Poland qualifications exempt from assessment
Lists Polish academic qualifications exempt from NZQA assessment and their points under the Skilled Migrant Category.
- Status
- active
- Updated
- 2026-04-28
- Sources
- P-poland
At a glance
Poland has a defined list of higher-education qualifications that are exempt from individual NZQA International Qualification Assessment (IQA) when claiming points under the Skilled Migrant Category (SMC). [P-poland]
An applicant can claim points only if:
- the qualification is listed in the Academic Qualifications Table,
- it was awarded by a listed institution,
- the qualification abbreviation and award year match the table, and
- the qualification is not excluded by the notes. [P-poland]
Definition
The Immigration New Zealand Operational Manual provides a country-specific schedule that links Polish qualification titles and abbreviations to New Zealand Qualification Framework (NZQF) levels and SMC points. [P-poland]
Academic Qualifications Table
| Qualification (in Polish) | Abbreviation | NZQF Level | SMC Points |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tytuł Licencjat / Licencjata Tytuł Zawodowy Licencjat / Licencjata (specjalność stated) |
L | 7 | 50 |
| Tytuł inżynier | INZ | 7 | 50 |
| Tytuł Magister / Magistra Tytuł Zawodowy Magister / Magistra (speciality stated) |
M | 9 | 70 |
| Tytuł Magister / Magistra inżynier Tytuł Zawodowy Magister / Magistra inżynier |
MInz | 9 | 70 |
| Doktor (speciality stated) | D | 10 | 70 |
Note: The word "Dyplom" appears at the top of all award certificates. [P-poland]
If an applicant believes their qualification may be assessed at a higher level, they should apply to NZQA for an IQA. [P-poland]
Awarding institutions and qualification years
The list specifies the earliest award year from which each institution’s qualifications may be accepted. Only qualifications awarded from the year shown (inclusive) are exempt. [P-poland]
Institutions and their recognised qualification abbreviations and award years:
| Institution | Qualification / Award from |
|---|---|
| Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski Jana Pawła II (1990‑2006 Katolicki Uniwersytet Lubelski) | L, M: 2006 |
| D: 1990 | |
| Politechnika Białostocka | L, INZ: 2006 |
| M, MInz: 2008 | |
| D: 1995 | |
| Politechnika Częstochowska | L, INZ: 2009 |
| M, MInz: 2008 | |
| D: 1995 | |
| Politechnika Gdańska | L, INZ: 2007 |
| M, MInz: 2011 | |
| D: 1990 | |
| Politechnika Koszalińska | L, INZ, M, MInz: 2006 |
| D: 1996 | |
| Politechnika Krakowska im. Tadeusza Kościuszki | L, INZ: 2009 |
| M, MInz: 2008 | |
| D: 1990 | |
| Politechnika Łódzka | L, INZ, M, MInz: 2006 |
| D: 1990 | |
| Politechnika Lubelska | L: 2010 |
| INZ, M, MInz: 2007 | |
| D: 1995 | |
| Politechnika Opolska | L, INZ: 2011 |
| M, MInz: 2008 | |
| D: 1997 | |
| Politechnika Poznańska | L, INZ: 2010 |
| M, MInz: 2009 | |
| D: 1990 | |
| Politechnika Rzeszowska im. Ignacego Łukasiewicza | L, INZ, D: 2008 |
| M, MInz: 2010 | |
| Politechnika Śląska | L, INZ: 2006 |
| M, MInz: 2008 | |
| D: 1990 | |
| Politechnika Świętokrzyska | L, INZ: 2006 |
| M, MInz: 2009 | |
| D: 1995 | |
| Politechnika Warszawska | L, INZ: 2006 |
| M, MInz: 2007 | |
| D: 1986 | |
| Politechnika Wrocławska | L, INZ: 2011 |
| M, MInz: 2007 | |
| D: 1990 | |
| Pomorski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Szczecinie | D: 2010 |
| Śląski Uniwersytet Medyczny w Katowicach | L, M: 2010 |
| D: 2007 | |
| Szkoła Główna Gospodarstwa Wiejskiego w Warszawie | L, INZ, M, MInz: 2006 |
| D: 1990 | |
| Szkoła Główna Handlowa w Warszawie | L, M: 2007 |
| D: 1991 | |
| Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Katowicach | L, M, D: 2010 |
| Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Krakowie | L, M, D: 2007 |
| Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny w Poznaniu | L, M, D: 2008 |
| Uniwersytet Ekonomiczny we Wrocławiu | L, M, D: 2008 |
| Uniwersytet Gdański | L: 2008 |
| M: 2005 | |
| D: 1990 | |
| Uniwersytet Jana Kochanowskiego w Kielcach | L, INZ, M, MInz, D: 2011 |
| Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w Poznaniu | L, INZ, M, MInz: 2005 |
| D: 1990 | |
| Uniwersytet Jagielloński w Krakowie | L, INZ, M, MInz: 2006 |
| D: 1990 | |
