[PeKaJoSa]

Hi Folks -

I've just discovered that my Business Studies degree is not quite the "automatic" 50 EOI points that I'd expected! :uhoh

According to the list of 'accredited' institutions, it seems that NZIS automatically recognises degrees from UK Universities, but not UK Polytechnics. This has never been an issue with any of my UK employers, but it does appear to be a concern for NZIS, as they have confirmed this via an e-mail.

I took my degree in 1988 (four years before Plymouth Poly became Plymouth University) so if I want to get those 'bonus' EOI points then I need to get it assessed by NZQA.

Has anyone else had a UK Polytechnic degree assessed? If so, was it recognised as equivalent to a University degree? I appreciate that the answer may well vary depending on the subject, but I'd like to hear from other UK Polytechnic degree holders who have been assessed by NZQA.

Cheers!
Pete.

[CJ22]

Pete, I think the problem is the age of the degree, not the source. I also had a 'poly' degree from around the same period, and the equivalent qualification for later years (1992 onwards, I think) automatically qualified, but mine didn't. I think the issue is to do with standardisation of the degree. In the end, I didn't claim for the qually as my other half was the principle applicant and we didn't need the points (or the hassle).

[PeKaJoSa]

Thanks for the info CJ...!

It looks like 1992 was the "magic" year when UK Polytechnics all converted to become Universities. I'd think that degree course itself probably didn't change significantly, just that the awarding 'institution' had then become a University.

Are there any other "40-something" year-old Poly graduates out there who have already had NZQA evaluate their degree? I'd really rather not burn $450 on the evaluation unless there's a reasonable chance of success....!

Cheers,
Pete.

[Gar1]

Hi Folks -
According to the list of 'accredited' institutions, it seems that NZIS automatically recognises degrees from UK Universities, but not UK Polytechnics.
Pete.

I think there may be a number of universities that are not on their list, granted a lot of these will have been the ones that had originally been Polys. I had to have my PGDip from Abertay University assessed. I also had to get my degree done as well and it came from the same institute, but was prior to them becoming a university.

By the way apparently a degree is a degree in NZ as well. Thanks for charging me money, to compare my qualification to your inferior tertiary education system.

[chocolate cake]

I had no such problems having my degree from the then Newcastle Poly in 1989 recognised recently.

[osmyth]

I've had my 1990 Sunderland Poly degree given level 7 at PAR. Just submitted the full assessment so fingers crossed.

[JandM]

Going a bit off-topic here...

[Not directly affected by this issue, as I'll be retired and a sponsored parent when we come out, but fellow feeling to all of you.

Last year I had to register for the Institute For Learning, the new umbrella body for all those lecturing in further/higher education in the UK. Registration happens online by means of filling in a multiple choice form. Only trouble is, the choices available relate to the qualifications of nowadays, and if you have anything else, you have to choose 'other'. On the most basic level, I don't have ANY GCSEs, because they didn't exist when I got my 9 'O'-Levels which didn't count. The net result of all this is that I ended up being 'awarded' an affiliate's membership, with the suggestion that I should hurry up and earn basic qualifications to work in the sector - yeah, right, when I'd been doing the job for decades, have three teaching qualifications, and a master's in the subject area I was delivering. They DID rethink this when I made a fuss.

Point being, though, there does seem to be a tendency to blank - or maybe even not to know - what was perfectly normal for the older generation.]

[thewoodies]

looks like i did the right thing partying too much at poly !:cheers and returning as a matue student when the polys became uni's :laugh:laugh

Not so sure i want to acknowledge being the older generation YET! though!!: laugh

Crazy - i did o levels and C.S.E,s

[PeKaJoSa]

A quick question for osmyth and/or chocolatecake: Was there much paperwork involved in the process for you? Did you have to contact your old 'poly' to get extra information?

(As you can see, I haven't looked very far into this process yet...!!)

Cheers,
Pete.

[tea drinker]

My degree was from a College of Higher Education (not Poly) which later became a Uni. which is on the recognised list
I had my degree assessed as Level 7
Took about a week after contacting the Uni to recieve transcript, no fee (this included change from College to Uni, change of Campus)

But ...my other degree, done about 10 yrs ago, took 6-8 weeks, £10, phone calls and emails to get it. They told me it was too long ago!!!

[castleclan]

Oh!.... I started at college, which became a poly and my second degree was from a polytechnic university......... Er is this going to be more problematic than I first thought?

[CJ22]

As I say, I didn't get mine assessed in the end. But from what I remember, the issue was 'transcripts'. Modern degrees hae a detailed transcript of the course, detailing what was studied. Medieval qualifications like ours are lacking them, so it's hard for NZQA to assess them.

