How New Zealand and the European Union recognise each other's qualifications
New Zealand and the European Union (EU) have completed a joint project to make it easier for New Zealand and EU qualification holders to move between countries.
A project compared levels on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) with those on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).
Education providers and employers can understand how similar qualifications compare to a qualification from their country.
However, this doesn’t guarantee that either New Zealand or the EU will automatically recognise a qualification as equivalent.
The EQF is a framework for national qualifications, used by EU countries and several other European countries.
Countries can create national qualifications that reference the EQF. However, those qualifications aren’t listed on the EQF.
Compare national qualifications frameworks across Europe – European Union (external link)
Some levels on the NZQF, now the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF), are equivalent to levels on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).
Note that NZQCF Level 8 does not have an equivalent level on the EQF.
|
New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework |
European Qualifications Framework |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Doctoral Degrees | 10 | 8 |
Third cycle degrees (Doctorate) |
| Master's Degrees | 9 | 7 |
Second cycle degrees (Master's) |
|
Bachelor Honours Degrees Postgraduate Diplomas and Certificates |
8 | ||
| Bachelor's Degrees | 7 | 6 |
First cycle degrees (Bachelor's) Higher professional qualifications |
| Diploma Qualifications | 6 | 5 |
SCHE qualifications Higher professional qualifications |
| Diploma Qualifications | 5 | ||
| Certificate level 4 Trade qualifications |
4 | 4 |
Upper secondary general school-leaving certificates Upper secondary VET school leaving certificates |
| Certificate level 3 NCEA (secondary school-leaving certificate) |
3 | ||
| Certificate level 2 | 2 | 3 |
VET qualifications Secondary education certificates |
| Certificate level 1 NCEA |
1 | 2 |
Lower-secondary education Basic VET qualifications |
| 1 |
Primary education Basic VET qualifications |
||