Arrangements between NZ and the USA
There are no official qualification recognition arrangements between New Zealand and the USA, but NZQA works with the US Embassy to support the USA recognising New Zealand qualifications.
Universities and tertiary providers in the US set their own qualification requirements. They often use independent assessors to work out whether international qualifications meet their requirements.
Planning and course selection to study at a US education provider
In the US, each institution has its own requirements for applying for admission. These requirements can be very different from one institution to another.
Always check the requirements with the international admissions office of each institution.
How to apply to a US university
If you want to start a US undergraduate programme next September, you may need to apply as early as the November to January before the programme starts.
You may need to supply:
- An online application form (including personal information, education history, etc)
- Educational credentials – usually:
- your NCEA results, covered in your Record of Achievement
New Zealand Record of Achievement
- transcripts from years 9 and 10 – certified copies of your educational record, courses, and grades from years 9 and 10. An original transcript or certified copy sent by your secondary/high school is generally required for each institution you apply to.
- your NCEA results, covered in your Record of Achievement
- Standardised test scores, for example:
- SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test)
- ACT (American College Test)
- English proficiency level if English is not your first language.
- Recommendation letters, written by someone responsible for your academic tracking, such as a year-level Dean or tutor who knows you well. These should cover your academic work and your potential to do well pursuing a higher education degree.
- Essay/personal statement – where you write about your interests, long-term goals, and strengths – this is one of the most important parts of your application.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) scholarships
If you are a student athlete wanting an NCAA scholarship for US universities, you should register with the NCAA Eligibility Center as early as possible.
This will help you stay on track to meet the eligibility standards.
NCAA Eligibility Center (external link)
General advice when applying for NCAA scholarships
NZQA has worked closely with the NCAA and EducationUSA to support New Zealand students and families through the NCAA scholarship application process.
Get academic transcripts from your secondary school
NCAA will ask for academic transcripts for four to five years of secondary schooling.
In New Zealand, schools use the National Curriculum to develop teaching programmes for the first two years of secondary schooling, including their own system for assessing and recording achievement.
For Years 9 and 10
Each school in New Zealand will have a different transcript, so your school needs to explain its grading system to NCAA. The school needs to include how they calculate the final grades from descriptor and numeric grades. Include the explanation with the school transcript.
It will also help NCAA to know how the school formats its transcript. NCAA recommends that applicants send their school transcripts to the Eligibility Centre well in advance of finishing their secondary schooling. This will give the Eligibility Centre enough time to review and clarify any areas where they need further information.
For Years 11 to 13
The New Zealand Record of Achievement (NZROA) is an official transcript of all the New Zealand qualifications and standards that you have achieved.
New Zealand Record of Achievement
To have a copy of your NZROA sent to NCAA, email prs@nzqa.govt.nz.
Include your:
- full name
- date of birth
- National Student Number (NSN)
- postal address
- name of the last school you attended
- NCAA application reference number.
Core course requirements
Check the most current guidelines available on the NCAA Eligibility Center website, including advice on the core course requirements.
You can expect that the number of core courses you achieve will affect your GPA score.
Proof of graduation
This includes certificates, diplomas or final leaving exams.
The difference between the school years in the US (from September to June) and New Zealand (February to December) means you may be able to submit these documents later than requested.
Sometimes the NCAA Eligibility Center may ask for extra academic documentation to make sure that your academic information is complete, valid and accurate.
For more information, call the NCAA Eligibility Center’s international academic certification staff at 001-317-917-6222.
Community colleges
Community colleges usually have rolling admissions or periodic application deadlines throughout the year. Check the deadline for your study programme on the institution’s website.
It can take a lot of time to complete an application and register for classes, so plan ahead.
General requirements to apply for community colleges
- An online application form (including personal information, education history, etc).
- Educational credentials – usually your NCEA results and sometimes transcripts from years 9 and 10.
- Standardised test scores – these are not usually required for community colleges, but can include English proficiency tests and SATs.
- Other forms, depending on the institution, often financial information, proof of health insurance, vaccination records, and passport and visa information.
Registering for SAT or ACT tests
The SAT is a standardised test widely used for college and university admissions in the US. The test is intended to assess a student’s readiness for tertiary study. Some colleges and universities will also accept ACT scores.
Register for these tests early, as there may be limited options and dates for international locations to take the test.
Grade Point Average (GPA) conversion of NCEA levels
Students who want to enrol in US universities and colleges may need a Grade Point Average conversion of NCEA Levels 1, 2 and 3.
GPA calculations are made only on subjects that the US consider “core” subjects, usually mathematics, English, natural/physical science, and social science.
You will need to check with each education provider to see what subjects can count toward a GPA score.
Getting a GPA conversion
NZQA no longer provides GPA conversions for study in the US. This was decided after a review of how NZQA was providing GPA conversions of NCEA results.
We recommend that you contact the provider in the US you are interested in attending. They will explain the process you should follow to get a GPA conversion of your NCEA results.
Many US universities recognise GPA conversions from Education Credential Evaluators or World Education Services and other third-party providers.
Information for credentialing agencies
NCEA up to and including 2023
Up to and including 2023, each level of the NCEA qualifications was 80 credits with Literacy and Numeracy requirements.
In most cases students met the literacy and numeracy requirements from the same standards that counted towards the requirements for 80 credits overall. In rare cases a student may have taken additional standards (credits) to meet both the overall credit requirements and the Literacy and Numeracy requirements.
The Literacy and Numeracy requirements only needed to be achieved once (the same requirements applied at all three levels).
NCEA Level 1 was 80 credits at level 1 or above, including 10 literacy credits and 10 numeracy credits.
NCEA Level 2 was 80 credits, with 60 credits at level 2 or above. 20 credits could be at level 1 (or above). Students must meet the literacy and numeracy requirements.
NCEA Level 3 was 80 credits, with 60 credits at level 3 or above. 20 credits. 20 credits could be at level 2 (or above). Students must meet the literacy and numeracy requirements.
NCEA from 2024
From 2024 the NCEA qualifications require 60 credits plus a Literacy and Numeracy corequisite (20 credits).
Each NCEA level requires 60 credits at that level (or above), but it will only be awarded when the student had met the corequisite. Students only need to meet the corequisite once but students need it to be awarded each level of NCEA qualification.
The corequisite requires 10 credits for Literacy and 10 credits for Numeracy from a set of unit standards (or a legacy set of achievement standards during a limited transition period). The only grades for unit standards are Achieved or Not Achieved (A and N).
The results for the corequisite should not be considered part of a student’s academic record when calculating GPAs.