| Uniwersytet Kardynała Stefana Wyszyńskiego w Warszawie | L, INZ, M, MInz: 2007 |
| D: 1999 | |
| Uniwersytet Kazimierza Wielkiego w Bydgoszczy | L, INZ, M, MInz, D: 2005 |
| Uniwersytet Łódzki | L, INZ, M, MInz: 2006 |
| D: 1990 | |
| Uniwersytet Marii Curie‑Skłodowskiej w Lublinie | L, INZ, M, MInz: 2006 |
| D: 1990 | |
| Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Karola Marcinkowskiego w Poznaniu / Uniwersytet Medyczny w Poznaniu | L: 2012 |
| D: 2007 | |
| Uniwersytet Medyczny im. Piastów Śląskich we Wrocławiu / Wrocławski Uniwersytet Medyczny | D: 2012 |
| Uniwersytet Medyczny w Białymstoku | D: 2008 |
| Uniwersytet Medyczny w Łodzi | D: 2002 |
| Uniwersytet Medyczny w Lublinie | D: 2008 |
| Uniwersytet Mikołaja Kopernika w Toruniu | L, INZ: 2006 |
| M, MInz: 2007 | |
| D: 2004 | |
| Uniwersytet Opolski | L, INZ, M: 2006 |
| D: 2003 | |
| Uniwersytet Przyrodniczo‑Humanistyczny w Siedlcach | L, INZ, M, MInz, D: 2010 |
| Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Lublinie | L, INZ, M, MInz, D: 2008 |
| Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu | L, INZ, M, MInz, D: 2008 |
| Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy we Wrocławiu | L, INZ, M, MInz, D: 2006 |
| Uniwersytet Rolniczy im. Hugona Kołłątaja w Krakowie | L, INZ: 2009 |
| M, MInz, D: 2008 | |
| Uniwersytet Rzeszowski | L, M: 2006 |
| D: 2001 | |
| Uniwersytet Śląski w Katowicach | L, INZ, M: 2006 |
| D: 1990 | |
| Uniwersytet Szczeciński | L, INZ, M, MInz: 2006 |
| D: 1995 | |
| Uniwersytet Technologiczno‑Humanistyczny im. Kazimierza Pułaskiego w Radomiu | L, INZ, M, MInz, D: 2012 |
| Uniwersytet Technologiczno‑Przyrodniczy im. Jana i Jędrzeja Śniadeckich w Bydgoszczy / Uniwersytet Technologiczno‑Przyrodniczy w Bydgoszczy | L, INZ: 2008 |
| M, MInz: 2009 | |
| D: 2006 | |
| Uniwersytet w Białymstoku | D: 2000 |
| Uniwersytet Warmińsko‑Mazurski w Olsztynie | L, INZ, M, MInz: 2006 |
| D: 1999 | |
| Uniwersytet Warszawski | L: 2004 |
| M: 2006 | |
| D: 1990 | |
| Uniwersytet Wrocławski | L, M: 2006 |
| D: 1990 | |
| Uniwersytet Zielonogórski | L, INZ: 2009 |
| M, MInz: 2006 | |
| D: 2003 | |
| Warszawski Uniwersytet Medyczny / Uniwersytet Medyczny w Warszawie | D: 2008 |
| Zachodniopomorski Uniwersytet Technologiczny w Szczecinie | L, INZ, M, MInz, D: 2009 |
Effective from 13/05/2019. [P-poland]
Application in decisions
When an SMC applicant claims points for a Polish qualification, an immigration officer must first check the list. If the qualification, institution, abbreviation, award year, and notes all match, the officer awards the listed points and the qualification is treated as having the equivalent NZQF level without requiring an IQA. [P-poland]
If any criterion is not met, the qualification must be referred to NZQA for an IQA. The list does not create a presumption that similar qualifications from other Polish institutions are equivalent. [P-poland]
Interpretation & edge cases
Qualifications that must always be referred to NZQA: [P-poland]
- All honorary degrees.
- Listed qualifications where study was completed at an institution outside Poland, including overseas campuses of listed institutions.
- Listed qualifications that include cross‑credited courses or papers.
- All initial teacher training degrees.
- All qualifications awarded after 2018.
Original language requirement: Award certificates must be provided in the original language. [P-poland]
Belief in higher level: If an applicant believes their qualification is higher than the level stated in the table, they may apply to NZQA for an IQA. [P-poland]
Award year interpretation: The year shown in the table is the earliest year from which a qualification from that institution can be considered exempt. For example, a Licencjat from Uniwersytet Warszawski awarded in 2003 would not qualify, while one awarded in 2005 would (because L: 2004). [P-poland]
Dyplom: All certificates carry the heading "Dyplom"; this is not a qualification title. [P-poland]
Citations
Points Summary (Skilled Migrant Category)
Sums up points awarded for income, qualification, NZ registration, and skilled work experience for the Skilled Migrant Category Resident Visa.
Privacy Act
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