Under the Lisbon Recognition Convention, New Zealand has committed to encouraging tertiary education providers to give their students a Diploma Supplement or equivalent.
The Tertiary Education Qualification Statement (TEQS) is New Zealand’s equivalent to a Diploma Supplement. Tertiary education providers can choose to issue this document to a student when they complete a tertiary education qualification.
On this page
What a TEQS does
The TEQS is an expanded transcript that describes the nature, level, context, content and status of the individual's studies.
The document provides tailored information to international audiences, helping them to understand and recognise New Zealand qualifications.
Guidelines on how to implement a TEQS
NZQA has developed guidelines for implementing a TEQS. These guidelines are based on feedback from sector-wide consultation.
These guidelines:
- identify what should be in a TEQS
- give guidance on how to record this information
- suggest how to implement a TEQS policy to with with a provider's information management systems.
Providers don't have to give graduates a TEQS. Each provider decides whether or not to do so.
Find out more in the:
Description of the New Zealand Tertiary Education System
International guidelines say that Diploma Supplements or equivalents must describe the higher education system of the country where the qualification was awarded. This description becomes Section 8 of the TEQS.
Stakeholders across the sector agreed that the section will be:
- a uniform statement
- updated annually (if needed)
- available online.
When you provide a TEQS, make sure it links to the description for the year when the qualification was completed.
- Description of the New Zealand Tertiary Education System 2018 (PDF, 72KB) (opens in a new window)
- Description of the New Zealand Tertiary Education System 2016 (PDF, 242KB) (opens in a new window)
- Description of the New Zealand Tertiary Education System 2015 (PDF, 171KB) (opens in a new window)
- Description of the New Zealand Tertiary Education System 2014 (PDF, 162KB) (opens in a new window)
- Description of the New Zealand Tertiary Education System 2013 (PDF, 152KB) (opens in a new window)
- Description of the New Zealand Tertiary Education System 2012 (PDF, 136KB) (opens in a new window)
- Description of the New Zealand Tertiary Education System 2011 (PDF, 123KB) (opens in a new window)
- Description of the New Zealand Tertiary Education System 2010 (PDF, 23KB) (opens in a new window)