NCEA Endorsement - NZQA

Overview

• NCEA endorsements recognize high achievement at the course and certificate level within the New Zealand Qualifications Authority system.
• Students can be endorsed at the certificate level or for individual courses.

Endorsements Recognize High Achievement

• Students performing above the Achieved level can have their results "endorsed."
• Possible endorsements include Merit and Excellence.

NCEA Certificate Endorsement

• Certificates can be endorsed with either Merit or Excellence.
• Excellence Endorsement: Requires 50 credits at Excellence at or above the certificate level.
• Merit Endorsement: Requires 50 credits at Merit (or a mix of Merit and Excellence) at or above the certificate level.
• Examples:
  • Leilani achieves 51 Level 2 credits at Excellence: her certificate is endorsed with Excellence.
  • Mark achieves 50 Level 1 credits at Merit: his certificate is endorsed with Merit.
• Endorsements are shown on the Record of Achievement and calculated in January after external results are released.

NCEA Certificate Endorsement and Multi-Level Study

• Only the highest certificate achieved can be endorsed unless multiple certificates are achieved in one year.
• Lower-level certificates require additional credits for endorsement.
• Examples:
  • Joseph achieves both Level 1 and Level 2 in one year, and both are endorsed.
  • Hoani upgrades his Level 2 Merit endorsement to Excellence with additional Level 2 credits.

Course Endorsement

• Recognizes achievement in an individual course within a school year.
• Possible at Achieved, Merit, and Excellence levels.
• Students can attain course endorsement without achieving an NCEA certificate for that level.
• Schools decide which standards contribute to a course.

Achieving Course Endorsement

• Requirements:
  • 14+ credits at Achieved, Merit, or Excellence.
  • At least 3 credits from both externally and internally assessed standards.
  • Exceptions for certain subjects without external standards.

Courses with Standards at More Than One Level

• Most courses have standards at the same level, but some courses mix levels.
• Course endorsement is at the lowest level of the qualifying standards.
  • Example: Juno and Dylan achieve endorsements at levels defined by their course standards.

Unusable Credits and Non-Endorsable Courses

• Some courses cannot be endorsed due to insufficient credits.
• Reasons may include schools not intending for course endorsements or not reporting all standards.

Additional Resources

• Course endorsement guide for schools
• Assessment Rules

Feedback and Contact

• Contact NZQA for further information or feedback.