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
First data file submission due (include as many learner enrolments, courses and entries as possible)
Data file submissions for 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
Submission instructions published on NZQA website for Kete Manarua, NCEA and NZ Scholarship portfolios
Pipiri June
Final date to submit Memorandum of Agreement between NZQA and schools online
Hōngongoi July
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 for 1 August data file
Check 1 August file contains all external entries (including NZ Scholarship) for SAC learners
Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) - include as many exam entries for SAC learners as possible and continue to attach SAC provisions to exams
Hereturikōkā August
Data file submissions for entries into event 2 of Literacy and Numeracy and Te Reo Matatini me te Pāngarau due
Data file submission for external entries due -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
Check accuracy of externally assessed entries in preparation for 1 September data file submission including international learner entries in NCEA and NZ Scholarship. Fees for international learners are based on entries in the 1 September file
Mahuru September
Data file submission due - deadline to submit 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 file submission due - include all derived grades for Unexpected Events and send any additional learner information in this file
Visual Arts Level 3 and NZ Scholarship – deadline for schools to submit portfolios for external standards
Hakihea December
Final data file submission for 2026 - include all final verified internally assessed results and derived grades at scale for an Unexpected Event. This file is the last opportunity to correct any remaining errors and warnings.
Data file submission links close at midnight (entry and result file processing ends). No further 2026 data files can be uploaded to NZQA after 11.59pm
Key business dates
2025 NZ Scholarship Results Release date
2025 NZ Scholarship Examination scripts available to learners
Data file submission due
Special Assessment Conditions (SAC) - Attach SAC entitlements to external standards from now
Data file submission due:
- include all confirmed entries into internally assessed standards and entries assigned to courses
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.