Economics

Social Sciences|New Zealand Curriculum

About Economics

Economics is the study of decision-making through the use of economic concepts such as mātauranga, economic models, and indicators.

This page contains resources and tools to help support: 

  • internal and external assessment (exams)
  • teachers delivering this subject
  • learners taking this subject.

Changes to Economics

Economics is no longer available at NCEA Level 1. Commerce, a new subject on the New Zealand Curriculum, is now available at Level 1.

Go to the Commerce subject page

Assessor Support

See how our online resources and workshops can support and improve your assessment practice.

Assessor Support home

Economics standards

Level 2 standards

Economics achievement standards

Find Level 2 standards

Level 3 standards

Economics achievement standards

Find Level 3 standards

NZ Scholarship standard

Find NZ Scholarship standard

Exemplars, reports, past exams and assessment schedules

Level 2

Past exams, exemplars, assessment schedule and reports

Level 2

Level 3

Past exams, exemplars, assessment schedule and reports

Level 3

New Zealand Scholarship

Past exams, exemplars and assessment schedule

NZ Scholarship

Cut scores

Past scores for exams for all levels

Get cut scores

Assessment specifications

Level 2

Get the latest assessment specifications

Level 2

Level 3

Get the latest assessment specifications

Level 3

New Zealand Scholarship

Get the latest assessment specifications

NZ Scholarship

2025 assessment specifications

View next year's assessment specifications

Assessor support materials for internal assessment

Internal exemplars

See exemplars for internally assessed Economics standards

Go to exemplars

National moderator's report

Annual reports on issues and trends in assessment

View moderator's report

Clarifications

Updates on assessment and moderations

Find Economics clarifications

Request clarification form

Teachers can request clarification of a standard with this form

Open request clarification form

Remote assessment matrix

Guidance for teachers if learning and assessment needs to be completed remotely

Download matrix [PDF, 158 KB]

Alternative evidence gathering templates

Templates for student results when direct assessment is not possible

Get templates

Economics resources on Pūtake

Online learning modules available for this subject

Go to resources

Tools

Level 1 assessment matrix

Use this Commerce matrix on NCEA.education with new standards in 2024

Go to matrix

Level 2 and 3 assessment matrix

Use this Economics matrix for Level 2 and 3 standards

Download matrix [DOC, 45KB]

Career guidance

Career information and tools to help your students on careers.govt.nz

Go to careers.govt.nz

Log in to MyNZQA school portal