Requirements to teach in Aotearoa New Zealand

If you trained as a teacher overseas, there are several pathways you can follow which determines how the Teaching Council will assess your ability to meet New Zealand’s teaching standards.

General pathway 

NZQA no longer pre-approves overseas teaching qualifications. Individuals with overseas teaching qualifications will need to apply for a teaching International Qualifications Assessment (IQA). 

An IQA may also be needed for other purposes, like setting your salary. 

If your teaching experience isn’t recent or up to date, you may need to go through a refresh pathway.

Discretionary pathway 

If your IQA report states that your qualifications do not meet the core knowledge requirements of a New Zealand Initial Teacher Education (ITE) programme, we may still consider your application. 

There is an additional fee to apply for a review of a decision by the discretionary pathway panel and a Registration Officer will contact you with a form and payment link if this applies to you.

The discretionary pathway looks at your full teaching profile, such as your qualifications, teaching experience, appraisal material and professional development. Decisions are made on a case-by-case basis and payment of the fee is not a guarantee of acceptance.

If your qualification is not comparable to a New Zealand ITE qualification, you can provide additional information to us for your registration application to be assessed through a discretionary pathway. Any teacher registration applications approved through this pathway will be approved as exceptions to policy.

You will need to provide:

• NZQA international qualifications assessment report and copies of your qualifications - These should be appropriate tertiary qualifications relevant to teaching in the New Zealand early childhood or compulsory education system and teacher education qualifications acceptable for teaching in the public education system in the country of origin. This will need the teaching assessment.
• Transcripts for each qualification (certified copies) - These should be your official transcripts issued by the institution you completed your studies with. If you also have a Diploma Supplement or a course/ qualification outline, then please also provide a certified copy.
• Practicum information regarding the practicum component of your teaching qualification - Details of the practicum component of teacher education including the length of practicum component, the age of the learners and the type of institution where this practicum was completed.
• Professional teacher registration status - If you hold registration/certification or another type of status as a teacher in another country, please provide official documentation detailing your professional status.
• Teaching Service - Evidence of all teaching experience should be provided. Details of any senior teaching positions held and the types of institutions where a person has taught is required (statements of service from the employing authority are preferred). An explanation of any significant gaps in teaching service should be provided.  
• Appraisal, observation and teaching assessment - Evidence of appraisal documentation, lesson observations, performance management documentation/reviews relating to recent teaching experience (usually within the last five years, but older documentation will be considered).
• Induction and Mentored teaching - Evidence of a supervised programme of induction or mentored teaching completed as a newly qualified or beginning teacher. This should be in the form of a detailed statement from your professional leader outlining the structure and content of your induction programme. It should include details such as the regularity of your meetings with your mentor teacher, the frequency of their observations of your teaching, and identify what professional standards you were expected to meet by the end of the induction programme. Teachers from the UK may provide this in the form of an Induction certificate issued by the GTC in England, Scotland or Wales.
• Professional Development - Evidence of continuing education and/or professional development. This should be a documented list of relevant workshops, seminars, in-house training, courses undertaken since the completing your teaching qualification.

Australian-trained teachers 

If you are registered in Australia, you may be eligible for a New Zealand practising certificate under the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Act (TTMRA) 1997. 

You'll need to provide evidence of your current registration in the relevant category for the Teaching Council to verify.

Not sure which pathway applies to you? 

If none of the pathways apply to you, you can gain a teaching qualification at university or polytechnic in New Zealand. Check out a list of approved qualifications that will enable you to gain registration.