NCEA and Endorsements

NCEA Level 1, 2, 3 (2024)

The diagram below illustrates the requirements for NCEA Leve 2 and 3 from 2024.

Certificate Endorsement 

• An overall certificate is issued when a student achieves NCEA Level 1, 2 or 3.
• These certificates can be achieved with Merit or Excellence overall. 
• To achieve NCEA Level 1, 2 or 3 with Excellence, at least 50 of the credits achieved must be at the Excellence level. 
• To achieve NCEA Level 1, 2 or 3 with Merit, at least 50 of the credits must be achieved at the Merit or Excellence level.

Course Endorsement 

• A student may gain a course endorsement, for example, English Level 2 with Excellence, Merit or Achieved. 
• To gain a course endorsement, a student must achieve 14 credits at the Excellence, Merit or Achieved level. 
• At least three credits must be internally assessed credits and three credits externally assessed.

Exceptions are in Academic Physical Education, Outdoor Education, Religious Education and Visual Arts. 

In Academic Physical Education, Outdoor Education and Religious Education students require 14 internal credits for an Endorsement because it is an entirely internally assessed course. Visual Arts students will gain an Endorsement if they achieve Excellence, Merit or Achieved for their Boards or Portfolio which is worth 14 External credits or if they achieve 14 internal credits.