NCEA stands for the National Certificate of Educational Achievement.  It's the main qualification for senior secondary school students, and it's available at Levels 1, 2 and 3.  NCEA is internationally recognised.

NCEA is very flexible.  In Year 11, students usually work towards Level 1, and progress to Level 2 in Year 12 and Level 3 in Year 13.

It's not unusual to be working at a mix of different levels, depending on your learning programme.

For example, you might be doing mostly Level 2 courses, but start something new at Level 1 or study a course at Level 3 because you are good at it.

You don't have to finish one level of the NCEA qualification before starting to work towards the next one.

Choosing Your Subjects

If you're unsure about what subjects you should take, talk to your subject teachers and deans, who can answer your questions about NCEA and help you plan your subject choices to achieve your goals.

As you move on to NCEA Levels 2 and 3, the subjects you choose to take can affect what you can do when you leave school.  Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) related subjects, as well as English and/or Te Reo Māori, help keep your option open to a wide range of careers.

Even in you don't think you want to go to university, you might want to take at least three of the subjects that can be used for University Entrance.  This means that university could still be an option if you change your mind.

Information from NZQA's Guide to NCEA, February 2024