ProVisas Immigration Advisers

Qualifications exempt from assessment

India qualifications: do you need an NZQA assessment?

Immigration New Zealand lists 13 qualifications from India that do not need an IQA at NZQF levels 7 to 10, awarded by 51 listed institutions.

Indian qualifications are among the most common we see at ProVisas, and the list below covers 13 qualifications across 51 awarding institutions. If your degree and your university both appear, and the award year falls in the range listed against that university, you do not need an IQA for it.

The abbreviation column matters more than it looks. Each institution entry names the specific qualification abbreviations that institution is exempt for, so a BE from a listed university is only exempt if BE appears against that university's row.

What catches people out

A three-year Indian bachelor's degree is assessed case by case against the New Zealand framework rather than by a published rule. If your degree is not on this list, get the IQA before you build an application around an assumed level.

When is a qualification from India 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 India 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
Bachelor of Engineering / Bachelor of Science (Engineering) (with or without honours) (a speciality may be stated)** BE 7
Bachelor of Laws (with or without honours)** LLB 7
Bachelor of Technology (with or without honours) (a speciality may be stated)** BT 7
Bachelor of Arts with Honours** BAH 7
Bachelor of Commerce with Honours** BCH 7
Bachelor of Science with Honours** BSH 7
Master of Arts*** MA 8
Master of Commerce*** MC 8
Master of Science*** MS 8
Master of Engineering / Master of Science (Engineering) (a speciality may be stated)*** ME 9
Master of Philosophy MP 9
Master of Technology (a speciality may be stated)*** MT 9
Doctor of Philosophy**** PhD 10

Notes on this table

  • *Abbreviations used are for the purpose of this list only.
  • **All Pass and Third Class or Division degrees with or without Honours degrees must be referred to NZQA for assessment.
  • ***Evidence of an awarded bachelor degree in a relevant subject at Level 7 is required. These master’s degrees may or may not be awarded with Honours.
  • ****Evidence of an awarded master degree in a relevant subject at Level 8 or above is required.
  • Note: Award certificates must be provided in their original language. The following must be referred to NZQA for an International Qualifications Assessment: - All qualifications where an award certificate has not yet been issued (and the applicant holds only a provisional certificate) - 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 - Award certificates that state a college where study was undertaken (including qualifications studied at affiliated or autonomous colleges) - All qualifications awarded after 2017

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
Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh, Uttar Pradesh BAH, BCH, BSH, MA, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 1982 BE: 1982–2000 LLB: 1982–2012 BT and MT: 2001
All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi BSH, MS and PhD: 1990
Andhra University, Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh BE, LLB, BT, ME, MP, MT and PhD: 2002
Assam University, Silchar, Assam MA, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 2008
Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh LLB, BAH, BCH, BSH, MA, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 1987 BT: 1987–2013
Bangalore University, Jnana Barathi, Bangalore, Karnataka BE, LLB, MA, MC, ME, MS and PhD: 2002
Bharathiar University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu MC, MP, MS and PhD: 2003
Bharathidasan University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu MA, MP, MS and PhD: 2003 BT and MT: 2003–2007 MT: 2013
Dr B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology, Jalandhar, Punjab BT, MS, MT and PhD: 2007
Dr. Harisingh Gour University / Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh MP, MT and PhD: 2001
English and Foreign Languages University / EFL University (Central Institute of English & Foreign Languages 2001–2006), Hyderabad, Telanagana, (Andhra Pradesh 2001–2014) BAH: 2011 MA, MP and PhD: 2001 MP: 2001–2013
Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya (Guru Ghasidas University 2004–2009), Bilaspur, Chhatisgarh BT, BAH, BCH, BSH, MA, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 2004
Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, Delhi LLB, MA, MS, MT and PhD: 2007
Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab LLB, BT, BSH, MA, MC, MP, MS, MT and PhD: 2000
Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar, Garhwal, Uttarakand / Uttaranchal LLB, BT, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 2003
Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, Karnataka BSH: 2015 ME, MS, MT and PhD: 1990
Indian Institute of Technology / IIT Bombay, Mumbai (Bombay 1983–1996), Maharashtra BT, MS, MT and PhD: 1983
Indian Institute of Technology / IIT Kharagpur, Kharagpur, West Bengal BT: 1985 LLB: 2010 MS, MT and PhD: 1982
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi / IIT Delhi, New Delhi BT: 1985 MS, MT and PhD: 1983
Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur / IITK, Uttar Pradesh BT, MS, MT and PhD: 1990 MP: 2013
Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras), Chennai (Madras 1983–1996), Tamil Nadu BT, MS, MT and PhD: 1983
Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee / ITT Roorkee, (Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee 2001–2006), Uttarakhand / Uttaranchal BE: 2001–2008 BT: 2002 MS, MT and PhD: 2001
Jai Narain Vyas University, Jodhpur, Rajasthan BE, LLB, BAH, BCH, MA, MC, ME, MS, and PhD: 2003 MP: 2014
Jamia Hamdard, Hamdard Nagar, New Delhi BSH, BT, MS, MT and PhD: 2003
Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi BE, BAH, BSH, MA, MP, MS, MT and PhD: 2000 BT: 2005
Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi BAH, MA, MP, MS and PhD: 1985
Kakatiya University, Warangal, Telangana (Andhra Pradesh 2002–2014) LLB, BT, MA, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 2002
Karnatak University, Dharwad, Karnataka MA, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 2000
Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana LLB, BT, MA, MC, MP, MS, MT and PhD: 2000
Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai, Tamil Nadu MA, MP, MS and PhD: 1999 MC: 1999–2013
Manipur University, Imphal, Manipur MA, MC, MS and PhD: 2004
Nagaland University, Kohima, Lumami, Nagaland MA, MC, MS and MP: 2000
National Institute of Technology, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu BT, MS, MT and PhD: 2007
National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Surathkal, Mangalore BT, MS, MT and PhD: 2007
National Institute of Technology Warangal, Andhra Pradesh BT, MS and MT: 2007
North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong, Meghalaya BT, MA, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 2000
Panjab University, Chandigarh, Punjab LLB, MA, MC, ME, MP, MS, MT and PhD: 2001
Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Puducherry (Pondicherry 1999–2006) MA, MC, MP, MS, MT and PhD: 1999
Punjabi University, Patiala, Punjab LLB, BT, MA, MC, MP, MS, MT and PhD: 2001
Rajiv Gandhi University, Rono Hills, Itanagar, Arunachal Pradesh MA, MC, MP, MS, MT and PhD: 2007
Savitribai Phule Pune University (University of Pune 2001–2014), Pune, Maharashtra MP, MT and PhD: 2001
Shreemati Nathibai Damodar Thackersey Women’s Universit / S.N.D.T Women’s University, Mumbai, Maharashtra MC, MP, MS and PhD: 2000
University of Calcutta, Kolkata, West Bengal BT, BSH, MA, MP, MS and PhD: 2001
University of Delhi, Delhi LLB, BAH, BCH, BSH, MA, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 1982
University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, Telangana (Andhra Pradesh 1990–2014) MA, MP, MS and PhD: 1990 MT: 2006
University of Jammu, Jammu Tawi, Jammu and Kashmir MA, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 2001
University of Kashmir, Hazratbal, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir MA, MP, MS and PhD: 2002
University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu MA, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 2000
University of Mysore, Mysore, Karnataka MA, MC, MP, MS and PhD: 1999
University of Rajasthan, Jaipur, Rajasthan LLB, MP, MT and PhD: 2004 BT: 2008
Visva-Bharati, Santiniketan, West Bengal BAH, BSH, MA, MS and PhD: 1995

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).