New Zealand Qualifications

Secondary School Qualifications

The qualification that is studied for by secondary school students in New Zealand is called the National Certificate of Educational Achievement (NCEA). It is recognised internationally by employers, universities and polytechnics.

The NCEA

• Challenges students of all abilities, in all learning areas
• Gives opportunities to begin studying for tertiary or industry qualifications
• Exams as well as internal assessment
• Reports details about the students achievement
• Recognised by employers, universities and polytechnics and is used as the benchmark for the selection
• Students gain credits from traditional school curriculum areas
• National system for checking internal assessments
• Shows the credits and grades for separate skills in some standards
  

Tertiary and Vocational Qualifications

There are 10 levels in total of study, with the lowest level being a certificate and the highest being a doctoral degree. Here is a list of the names of the qualifications and their levels:-

• Certificates are level 1 to 4
• Diplomas are level 5 to 6
• Bachelor's degrees and graduate diplomas are level 7
• Postgraduate certificates and diplomas, bachelor degrees with honours are level 8
• Master degrees are level 9
• Doctoral degrees are level 10

All the major education providers are registered with New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) so this means you can be sure that you are studying for an approved qualification. Some private training establishments do not use the NZQA, just check to make sure first!

You can study for a certificate, diploma or degree at polytechnics and institutes of technology, which offer more practical and vocational courses. While a university bachelor's degree can take three to four years, after you get this you can then study for a post-graduate qualification such as a graduate diploma, master's degree of doctorate. If you have an undergraduate degree from your homeland and you have great English, you might be able to apply for a post-graduate course.

English Language

Most of the English language schools offer general English classes, but these classes do not give you a specific qualification, but when you finish you may be prepared to go onto further education.

If you want to study at a university you may have to meet specific English language standards. There are two English language certificates, The International English Language Testing System (IELTS) and The Princeton Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL).

The IELTS is used at most tertiary institutions in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada, and now more so in the US. It is used to assess the ability to read, write, speak and listen in English. The TOEFL is used in many North American tertiary institutions. It does the same as the IELTS except there is a separate test for the spoken English.