Find out how New Zealand qualifications compare to qualifications gained in Europe.
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.
The project compares levels on the New Zealand Qualifications Framework (NZQF) with those on the European Qualifications Framework (EQF).
The comparison is intended to make it easier for education providers and employers to understand the qualification and how it compares to similar qualifications in their country. Our arrangement with the EU does not guarantee that a qualification completed in the other country will be automatically recognised as equivalent.
The EQF provides a link between national qualifications frameworks within the EU and several other European countries. The EQF does not contain qualifications itself, but the European national qualifications that are referenced to it do.
European national qualifications frameworks are currently being referenced to the EQF. This will establish a formal relationship between the levels of European national qualifications frameworks and the levels of the EQF.
Compare national qualifications frameworks across Europe – European Union (external link)
This table reflects the Technical Working Group's agreement that NZQF level 8 will remain unlevelled to the EQF.
|
New Zealand Qualifications 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 |
||
Read the full report: Comparative Analysis of the European Qualifications Framework and the New Zealand Qualifications Framework: Joint Technical Report [PDF, 1.7 MB]