About qualification levels, Mō ngā taumata tohu
Updated 26 Mar 2025
Qualifications are set at levels that tell you how complex the learning is. A higher level means the study is more complex.
What qualification levels meanNgā tikanga o ngā taumata tohu,
Qualifications range from Level 1 to Level 10.
You usually study for the National Certificate of Achievement NCEA at Levels 1, 2 and 3 at secondary school. During most apprenticeships you learn on the job and study for Level 3 and Level 4 New Zealand Certificates. A bachelor’s degree is at Level 7 and a doctoral degree (PhD) is at Level 10.
Qualifications have a credit value that gives you an idea of how long the qualification might take to complete. One credit equals about 10 hours of mahi like learning, studying and doing assessments. A year’s full-time tertiary study is usually worth 120 credits.
Qualification levelsNgā taumata tohu,
Here are examples of the kinds of qualifications you can get at different levels.
Level 1 |
|
|---|---|
Level 2 |
|
Level 3 |
|
Level 4 |
|
Level 5 |
|
Level 6 |
|
Level 7 |
|
Level 8 |
|
Level 9 |
|
Level 10 |
|
How levels can affect your payKa pēhea tā ngā taumata aweawe i te utu ka whiwhi koe,
Your qualifications are one thing employers consider when deciding how much to pay you.
Ten years after graduating, people with Level 1 to 4 certificates usually earn 15% more than the average income. People with bachelor’s degrees usually earn 67% more than the average income.
How levels are decidedTe āhua e whakaritea ai ngā taumata,
The New Zealand Qualifications Authority (NZQA) checks that qualifications in Aotearoa are of good quality. They work with education providers like schools and universities to make sure every qualification is set at the right level.