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Qualifications exempt from assessment

Taiwan qualifications: do you need an NZQA assessment?

Immigration New Zealand lists 6 qualifications from Taiwan that do not need an IQA at NZQF levels 7 to 9, awarded by 31 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 Taiwan 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 Taiwan 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
文學 學士 / 文學 學士學位 (Bachelor of Arts) BA 7
理學 學士 / 理學 學士學位 (Bachelor of Science) BS 7
工學 學士 / 工學 學士學位 (Bachelor of Science in Engineering / Bachelor of Engineering) BE 7
文學 碩士 / 文學 碩士學位 (Master of Arts) MA 9
理學 碩士 / 理學 碩士學位 (Master of Science) MS 9
工學 碩士 / 工學 碩士學位 (Master of Science in Engineering / Master of Engineering) ME 9

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. Official English Translations should also be provided. 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
National Central University BA, BS and MS: 1990 BE and ME: 2007 MA: 1995
National Changhua University of Education BA, BS, MA and MS: 2005 BE and ME: 2010
National Cheng Kung University BA, BS and MS: 1990 BE: 2007 MA: 1993 ME: 2008
National Chengchi University BA, BS, MA and MS: 1990
National Chi Nan University BA, BE, BS, MA and MS: 2007 ME: 2009
National Chiao Tung University BS and MS: 1990 BE and ME: 2008
National Chiayi University BA, BS, BE, MA, MS and ME: 2008
National Chung Cheng University BA, BS, MA and MS: 2000 BE and ME: 2007
National Chung Hsing University BA, BS and MS: 1990 BE and ME: 2007 MA: 1993
National Defense University BE: 2007 ME: 2009
National Dong Hwa University BA, BS, MA and MS: 2008 BE: 2008–2012
National Kaohsiung First University of Science and Technology BS, BE, MA, MS and ME: 2015
National Kaohsiung Normal University BA, BS, MA and MS: 2000
National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences BE, MA, MS and ME: 2010
National Pingtung University of Science and Technology BA, BS, BE, MS and ME: 2009
National Sun Yat-sen University BA, BS, MA and MS: 1993 BE and ME: 2007
National Taichung University of Education BA, BS, BE and MS: 2010 ME: 2012
National Taipei University BA and MA: 2000 BE and ME: 2009
National Taipei University of Education BA, BS, MA and MS: 2017
National Taipei University of Technology BA and MA: 2009 BS, MS, BE and ME: 2007
National Taiwan Normal University BA, BS, MA and MS: 1990 BE and ME: 2015
National Taiwan Ocean University BS, MA and MS: 2000 BE and ME: 2007
National Taiwan Sport University MS: 2010
National Taiwan University BA, BS, MA and MS: 1990 BE and ME: 2007
National Taiwan University of Arts BA and MA: 2012
National Taiwan University of Science and Technology BS: 2015 BE and ME: 2007 MS: 2013
National Tsing Hua University BA, BS, MA and MS: 1990 BE: 2007 ME: 2011
National University of Tainan BA, MA and MS: 2010 BS: 2012 BE and ME: 2011–2016
National Yang-Ming University BA: 2012 BS and MS: 1994 MA: 2010 ME: 2007–2012
National Yunlin University of Science and Technology BA and MA: 2001 BS and MS: 2000 BE: 2007 ME: 2008
Taipei National University of the Arts MA: 2010

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).