Qualifications exempt from assessment

Italy qualifications: do you need an NZQA assessment?

Immigration New Zealand lists 9 qualifications from Italy that do not need an IQA at NZQF levels 7 to 10, awarded by 4 listed institutions. A further 5 are named specifically as still requiring assessment by NZQA.

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 Italy 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.

the qualification is listed in the Academic Qualifications Table
the awarding institution is listed in the Awarding Institutions Table
the qualification abbreviation is listed in the right-hand column in the Awarding Institutions Table
the qualification was awarded from or within the year range listed in the right-hand column in the Awarding Institutions Table
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 Italy 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
Laurea in*** (specialisation should be stated) With the exception of the Laurea degrees specified below	L	7
Laurea in: - Scienze della Formazione Primaria - Scienze Motorie	—	Requires NZQA assessment
Laurea di Dottore in (specialisation should be stated)	LD	8
Laurea Magistrale in / Laurea di Dottore Magistrale in / Laurea Specialistica in (specialisation should be stated) With the exception of the degree specified below	LM	9
Laurea Magistrale / Dottore Magistrale in- Scienze della Formazione Primaria	—	Requires NZQA assessment
Master Universitario di Primo Livello / Master di I livello	—	Requires NZQA assessment
Master Universitario di Secondo Livello / Master di II livello	—	Requires NZQA assessment
Dottore di Ricerca	D	10
Doctor Philosophiae	—	Requires NZQA assessment

Notes on this table

* ‘REPUBBLICA ITALIANA’ must be written on top of every award certificate. ‘Dell’ or ‘Della’ may precede the institution name on award certificate s (e .g . Dell'Università). ’La’ may precede qualifications on award certificates (e.g. La Laurea).
** Abbreviations used are for the purposes of this list only.
*** Laurea may be followed by ‘triennale’ on some award certificates.
Note: Award certificates must be provided in their original language. 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 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
Alma Mater Studiorum Università di Bologna (Università degli Studi di Bologna: 1980–2002)	L: 2005 LD: 1980–2007 LM: 2006 D: 1983
Politecnico di Milano	L: 2005 LD: 1980–2007 LM: 2006 D: 1983
Politecnico di Torino	L: 2005 LD: 1980–2007 LM: 2006 D: 1983
Sapienza - Università di Roma / Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza" (Università degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza" 1982–2006, Università degli Studi di Roma: 1980–1982)	L: 2005 LD: 1980–2007 LM: 2006 D: 1983

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).