Term 1
Kohitātea January
Huitānguru February
SPECIAL ASSESSMENT CONDITIONS (SAC) - Rollover/Change opens for approved learners
2026 Assessment (including Exams) Rules for Schools with Consent to Assess published on NZQA website
Deadline for 2025 NCEA External Assessment Reviews and Reconsiderations
Poutūterangi March
Data file submission opens (schools can upload entry and result data files to NZQA from this date)
Paengawhāwhā April
Data submission of entries into event 1 of Literacy and Numeracy assessment and Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau due
Email schools@nzqa.govt.nz of any new twins or triplets entered for NCEA
External Moderation submission begins (providers to submit external moderation as soon as internal moderation is completed)
Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) - first deadline for first time applications for approval, rollover and changes
Term 2
Paengawhāwhā April
Haratua May
Data submission due (for school’s that must manually trigger their SMS to synchronise with NZQA)
Submission instructions published on NZQA website for Kete Manarua, NCEA and NZ Scholarship portfolios
Pipiri June
Data submission due (for school’s that must manually trigger their SMS to synchronise with NZQA)
Final date to submit Memorandum of Agreement between NZQA and schools online
Hōngongoi July
Data submission due (for school’s that must manually trigger their SMS to synchronise with NZQA)
Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) - attach SAC entitlements to external standards from now
Term 3
Hōngongoi July
Co-requisite assessment results release for Writing 32405, Numeracy 32406, Pāngarau 32412, Te Reo Matatini (Te Reo Torohū) 32413, Te Reo Matatini (Te Reo Whakaputa) 32415
Translated papers – check all external entries requiring translation or marking in Te Reo Māori are correctly flagged in submitted data by 1 August
Check submitted data contains all external entries (including NZ Scholarship) for SAC learners by 1 August
Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) - include as many exam entries for SAC learners as possible and continue to attach SAC provisions to exams
Hereturikōkā August
Entries into event 2 of Literacy and Numeracy and Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau must have been included in submitted data
External entries must have been included in submitted data, as they are used to calculate the quantity of exam papers and materials
Translated papers - deadline to request translation or marking in Te Reo Māori for external entries in your data file
Verify the accuracy of externally assessed entries ahead of the 1 September deadline for NZQA preparing personalised exam materials and calculating fees for international learners
Mahuru September
Deadline for data submission of entries for externally assessed standards including NZ Scholarship for learners to receive personalised exam materials
Final date for withdrawals from externally assessed standards including NZ Scholarship
Check timetable clashes and confirm with learners how two-way clashes will be resolved. Three-way clash letters will be sent to PNs by end of Term 3
Term 4
Whiringa-ā-nuku October
Visual Arts Level 1 submissions due. All provisional results must be entered
Co-requisite assessment results release for Writing 32405, Numeracy 32406, Pāngarau 32412, Te Reo Matatini (Te Reo Torohū) 32413 (excluding kete manarua 32415, 32412)
Portal closes for all Kete Manarua – refer to the 2026 Assessment Timetable
Visual Arts Level 2 submissions. All provisional results must be entered.
Final date for school payment of NCEA & NZ Scholarship fees for international fee-paying learners
Whiringa-ā-rangi November
Data submission due (for school’s that must manually trigger their SMS to synchronise with NZQA) - include all derived grades for Unexpected Events
Hakihea December
Finalise data submissions to NZQA for enrolments or external assessment entries, including derived grades for Unexpected Events. Note: DO NOT enter leaving date and reason on your year 13 students
Provider ability to change enrolments or external assessment entries through SMS data submission or web entries closes. This includes the ability to submit derived grades for Unexpected Events.
Key business dates
2025 NZ Scholarship Results Release date
2025 NZ Scholarship Examination scripts available to learners
Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) - Attach SAC entitlements to external standards from now
Special Assessment Conditions (SAC):
- Applications for approval using the learning category and for all notifications close for 2026
- First time applications open for 2027
Special Assessment Conditions (SAC):
- Applications for approval using the learning category and for all notifications close for 2026
- First time applications open for 2027
Submitting data files
Data files should be submitted by the 1st of each month from April to December.
Data files can be submitted more than once a month.