New Zealand Certificate in English Language (General) Level 3

New Zealand Certificate in English Language Level 3 (General) is designed for learners who have built a foundation in English and are ready to communicate with greater independence and confidence. The programme welcomes both domestic and international learners, including Māori, Pacific, migrant, and former refugee learners.

You will continue developing your skills in reading, writing, listening, and speaking, with a focus on understanding and expressing information, ideas, and opinions in a variety of everyday situations. These include social, community, and learning contexts, as well as some simple workplace-related interactions.

At this level, you will engage with a wider range of texts and more extended conversations, including situations that are less predictable. This helps you communicate more effectively in real-life environments and respond more flexibly in different situations.

The programme also encourages greater learner independence, with structured self-study that supports you to practise, consolidate, and extend your English beyond the classroom.

By the end of the programme, you will feel more confident using English in a range of everyday contexts and be better prepared for further study, training, or entry-level employment.

The programme is open to domestic and international learners of English as an additional language who have achieved the New Zealand Certificate in English Language (Level 2) or who can demonstrate equivalent English language proficiency.

Equivalent proficiency may be evidenced through recognised English language tests (e.g. IELTS, CEFR-aligned assessments) or through placement testing conducted by the provider.

Learners are expected to have the language skills required to participate in familiar and reasonably familiar contexts, to comprehend and produce short connected texts, and to engage in everyday spoken interaction with a developing degree of independence appropriate to Level 3 study.

Auckland | Wellington | Palmerston North | Lower Hutt

Since 1993, ETC (English Teaching College) has been helping students from around the world achieve their goals through high-quality English language education. Today, we are proud to be one of New Zealand’s most multicultural English language schools, welcoming learners from up to 40 different countries at any one time.

At ETC, students develop the language skills and confidence they need for:

Everyday communication

Academic study and pathways

Employment and workplace success in New Zealand and beyond

Students can choose to study at one of our four welcoming campuses — Auckland, Wellington, Palmerston North, or Lower Hutt. Each campus offers modern, multimedia-equipped classrooms and a supportive learning environment designed to help students thrive.

We provide carefully selected homestay accommodation close to each campus, giving students the opportunity to experience New Zealand life while feeling safe, supported, and connected to their host community.

Student wellbeing and academic success sit at the heart of everything we do. With average class sizes of just 12-16 students, learners benefit from personalised attention, meaningful interaction, and strong relationships with their teachers.

Our experienced, multilingual staff speak Japanese, Spanish, Hindi, Chinese, French, Russian, Polish, Tagalog, and Arabic, ensuring students feel welcomed, understood, and supported from their first day to their next destination.