International

Find out if you need an IQA

Find out when you may need NZQA to assess your international qualification for use in New Zealand, and which types of qualifications we can assess.

How it works

An International Qualification Assessment (IQA) is an assessment of tertiary or vocational qualifications gained outside of New Zealand. It compares your overseas qualification to:

a level on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF), and
a New Zealand qualification type if a direct comparison exists.

New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF)

When you may you need an IQA

You may need to apply for an IQA:

to immigrate to New Zealand
to register as a teacher
for a teacher salary assessment
to register with a professional registration body
for employment
to enrol in further study.

Check whether you need an IQA with the New Zealand organisation you are applying to.

Occupational registration

Occupational registration is required for some professions. You can find out more information on the Immigration New Zealand website including if you need your overseas qualification to be assessed by NZQA.

Occupational registration – Immigration NZ

Qualifications we can assess

Before you submit an application, check the list of qualifications we can assess:

a tertiary or vocational upper-secondary qualification
completed programmes of study
qualifications awarded by a provider that is recognised nationally and accredited by the relevant government authority in the country of award and country of delivery
a minimum of 400 notional learning hours (approximately 10 weeks of full time academic study).

We may require additional documents to support the recognition of your qualification.

Qualifications we cannot assess

We are not able to assess:

secondary school qualifications
incomplete programmes of study
certificates of attendance
certificates of proficiency (if they do not include formal learning programmes)
letters or certificates of work experience – do not submit evidence of work experience with your IQA application
apprenticeships without formal training programmes
professional or specialist training certificates (for example, CISCO or Microsoft expert awards)
membership certificates issued by chartered bodies, unless they are formally recognised by the relevant government or government-mandated education bodies in the country of award, at the time of award.

If you submit one of these, we will not be able to assess it and you will incur an administration charge.

If you have an assessment from another country

We cannot accept recognition assessments from other countries because our assessment compares an overseas qualification to a level or a qualification on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework.

Before applying for an IQA you could ask the person or organisation you are applying to whether they will accept a qualification assessment from another country.

Apply for an IQA

You can submit an IQA application once you have checked that:

you need an IQA
your qualification can be assessed
you have the required documents.

Apply for an International Qualification Assessment

Contact us

For more information or to give us feedback, contact us through our online form or phone 0800 697 296.