NCEA L1 Korean
NCEA Level 1 Korean
More study resources
Cheat sheet
Keep the key ideas within reach.
ExploreKey terms
Get comfortable with the vocabulary.
ExploreStudy plan
Give each week a clear focus.
ExploreCommon mistakes
Understand the traps and how to avoid them.
ExploreCase studies
Put your knowledge to work in context.
ExploreExam-day guide
Prepare for the day ahead.
ExploreAbout this exam
NCEA Level 1 Korean is the first-level qualification pathway in Korean within New Zealand's National Certificate of Educational Achievement, the main secondary school qualification, which is recognised by employers and used for selection by universities and other tertiary providers in New Zealand and overseas. Korean itself is described by NZQA as the study of listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Korean, so a Level 1 course builds all four skills together rather than treating the language as a single exam paper. It suits students in their first year of NCEA-level language study who want a credited foundation in Korean and a base for Level 2 and Level 3. Assessment is mixed: schools use internal and external assessments to measure how well you meet standards, meaning some work is assessed in school during the year and some in end-of-year exams. When you achieve a standard, you gain credits, and you must achieve a certain number of credits to gain NCEA. Results for each standard are reported as N, A, M, E - Not Achieved, Achieved, Merit and Excellence. To prepare, work from the official vocabulary list your level uses, check the Level 1 assessment specifications and past exams, exemplars and assessment schedules, and practise all four modes regularly.
What you'll study
About NCEA L1 Korean preparation
What does NCEA Level 1 Korean actually involve?
It is the Level 1 stage of NCEA Korean, covering listening, speaking, reading and writing in Korean. Your school assesses some standards internally during the year and others through external assessment at the end of the year. Each standard you achieve adds credits towards your NCEA Level 1.
Is it all one big exam at the end of the year?
No. NZQA states that schools use internal and external assessments to measure how well you meet standards. Some Korean standards are assessed in school through work done during the year, and others are external exams. Check the Level 1 assessment specifications and your teacher's course outline for which standards you are entered for.
How is my Korean graded?
Each standard gets a letter: N, A, M or E, standing for Not Achieved, Achieved, Merit and Excellence. Achieved, Merit and Excellence tell you how well you did in reaching the standard. You do not get extra credits for Merit or Excellence, but they count towards endorsements.
How many credits do I need, and what are endorsements?
NZQA says you must achieve a certain number of credits to gain NCEA, and that figure is set out on its NCEA levels and certificates pages rather than on the Korean subject page. For endorsements, 50 credits at Merit or Excellence gives Certificate Endorsement, and 14 credits at Excellence in a course endorses that course.
Which vocabulary am I expected to know?
NZQA publishes vocabulary lists containing the language students are expected to know for external assessments, including Korean to English, English to Korean, categories, and grammar and structures. For 2026, Level 1 candidates use the Level 1 2025 list. Download it early and organise your learning around its categories.
Where do I find past exams and example answers?
The Korean subject page links Level 1 past exams, exemplars, assessment schedules and reports. The assessment schedules show how marks were allocated, which is often more useful than the paper alone. The page also links Level 1 assessment specifications and past cut scores for exams across all levels.
What is the most common way candidates lose marks?
Working only from a textbook and ignoring the official list is a frequent problem, because external assessments assume the published vocabulary and structures. Others neglect one skill area, usually speaking or listening, then meet it late in the year. Spread practice across all four modes and check exemplars to see the standard expected.
Can I sit the assessment again if I do not achieve?
The source material does not state a retake policy for Korean standards, so confirm this with your teacher or NZQA directly rather than assuming. What the source does say is that once you have gained credits, they last forever, so credits already earned are not lost if you continue studying.
What should I study first?
Start with the Level 1 2025 vocabulary list and the grammar and structures it contains, since external assessments assume this language. Then read the Level 1 assessment specifications to see what each standard asks for, and work through past exams and exemplars so your practice matches the real format.
Does Level 1 Korean lead anywhere?
Yes. NCEA has three levels, and students generally work through levels 1 to 3 in years 11 to 13. Level 1 Korean prepares you for Level 2, where candidates use the Level 2 2025 list plus the Level 1 2025 list. NCEA is recognised internationally and by New Zealand tertiary providers.