How to Check a New Zealand Education Provider Before You Apply

TL;DR: To check a New Zealand education provider, search NZQA's Find Education Organisations tool and confirm the provider is recognised, has signed the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021, and is accredited for your approved programme. Immigration New Zealand says international students cannot study at a provider that has not signed the Code. NZQA stopped starting new external evaluation and review (EER) on 1 January 2026, so any category you see is the last one issued.

An offer letter tells you a provider wants you. It does not tell you the provider can enrol you, or that your qualification is recognised. In 2026, NZQA also changed how it quality assures private training establishments (PTEs) and institutes of technology and polytechnics (ITPs). If you are applying from Sri Lanka, the local steps are near the end.

Not sure whether the provider in your offer letter passes these checks? Check your eligibility with Prosper.

What should you check before accepting an offer from a New Zealand provider?

NZQA's guide to choosing a tertiary education provider asks four questions:

• Is the provider registered? PTEs must be registered with NZQA. Universities, polytechnics, institutes of technology and wānanga are set up by legislation instead.
• Is the programme approved? It should lead to an NZQA-recognised qualification or micro-credential.
• Is the provider accredited for it? Accreditation confirms the provider can deliver that programme.
• Has the provider signed the Code? NZQA says this matters most for international students.

Immigration New Zealand's rules for approved education providers state: "International students cannot study at an institution that is not a signatory to the Code." Its Fee Paying Student Visa page requires an offer from an approved provider that has signed the Code.

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How do you use NZQA's Find Education Organisations search?

1. Search by name. On Find Education Organisations, enter the provider name, number or city.
2. Filter for the Code. Set "Code of Practice Provider" to Y. "Type" filters universities, polytechnics, PTEs and wānanga.
3. Open "View details". The provider page shows Registration, programmes, External Quality Assurance and Statutory Actions.
4. Check the qualification. NZQA's qualification check page links to a search of the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).

The provider check table

Passing every row shows legitimacy, not fit.

What changed in 2026: EER categories and the new iQAF

NZQA announced on 15 January 2026 that its integrated Quality Assurance Framework (iQAF) has gone live. No new EERs start from 1 January 2026, and NZQA says the category rating system ends with EERs. Providers still quoting a category must add a statement required by Rule 10 of the Quality Assurance of Tertiary Education Providers Rules 2026.

Under EER, categories ran from 1 (highest) to 4 (lowest). They still appear on provider pages, so read their date.

Immigration New Zealand's notice of 11 December 2025, Changes to education quality assurance and what it means for student visas, says the change covers PTEs and ITPs, not universities. Conditions for 2026 student visas use a provider's EER rating as at the end of 2025. Ratings generally do not affect processing, except conditions that refer to a category, such as part-time work rights for English language students.

Its working on a student visa page says full-time English language students on a course of at least 14 consecutive weeks may work if the provider is NZQA Category 1 or a university.

The replacement is not settled. NZQA's consultation on describing provider quality proposed three descriptors, Highly effective, Effective and Not effective. It closed on 7 September 2026, and NZQA anticipates implementation from July 2027. The visa notice covers 2026, so check Immigration New Zealand's news centre before relying on a category for a later start.

Universities, ITPs and PTEs: does the provider type change your checks?

Universities are set up by legislation. NZQA's consultation document notes the Universities Quality Assurance agency (UQAA) quality assures them, not NZQA. You still confirm the Code and your programme. Our guide to New Zealand universities for international students compares all eight.

ITPs and polytechnics are set up by legislation and fall under iQAF.

PTEs need the most care: registration, accreditation for your exact programme, the last category and its date, and Statutory Actions. If you later move providers, read changing provider on a New Zealand student visa. Our CRICOS course search guide covers the Australian equivalent.

Applying from Sri Lanka

• NZQA's provider search is public. Run it yourself for every provider suggested to you.
• Save a dated PDF of the provider page with your offer letter.
• Match the provider and programme names on NZQA to your offer, letter for letter.
• If your documents need verification for the visa, our guide to IOM document verification explains the process.

Frequently asked questions

Is an NZQA approved provider the same as a Code signatory? No. Approval and accreditation cover the programme and the right to deliver it. The Code is separate, and Immigration New Zealand requires it for international students.

Are NZQA EER categories still used? No new ones are issued. Immigration New Zealand uses ratings as at the end of 2025 for 2026 visa conditions.

What if I have a complaint about my provider? NZQA's guidance for international learners says to complain to the provider first. Study Complaints helps with financial and contractual matters, and NZQA with possible Code breaches.

When will NZQA publish new provider quality ratings? NZQA anticipates its proposed descriptors from July 2027. Universities are not covered.

PS: Ten minutes on NZQA's search before paying a deposit can save months later. If any row does not pass, pause and ask. Check your eligibility with Prosper and we will go through your provider and programme with you.

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