Competition at a Glance
The 2027 competition begins with a nationwide online School Round
and progresses to an in-person National Final Round.
2
25
60
2
100
minutes
hours
+ boundary ties
National Competition stages
School Round questions
School Round duration
National Final Round duration
National Competition stages
STAGE ONE
School Round
The School Round is a free (during standard registration; a late-registration fee may apply), nationwide online assessment completed by students at home. Registration is normallly managed by a teacher or school competition coordinator.
Thursday, 11 February 2027
Online check-in from 18:30 NZDT
Examination begins at 19:00 NZDT
60 minutes
25 multiple-choice questions
No negative marking
Calculator and blank paper permitted
Desktop or laptop required
The 100 highest-performing eligible candidates, together with all candidates tied at the qualification boundary, qualify for the National Final Round.
STAGE TWO
National Final Round
The National Final Round is primarily an in-person, paper-based written economics final for students who qualify through the School Round.
Saturday, 27 February 2027
Primary venue: Massey University, Auckland. Special arrangements may be considered in exceptional circumstances but are not guaranteed.
Two-hour written examination
No seperate reading time
Part A: short-answer and structured-response questions - 45 marks
Part B: approximately 1000-word economics essay - 55 marks
Calculator permitted
National awards and National Selection Squad consideration
How Progression Works
Students progress through clearly defined academic stages, with qualification and later invitations communicated directly by EONZ.
1
School Registration
Schools submit participating students using the official EONZ registration template.
2
School Round
Students complete the nationwide online assessment.
3
NFR Qualification
The 100 highest-performing eligible candidates, together with all candidates tied at the qualification boundary, qualify for the National Final Round.
4
Awards and
Squad Consideration
Students complete the written final and may receive a national award or invitation to the National Selection Squad.
Awards and Recognition
EONZ recognises achievement at both the School Round and National Final Round,
while keeping competition results and Team New Zealand selection outcomes appropriately separate.
School Round Awards
Perfect Score
(100% of available marks (special recognition; may be awarded in addition to High Distinction)
High Distinction
(Top 10% of eligible students)
Distinction
(Next 15% of eligible students (Top 25% overall))
Merit
(Next 25% of eligible students (Top 50% overall))
Participation
(All remaining eligible students who submit a valid School Round attempt)
School Round awards are determined using percentile bands, provided that the number of eligible participants is sufficient for percentile-based recognition to be meaningful.
National Final Round Awards
National Gold - Up to 5 awards
National Silver - Up to 10 additional awards
National Bronze - Up to 15 additional awards
National Honourable Mention - Up to 20 additional awards
National Finalist - All eligible students who participate in the National Final Round are recognised as EONZ National Finalists, irrespective of whether they receive a National Gold, Silver, Bronze or Honourable Mention award.
Who Can Participate?
The domestic EONZ competition is open to eligible secondary-school students aged 14 to 20.
Students must be at least 14 and not yet 21 on School Round day.
Students must be enrolled in secondary education.
Students attending New Zealand secondary schools may participate regardless of passport.
Eligible home-educated students may participate after contacting EONZ for verification.
New Zealand passport holders studying overseas may apply for the School Round and NFR.
To progress towards Team New Zealand selection, students must also satisfy the applicable representation requirements and attend the Auckland EONZ Camp in person.”