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Qualifications exempt from assessment

Belgium qualifications: do you need an NZQA assessment?

Immigration New Zealand lists 7 qualifications from Belgium that do not need an IQA at NZQF levels 7 to 10, awarded by 4 listed institutions.

If your qualification is on this list, was awarded by a listed institution within the listed years, and is not excluded by the notes, Immigration New Zealand accepts its level without an International Qualification Assessment (IQA) from NZQA.

All of the conditions below have to be met together. Meeting one of them is not enough, and this is where most people go wrong: the qualification and the awarding institution are two separate checks.

When is a qualification from Belgium exempt?

Immigration New Zealand exempts a qualification from assessment only when every one of these conditions is met. Meeting some of them is not enough.

  1. the qualification is listed in the Academic Qualifications Table
  2. the awarding institution is listed in the Awarding Institutions Table
  3. the qualification abbreviation is listed in the right-hand column in the Awarding Institutions Table
  4. the qualification was awarded from or within the year range listed in the right-hand column in the Awarding Institutions Table
  5. the qualification is not excluded by the notes listed under the Academic Qualifications Table

If any condition fails, you need an International Qualification Assessment from NZQA before you claim points for the qualification. Our guide to the IQA and NZQA assessment explains that process, and the SMC points system explainer covers what a qualification is worth once its level is confirmed.

Qualifications from Belgium on the list

The NZQF level is the New Zealand framework level Immigration New Zealand accepts for the qualification. It is not a points score.

Qualification Abbrev. NZQF level
Bachelier / Bachelier en (speciality stated) BFR 7
Bachelor of Arts in de / Bachelor of Arts (speciality stated) / Bachelor in de (Arts speciality) BAFL 7
Bachelor of Science in de / Bachelor of Science (speciality stated) / Bachelor in de (Science speciality) BSFL 7
Licentiaat in de (speciality stated) LFL 8
Licentiate (speciality stated) LFR 8
Docteur / Docteur en / PhD (speciality stated) DFR 10
Doctor in de / Doctor of / PhD (speciality stated) DFL 10

Notes on this table

  • *Abbreviations used are for the purpose of this list only.
  • Note: Award certificates must be provided in their original language for all qualifications. The following must be referred to NZQA for an International Qualifications Assessment: - All honorary degrees - All listed qualifications where study was completed at any institution outside of the country, including any overseas campuses of any listed awarding institution - All listed qualifications that contain cross-credited courses or papers - All initial teacher training degrees - All qualifications awarded after 2018

Awarding institutions

Your qualification is only exempt if it was awarded by one of these institutions, the abbreviation appears against that institution, and the award year falls in the range shown.

Institution Qualifications and years
Universiteit Antwerpen BAFL and BSFL: 2007 LFL: 2003–2007 DFL: 2009
Universiteit Gent BAFL and BSFL: 2007 LFL: 1998–2007 DFL: 2009
Universiteit Hasselt BAFL and BSFL: 2007 LFL: 1998–2007 DFL: 2009
Vrije Universiteit Brussel BAFL and BSFL: 2007 LFL: 1998–2007 DFL: 2009

Source: Immigration New Zealand Operational Manual . Synced 13 September 2026.

Not sure how yours reads?

Matching an award certificate against this list is fiddlier than it looks: institutions get renamed, award years narrow the exemption, and the notes can rule a qualification out. Talk it through with us and we will listen to your situation and match you with the right IAA-licensed adviser.

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This page reproduces Immigration New Zealand's published List of Qualifications Exempt from Assessment and is general information, not immigration advice. INZ revises the list, so check the linked source page before you rely on it. ProVisas is a licensed New Zealand immigration advisory firm (IAA Licence 201301110).