How NCEA Works: A Complete Guide to Credits, Internals, Externals, and Grades
- Hannah Leuschke
- Nov 26
- 4 min read
If you’re new to NCEA, the system can seem confusing at first — credits, standards, internals, externals, endorsements… it’s a lot to take in. This guide breaks everything down into simple, clear sections so you can understand how NCEA marking works and what students need to succeed.
Whether you’re a parent, a student starting NCEA for the first time, or someone trying to understand the system, this post will help you make sense of it all.
What NCEA Is
NCEA (National Certificate of Educational Achievement) is New Zealand’s main secondary school qualification. It runs across three levels:
Level 1 (usually Year 11)
Level 2 (usually Year 12)
Level 3 (usually Year 13)
Instead of one final grade, students work towards a qualification by earning credits in each subject throughout the year.
What Credits Are
Every NCEA subject is made up of standards. Each standard is worth a certain number of credits — usually between 2 and 6.
Students pass a standard by completing the assessment for it, and the credits from that standard are added to their total.
How many credits do you need?
Level 1: 60 Level 1 credits + 20 literacy/numeracy credits
Level 2: 60 Level 2 credits + 20 credits from any level
Level 3: 60 Level 3 credits + 20 credits from Level 2 or 3
Most subjects offer 18–22 credits total per year.
What Achievement Standards Are
Every NCEA standard fits into one of two types:
Achievement Standards (AS) – used in most subjects
Unit Standards (US) – more common in vocational subjects
Each standard is assessed through either:
Internal assessment (done during the year), or
External assessment (exam or portfolio at the end of the year)
The mix of these varies depending on the subject.
Internal Assessments Explained
Internal assessments are completed during the school year and marked by teachers.
They can be:
Tests
Speeches
Research reports
Practical experiments
Performances
Essays
Investigations
Key features of internal assessments:
Marked at school
Results returned quickly
Often assess practical, applied, or in-depth skills
Usually one chance only (unless a resubmission is offered)
Moderated externally to check marking is fair
Count toward the student’s credit total immediately
Examples:
English creative writing
Science practical investigations
Geography research assignments
Maths statistical investigations
Internals often require planning, time management, and ongoing effort throughout the year.
External Assessments Explained
External assessments are completed at the end of the year during the NCEA exams in November.
Most externals are written exams, but some subjects may have:
Portfolios (Art)
Submissions (Technology, Design)
Listening exams (Languages)
Key features of external assessments:
Marked by NZQA (not schools)
Completed under exam conditions
Cover broader topics taught over the year
Focus heavily on understanding and application
Require good exam technique and revision
Examples:
Maths algebra exam
Biology genetics exam
English unfamiliar text + essay exams
Chemistry bonding/structure
Economics market exams
Externals contribute heavily to Merit and Excellence endorsements because students can demonstrate depth of understanding.
How NCEA Grades Work (Achieved, Merit, Excellence)
Every standard — whether internal or external — is marked using these four grades:
Not Achieved (N) – standard not met
Achieved (A) – basic understanding
Merit (M) – deeper explanation, more detail
Excellence (E) – perceptive, clear, insightful, fully developed
What Each Grade Means
Achieved:
Student meets the minimum requirements
Basic explanation or demonstration
Idea is correct but not detailed
Merit:
More thorough explanations
Clear reasoning or deeper processes shown
Good understanding
Excellence:
Insightful, precise, well-organised answers
Clear evidence of deep understanding
Can relate ideas to unfamiliar situations
Often uses technical vocabulary accurately
Endorsements: Merit, Excellence, and Course Endorsements
Students can earn endorsements if they consistently perform well.
Course Endorsement (per subject):
To earn a Merit or Excellence endorsement in a subject, a student needs:
14 credits at Merit or Excellence,
Including at least 3 internal AND 3 external credits (some subjects have exceptions)
Certificate Endorsement:
Awarded for the whole year level:
50 credits at Merit or Excellence = Merit Endorsement
50 credits at Excellence = Excellence Endorsement
Endorsements look great on reports and university applications.
Understanding the Balance: Internals vs Externals
Most subjects contain a mix:
Subject | Internal Credits | External Credits |
English | 12 | 8 |
Biology | 8 | 12 |
Chemistry | 4 | 16 |
Geography | 14 | 10 |
Maths | 4 | 16 |
Some subjects (like Dance, PE, Hospitality) are mostly internal.
Other subjects (like Maths and Science) rely heavily on externals.
How Past Papers Fit In
NCEA exam questions are highly repetitive. Past papers show:
Question patterns
Typical wording
How deep an Excellence answer needs to be
What markers expect
Students who practise past papers tend to perform much better in externals.
Common Myths About NCEA
“You can’t study for English.” - Wrong — English has predictable structures and repeated question styles.
“Exams are harder than internals.” - They’re different, not harder.
“You need Excellence in every standard to do well.” - Not true — endorsements only require 50 credits.
“NCEA is confusing.” - It only feels confusing until you understand the structure.
Tips for Success in NCEA
For Internals:
Start early
Break assignments into smaller tasks
Check the marking schedule before submitting
Ask for feedback
For Externals:
Use past papers
Create short summaries
Study consistently
Learn to apply content to new situations
Practise timed questions
How Tutoring Helps
Our tutors have completed these same standards themselves and can help with:
Internal writing, reports, and assignments
External exam preparation
Past paper practice
Understanding course content
Study planning
Building exam confidence
We tutor NCEA Levels 1–3 in:
English
Biology
Chemistry
Dance
Economics (L1–2)
Statistics (L1–2)
General Level 1 subjects
👉 Contact us to book tutoring or learn more.
Call or Text us: 027-364-4492
Email Us: helpful.hands.central@gmail.com
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