ProVisas Immigration Advisers

Qualifications exempt from assessment

Sweden qualifications: do you need an NZQA assessment?

Immigration New Zealand lists 10 qualifications from Sweden that do not need an IQA at NZQF levels 7 to 10, awarded by 18 listed institutions. One more is 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 Sweden 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 the year 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 Sweden 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.

  • Magisterexamen and Konstnärlig Magisterexam

Qualifications from Sweden 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
Kandidatexamen** (Filosofie, Ekonomie, Naturvetenskaplig, Politices, Teknologie, or Teologie will be stated before Kandidatexamen on the award certificate) K 7
Konstnärlig kandidatexamen** KK 7
Civilingenjörsexamen** CX 9
Magisterexamen and Konstnärlig Magisterexam — Requires NZQA assessment
Masterexamen** (Filosofie, Ekonomie, Politices, Teknologie, or Teologie will be stated before Masterexamen on the award certificate) M 9
Konstnärlig masterexamen** KM 9
Licentiatexamen*** L 9
Konstnärlig licentiatexamen** KL 9
Doctorsexamen*** D 10
Konstnärlig doktorsexamen** KD 10

Notes on this table

  • *Abbreviations used are for the purpose of this list only.
  • ** A speciality may also be stated after the qualification name.
  • ***Filosofie, Ekonomie, Politices, Teknologie, or Teologie generally appear before Licentitexamen or Doktorsexamen. Some Doktorsexamen may state the speciality after the qualification name. (e.g. Doktorsexamen i Odontologi)
  • Note: Award certificates must be provided in their original language for all qualifications. Translations should not be used to determine degree names. 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 initial teacher training degrees - 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
Blekinge Tekniska Högskola / BTH CX, M, L and D: 2017
Chalmers / Chalmers Tekniska Högskola / Chalmers University of Technology K: 1999 CX: 2012 M: 2009 L: 2004 D: 1993
Göteborgs Universitet K: 1999 KK: 2010 M: 2009 KM: 2009 L: 2004 KL: 2012 D: 1993 KD: 2014
Handelshögskolan i Stockholm K: 2011 M: 2010 L: 2004 D: 1993
Jönköping University K, CX, M, L and D: 2017
Karlstad Universitet K, L and D: 2005 CX: 2012 M: 2009
Karolinska Institutet K: 1999 M: 2009 L: 2004 D: 1997
KTH / Kungliga Tekniska Högskolan (Kungl Tekniska Högskolan 1993–2003) K: 1999 CX: 2012 M: 2009 L: 2004 D: 1993
Linköpings Universitet (Universitetet i Linköping 1993–1995) K: 1999 M: 2009 L: 2004 D: 1993
Linnėuniversitetet K, L, M and D: 2010
Luleå Tekniska Universitet K and D: 2003 L: 2004 CX: 2012 M: 2009
Lunds Universitet / Lunds Tekniska Högskola K: 1999 KK: 2010 CX: 2012 M: 2009 KM: 2009 L: 2004 KL: 2012 D: 1993 KD: 2014
Mittuniversitetet / Mid Sweden University K, M, L, and D: 2008 CX: 2012
Örebro Universitet K, M, L, and D: 2004 KK: 2015
Stockholms Universitet K: 1999 M: 2009 L: 2004 D: 1993
Sveriges Lantbruksuniversitet K: 1999 CX: 2012 M: 2009 L: 2004 D: 1993
Umeå Universitet K: 1999 CX: 2012 M: 2009 L: 2004 D: 1993
Uppsala Universitet K: 1999 CX: 2012 M: 2009 L: 2004 D: 1993

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).