NCEA ki rāwāhi

NCEA overseas

Information about NCEA in the Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau

NCEA is sat in Aotearoa and overseas

The National Certificate of Education Achievement (NCEA) is a New Zealand qualification, but learners in some Pacific countries also take NCEA.

Students in the Cook Islands and the Pā Enua (Outer Islands) sit NCEA, as do students in Niue and Tokelau.

NCEA is:

  • recognised around the world
  • recognised by universities, including the University of the South Pacific (USP) 
  • the main qualification for school leavers in Aotearoa, the Cook Islands and Niue.

NZQA administers NCEA in Pacific Island countries

The governments of the Cook Islands and Niue help facilitate NCEA in their countries.

We administer and moderate NCEA in New Zealand and overseas.

Students in the Pacific Islands sit their exams at the same time as students in New Zealand. They're also marked against the same standards.

Completed exams are sent from the Pacific to Aotearoa for assessment. 

62

Learners from Tokelau participated in NCEA in 2023

982

Learners from Tokelau, Niue and the Cook Islands participated in NCEA in 2023

229,145

Students in Aotearoa and the Pacific participated in NCEA in 2023

Tokelau has adopted NCEA

Tokelau adopted the NCEA education system in 2023.

Tokelau's three secondary schools are offering NCEA in collaboration with the distance education provider, Te Kura. 

The schools will continue to work with Te Kura until they have consent to assess against standards.

Learn more

About Te Kura (external link) - Te Kura website

About consent to assess (external link)

Understanding NCEA (external link)

NCEA resources in Pacific languages

We offer NCEA resources in several Pacific languages, including Cook Islands Māori, Fijian and Niuean.

These resources are:

  • PDF guides to NCEA
  • web and PDF guides to NCEA Online.

Find resources

NCEA resources in Pacific languages

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