may still be accepted into a course of study if they don’t meet the rank score but do meet the University Entrance standard.
Students should check each individual Universities policy on GES scores and ranks.