NCEA is New Zealand's main secondary school qualification and consists of three levels. It is made up of standards across various subjects that students must achieve credits in to pass each NCEA level. Results for each standard indicate if a student achieved Not Achieved, Achieved, Merit or Excellence. Students who gain enough credits at Merit or Excellence levels receive endorsements on their qualifications. Course endorsements are also given for students who achieve Excellence in a particular subject. Proper planning is important to ensure students study standards relevant to their intended career paths.