To pass NCEA Level 2, a student needs to earn at least 60 credits at Level 2 or above. In addition to these 60 credits, the student must also have met the literacy and numeracy requirements, which means they must have attained 10 credits in literacy and 10 credits in numeracy at Level 1 or higher. The total number of credits to gain the Level 2 certificate is therefore 80, but importantly, the 20 credits for literacy and numeracy can come from any level (usually Level 1). These credits can be accumulated over more than one year. Additionally, a student can earn course and certificate endorsements for Merit or Excellence based on higher grades in at least 50 credits at Level 2 or above. In summary:
- 60 credits at Level 2 or above
- 10 literacy credits at Level 1 or higher
- 10 numeracy credits at Level 1 or higher
This aligns with the current credit structure for NCEA Level 2 qualification as of 2025.
