NZQA External Exam Rules

By entering for exams, you have agreed to obey all the exam rules and procedures, and to comply with the decisions of NZQA.

To read the Assessment and Examination Rules and Procedures for Secondary Schools, see Breaches of the Rules for the External Assessment.

You must not be dishonest or break the rules in any way. NZQA will investigate any alleged breach of the rules and may cancel your results if the breach is proven.

Before the exam

Exam Timetable

The NCEA and New Zealand Scholarship examination sessions are three hours. The exam sessions start at either 9.30 am or 2.00 pm. To find out the date and time of your exam, see Exam timetable.

Find out the location of your exam room, which is arranged by your school.

Exam Materials

You are responsible for taking the correct equipment to the exam and making sure that it is working.

Bring your own equipment into the exam room in a clear plastic bag. You can take:

• pens (permissable colours are black and blue), pencils and an eraser
• an approved calculator for subjects where you have used a calculator during the year.

Calculators must be silent, hand-held, non-printing and work from their own power. You cannot keep notes or routines in the calculator memory. Teachers will clear the calculator memory before you enter an exam room, unless you are entered for Level 1, 2 or 3 CAS Maths.

You can confirm what is allowed in a specific exam by reading the relevant assessment specification. To find this, see NCEA subject resources.

Banned Items

Do not bring the following items into the exam room:

• blank paper or refill paper
• correcting fluid
• books, written notes or electronic notes
• cellphones or pagers
• English dictionaries, foreign language dictionaries, or te reo Māori dictionaries or translators
• any electronic devices except approved calculators.

On the day of the exam

Arrive at least 20 minutes before the exam starts. If you are more than 30 minutes late, you will not be able to enter the exam room.

In the exam room

• At all times, listen to and follow the instructions of the supervisor.
• Sit at the desk where you are told to sit. The exam booklets at this desk will have been selected and coded specifically for you.
• Check all the answer booklets have your NSN and Examination Code on them and are listed on your Admission Slip.
• When you are told, check that all pages in each exam booklet are printed correctly.
• If you have any problems put up your hand.
• You cannot leave in the first 45 minutes or the last 15 minutes of the examination, even to use the toilet.

During the exam

• Do not borrow equipment from someone else.
• Do not talk to, communicate with, or do anything to disturb other candidates.
• Do not read or copy another candidate's work.

Writing your answers

• Follow all the instructions on the front cover of the exam booklet.
• Use only black or blue pen. Do not write in pencil unless instructed to do so.
• Write neatly, so the marker can read your answers.
• Cross out any work you do not want marked.
• Do not write or draw anything that may be regarded as offensive.
• Do not write to the marker or write in the part of the answer booklet 'For assessor's use only'.
• Do not write your answers for one standard in the answer booklet for another. If you have filled up your answer booklet, you may request extra paper.
• Fill in your details at the top of any additional sheets of paper provided and put them inside the answer booklet.

At the end of the exam

Stop writing when the supervisor tells you to. Hand all material to be marked to the supervisor before you leave. If you take any work outside the examination room, it will not be marked.

You can keep resource booklets and separate question booklets.

NZQA Student Tips

For more exam tips go to NZQA Student Exam Tips