NZ Scholarship English

You must be enrolled at a consented New Zealand secondary school, but you do not have to be working towards NCEA. Not all schools enter students for Scholarship, and some enter only a small number of subjects, so talk to your English teacher early about whether your school will enter you.

NZQA says Scholarship assessment may be by written or spoken examination, or by a portfolio or report of work produced during the year. Each assessment has three to five parts, and part scores are added. For English, check the current assessment specifications and past papers on the English subject page for the precise format and text requirements.

Very. NZQA says the assessments are designed to be challenging for the most able students in each subject, and Scholarship requires deep understanding, high-level critical thinking and application to complex situations. A score of 8 is outstanding in all respects: integrated, synthesised, accurate, comprehensive, coherent, lucid and perceptive. A 1 shows little understanding relevant to the question.

Markers give each part a score from 0 to 8, and the part scores are added to give your final result. You must reach a set cut score for Scholarship, with Outstanding Scholarship for the very top candidates. Scripts close to either cut score are re-marked to ensure results are correct. Blank or irrelevant answers score 0.

The number of Scholarships available in a subject is limited to around 3% of the number of students who achieve 14 or more credits in that subject at NCEA Level 3. NZQA notes some variation around the 3%, mainly for subjects with few candidates at Level 3. It is competitive: reaching the cut score is what matters.

NZ Scholarship results are released in mid-February each year. Soon after results are released, your assessed work will be available through your learner login. Visual Arts portfolios are returned in December after marking is completed. For English, keep your examination paper and check the exemplars and assessment schedule while you prepare.

NZQA describes reconsiderations and reviews if you believe an error was made in marking, with a limited application window from when your assessed work is available or your portfolio is returned. The Scholarship pages do not describe a general resit. If you want to enter in a later year, ask your school about entry.

Start with the current assessment specifications and the NZQA English Scholarship page, then work through past exams, exemplars and assessment schedules. Read the cut scores to see what the boundary looks like. Practise complete answers under timed conditions, compare them with exemplars, and ask your teacher whether your analysis is integrated rather than a list of techniques.

Blank or irrelevant answers score 0, and answers showing little understanding relevant to the question score 1. Top answers are accurate, comprehensive, coherent and lucid, and show integration and synthesis. In practice, answer the question asked, sustain a line of argument, and use precise textual evidence rather than generalised comment or unsupported assertion.

The award ranges from a one-off $500 payment for a single subject award to $10,000 per year for up to three years for premier award winners. To receive payment you must be enrolled in tertiary study at an approved New Zealand provider and a course approved by StudyLink for Student Allowance or Student Loan. Multi-year awards require a B grade average each year, and you can defer for up to four consecutive years.