Further changes to NCEA for students in Auckland
The government has made additional changes to NCEA for students in Auckland, to recognise the 13 days of classroom time lost during the recent Alert Level 3 lockdown.

These changes will help ensure you have a fair opportunity to achieve NCEA this year.

Extra Learning Recognition credits
Learning Recognition (LR) credits were introduced this year to recognise the classroom time
lost during the nationwide lockdown earlier this year. Extra LR credits are now available to students in Auckland because of the additional COVID disruption in August.

Changes to earning rate and LR credit maximums

• Level One NCEA – There are now 16 Learning Recognition credits so you will only need 64 credits at L1 or above to gain your Level 1 NCEA Certificate.  
• Level Two NCEA – There are now 12 Learning Recognition credits so you will only need 68 credits (48 at L2 or above + 20 from L1, 2, or 3) to gain your Level 2 NCEA Certificate.  
• Level Three NCEA – There are now 12 Learning Recognition credits so you will only need 68 credits (48 at L3 + 20 from L2 or L3)

These changes apply to all the credits you achieve in 2020, including credits earned before
the recent lockdown, and cover internal assessment, exams, and portfolios.

Changes to certificate endorsements
Instead of 46 credits, you will now need 44 credits to earn Merit or Excellence Certificate
Endorsements.

Preparing students for success
If another COVID-19 disruption prevents you from sitting end-of-year examinations, there are steps in place to ensure you can still receive a grade. Your teachers have been gathering
assessment evidence from the course work you have been doing that shows whether you
have met the requirements of the standard.

Changes to University Entrance (UE) were announced in June, meaning students need to
achieve 12 credits, rather than 14 credits, in each of 3 University Entrance Approved
Subjects. There are no extra changes to UE, but universities and other tertiary education
providers are also taking the unique circumstances of 2020 into account in their discretionary entry requirements for 2021.