[peebles16]

I haven't had mine assessed so can't comment on NZQA but I managed to get transcripts of both my HND and Postgraduate Diploma through the polytechnic (now university) for around £30 if I remember rightly. That was from around 1992 - god I'm sooo old :o

HTH
Karenx

[castleclan]

Thats ok if you don't have to, but we will be very reliant on these degrees. I have just checked on the list of recognised establishments and both my issuing establishments are in brackets next to the university they are now known as..... phew! I have just applied for a search to find any records as they only keep 12 years and with the original campus now sold. Peebles...... My first degree is from 1988 so you can feel a little less old!:D

[jonSE]

I had the same prob with my degree from Leeds Uni 1985. First they came back and said they have no record of me so i emailed them a scan of my degree certificate then they came back and said only keep records so long.

[PeKaJoSa]

I'd like to understand the significance of the Pre-Assessment (PAR) versus the full IQA. Let's see if I've got this straight:

If I get a PAR from NZQA which assesses my degree as Level 7 (or above) then I can claim 50 points towards my EOI (under the Skilled Migrant Category). That much I am pretty sure about...

However, if my EOI is selected and an ITA is issued, is it 100% certain that I will need to go back to NZQA for the 'full' IQA on my degree? Or are there some situations where they are happy to proceed on the basis of the PAR alone?

Can someone confirm that last part for me?

Cheers!
Pete.

[osmyth]

A quick question for osmyth and/or chocolatecake: Was there much paperwork involved in the process for you? Did you have to contact your old 'poly' to get extra information?

(As you can see, I haven't looked very far into this process yet...!!)

Cheers,
Pete.


Pete, I had a certificate and subject results sheet, but I thought i'd get a copy of the original prospectus from the Poly (Student Records dept) detailing the subjects on the course, so rang them and they sent a copy to me. I told them what it was about also warned them to expect something from NZQA in the near future.
I sent all of the above plus my O and A level results (high school exams).
I didn't send anything to do with work experience.
My application is still at the 'Allocation' stage so not sure if they have all the right docs yet though.
The PAR can be done online, just enter all the details of the degree, no need to send any docs.
Hope this helps.

[osmyth]

I'd like to understand the significance of the Pre-Assessment (PAR) versus the full IQA. Let's see if I've got this straight:

If I get a PAR from NZQA which assesses my degree as Level 7 (or above) then I can claim 50 points towards my EOI (under the Skilled Migrant Category). That much I am pretty sure about...

However, if my EOI is selected and an ITA is issued, is it 100% certain that I will need to go back to NZQA for the 'full' IQA on my degree? Or are there some situations where they are happy to proceed on the basis of the PAR alone?

Can someone confirm that last part for me?

Cheers!
Pete.



I think that if the degree isn't on the recognised list then you definitely have to get a full assessment, but as you say the PAR will get you through the EOI and you can do the IQA (full) when the ITA comes through. A problem with this approach is that the IQA could take a long time to complete, mainly because of delays in the NZQA getting info from the Poly, so you may have to ask for an ITA extension, or send it in the normal timescales and ask for the IQA to be accepted later.
I chose to do the IQA first, because I wanted to be certain that I could get the 50 points before doing the EOI, and also i'm not in a rush as we have a 8 month old.

[osmyth]

Oh, and I also sent a certified copy of my passport and marriage certificate, as my surname has become double-barrelled after getting married.

[PeKaJoSa]

Owen -

Thanks for all that useful info! :nice1

Cheers!
Pete

[Maltese Cross]

I would have taken an alternative route.

Could you go to Plymouth Univ with your problem and see if with some top-up study they can dress up your vintage poly into a 2009 degree. You will also multiply your potential if your future employer sees you're still keen on up-to-date studies.

I know this is more sacrifice but it might pay off.

[PeKaJoSa]

As I'm now in my early forties, with a family and a full time job, going back to do "top-up study" is not really practical. In fact it appeals it me about as much as having all the hairs on my body pulled out simultaneously! :laugh :laugh

In my situation, by far the simplest situation is to spend £50 to get Plymouth Poly to send me necessary course information (schedule of course modules, exam results, etc.) and then send it off to NZQA with a $450 fee. However it's a major pain in the backside to have to burn good money just to prove that my qualification "really is a degree" when that fact is accepted without question by any UK employer. :wah

I do understand that NZIS have an unenviable task in coping with people from all over the world claiming that their degree from 'xyz' institute "really is a degree" - but that doesn't stop me feeling sore about having to waste my money on such an exercise.

It's an interesting point you make about NZ employers and their potential reaction to proof of "up to date studies". I have plenty of work-related IT certifications - even fairly recent ones. From reading forum posts here and elsewhere, it does strike me that NZ companies seem to have an almost unnatural fixation with "qualifications", more so than allowing for years of relevant work-related experience. If so, then it is pretty much the exact reverse of the situation here in the UK!

I wonder if others have come across this too?

Cheers!
Pete