ProVisas Immigration Advisers

Qualifications exempt from assessment

Singapore qualifications: do you need an NZQA assessment?

Immigration New Zealand lists 32 qualifications from Singapore that do not need an IQA at NZQF levels 7 to 10, awarded by 5 listed institutions. A further 2 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 Singapore 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 Singapore that still need an IQA

These appear on INZ's list specifically to say they are not exempt. They require assessment by NZQA even when the awarding institution is listed below.

  • Bachelor of Arts (Education) with or without Honours (all specialities)
  • Bachelor of Science (Education) with or without Honours (all specialities)

Qualifications from Singapore 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 Accountancy** BAC 7
Bachelor of Applied Science** BAS 7
Bachelor of Arts** BA 7
Bachelor of Arts (Education) with or without Honours (all specialities) — Requires NZQA assessment
Bachelor of Business** BB 7
Bachelor of Business Administration** BBA 7
Bachelor of Business Management** BBM 7
Bachelor of Communications** BCM 7
Bachelor of Communication Studies** BCst 7
Bachelor of Computing (Computer Science)** BCP 7
Bachelor of Counselling** BCO 7
Bachelor of Dental Surgery** BDS 7
Bachelor of Engineering** BE 7
Bachelor of Fine Arts** BFA 7
Bachelor of Human Resource Management** BHRM 7
Bachelor of Laws** LLB 7
Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery** MD 7
Bachelor of Music** BMus 7
Bachelor of Science** BS 7
Bachelor of Science (Education) with or without Honours (all specialities) — Requires NZQA assessment
Bachelor of Social Sciences** BSS 7
Bachelor of Social Work** BSW 7
Bachelor of Technology** BT 7
Masters degree (Except as listed below) M 8
Master of Applied Research in Social Sciences MAR 9
Master of Applied Science MAS 9
Master of Communication Studies MCSt 9
Master of Engineering ME 9
Master of Philosophy MP 9
Master of Science (a speciality may be stated) MS 9
Master of Social Science (a speciality may be stated) MSS 9
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) PhD 10

Notes on this table

  • *Abbreviations used are for the purpose of this list only.
  • **All Bachelor degrees must be awarded with honours. Honours may be stated as a class of Honours.
  • 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 initial teaching 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
Oh Nanyang Technological University BA: 2008 BAC, BB, M and PhD: 1994 BAS: 1994–2000 BCSt: 1996 BE and BS: 2006 BFA: 2009 MD: 2018 MAS: 1994–2011 MCSt: 1996–2011 ME: 1994
National University of Singapore (The National University of Singapore 1980–2001) BA, BBA, BDS, LLB, MD, BS, BSS, M, MSS and PhD: 1984 BCP: 2001 BAS: 2002 BE: 2006 BMus: 2007 BT: 1999 ME: 1992
Singapore Management University BAC, BBM, LLB, BS, BSS, M and PhD: 2015 MP: 2018
Singapore University of Social Sciences BAC, BA, BCM, BCO, BE, BHR, BS, BSW, M, MAR, ME and PhD: 2018
Singapore University of Technology and Design BE, BS, ME, MS and PhD: 2018

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).