About us

NZQA rules

NZQA operates under the following legislation: The Education and Training Act 2020 and the Crown Entities Act 2004.

Authority

All of NZQA's rules are made under section 452 of the Education and Training Act 2020 and have been approved by the NZQA Board and, when required, the appropriate Minister of the Crown.

Assessment and examination rules

The following rules are concerned with assessment (internal and external) of learning at secondary school level:

From 1 February 2023, the NZQA Assessment Rules for Schools, TEOs assessing against Achievement Standards, and Candidates 2023 revokes the following rules:

NZQA will process requests for reviews and reconsiderations under the rules that applied when the request was made.

Offshore Provision of NCEA Rules 2020 (PDF, 227KB)

Private training establishment rules

The following NZQA rules relate to the establishment and operation of private training establishments (PTEs):

PTE Registration Rules 2022
Annual fee rules 2022
PTE Enrolment and Academic Records Rules 2022
Student Fee Protection 2022
Student Funds Trust Deposit Exemption Rules 2022
Refund Criteria for Courses of Less Than Three Months - Gazette notice 2003 (Note that the parts of this Notice relating to exempt courses has been replaced by the Education (Exempt Training Schemes) Notice 2012
NZQA specified withdrawal periods and refund amounts for domestic students on courses of under 3 months (PDF, 230KB) (applies to enrolments on or after 30 September 2018)
Education Refund Requirements for International Students Notice 2012 (for courses of 3 months or more).

Quality Assurance rules

Quality Assurance (including External Evaluation and Review (EER)) Rules 2022 - for all Tertiary Education Organisations other than Universities.

Transitional Industry Training Organisation Prescribed Quality Assurance Requirements Revocation Rules 2022

New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF) rules

The following NZQA rules relate to the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).

Standards-related rules

The following NZQA rules relate to standards listed on the Directory of Assessment and Skill Standards.

Expired / Revoked rules

The following policies, criteria and rules have expired and thus are no longer in force.

Assessment and examination rules

Schools with consent to assess

Tertiary education organisations with consent to assess

Home schools

NZQA Assessment Rules for Schools, TEOs assessing against Achievement Standards, and Candidates

NZQA Assessment Rules for Schools, TEOs assessing against Achievement Standards, and Candidates 2023 (PDF, 508KB) (14 December 2022)

Revocation of the NZQA Assessment Rules for Schools, TEOs assessing against Achievement Standards, and Candidates 2023 (PDF, 114KB) made on 20 December 2022

Private Training Establishment and Industry Training Organisation related Rules

Annual fees

2015 (PDF, 732KB)

2021 (PDF, 267KB)

NZ Diploma in Business

Assessment rules and procedures for granting the NZ Diploma in Business 2009 (replaced by conditions imposed under section 250A (4) and (5) of the Education Act 1989 on 21 December 2012)

Private training establishment enrolment and academic records

The PTE Enrolment and Academic Records Rules 2012 (PDF, 3.7MB) , with the following amendments:

Private Training Establishment Enrolment and Academic Records Rules 2021 (PDF, 286KB)

Private training establishment registration

Policies and criteria for ongoing registration of PTEs (PDF, 121KB) (replaced by the Private Training Establishment Registration Rules 2013).

The Private Training Establishment Registration Rules 2013 (PDF, 677KB) had the following amendments: