What's a credential check?

Why do I need a Credential check?

We use Credential checks as a fast-track way to determine someone's Accord equivalence, and they need to be at Washington Accord status to match our New Zealand standard.

When applying for Chartered status, your first step is to have your credentials checked. We will verify if you meet the academic requirement for the Chartered class you need.

Immigration New Zealand may ask you to provide a letter from us certifying you meet the benchmark requirements for Chartered Professional Engineer status in New Zealand (the benchmark requirement is a Washington Accord qualification, or equivalent).

It’s important to note, Credential checks are a way to recognise education and study – not skill or experience. If you are not granted Washington Accord Accreditation through a Credential check, it is because your education provider in your country, or the course you took, was not Washington Accord accredited.

What happens if I do not meet the Credential check?

If your outcome does not meet the Accord status – please do not worry. This does not mean you are not qualified for Chartership. It is not a reflection on competence or skill as an engineer.

It just means we were unable to determine that your credentials are accredited via our bilateral agreement channels.

If this is the case, we will help you complete an equivalent knowledge assessment. This is where you can demonstrate engineering knowledge that is equivalent to a Washington Accord accredited qualification through your academic study, work experience and further learning.

A Credential check must be completed in the first instance. It is only if do not meet the Credential check that you take an equivalent knowledge assessment.

Fees and processing time

Credential check fee

A Credential check is free if you’re a member of Engineering New Zealand.

Find out about our membership options

For students and non-members, the fee is $460 (incl GST).

We will check your credentials within 7 to 10 working days, after payment is received.

Equivalent knowledge assessment fee

If you need to take the equivalent knowledge assessment test, the fee is NZ$1,351.25 incl GST (less any fee paid for a qualification assessment).

The equivalent knowledge assessment test will take 6-8 weeks.

Got a new credential and need another check?

If you have gained another credential since having your other credentials checked, you can get a subsequent credential check free of charge.

What are we checking in Credential checks?

We will check your engineering credentials, including:

• Qualifications that you have (you have completed graduation requirements)
• Memberships and registrations with international engineering organisations
• Assessments with Engineers Australia, NCEES (USA) or past Knowledge Assessments with IPENZ

Prepare for your check

Before you request a Credential check, you will need to add your credentials to your Engineering New Zealand account.

Have an Engineering New Zealand account already?

If you have an account with us, please upload your credentials by following these steps:

• Log into your account
• Go to the ‘Menu’ tab
• Go to ‘Career’ tab
• Click on ‘Credentials’
• Add your credentials

No Engineering New Zealand account

If you don't have an account with us – please create one

You do not need to be a financial member to create an account. You can create an account for the purpose of just going through a Credential check process. It just means you will not be able to access our exclusive member only benefits.

Once you’ve created your account, you can then upload your credentials by following the steps listed above under ‘Have an Engineering New Zealand account already?’.

For each credential, you will need to upload evidence:

• Qualifications – evidence includes graduation or award certificate, and academic transcript or marksheets
• Memberships and registrations – evidence can include award certificates
• Assessment – evidence can include your assessment outcome

It is important you upload all documents before you request the credential check. You cannot add or edit your credential details online once you submit the request.

Verifying your qualifications

Once your account is active, you must add your credentials to your account; as well as proof of verification for each credential.

What’s proof of verification? 

Authenticity of all credentials uploaded must be verifiable in one of the following ways:

Proof of verification by going through Qualification Check – our approved external verification partner. We highly recommend you choose this option – as they will do the work for you and verify the credentials you provide to us. 

The other two options are:

• Link to digital document(s) on university/relevant professional registration authority websites; allowing the membership team to verify credentials online directly with relevant institutions.
• Original documents sent directly to Engineering New Zealand in a sealed envelope from the awarding body.

Accredited Qualifications

Please make sure to read carefully. All of these qualifications are accredited based on specific year periods. Some organisations use the intake year, and some use the graduation year.

EURACE assesses qualifications as Second Cycle Degrees (SCD), and First Cycle Degrees (FCD). We recognise SCD as equivalent to Washington Accord, and FCD as equivalent to Sydney Accord.

Qualifications on the ECUK website require a combination of an undergraduate degree that Requires further learning , and a post grad qual that Is further learning. 

If you have the undergraduate degree that Requires further learning, it is counted as Sydney Accord. If you have a post grad qual that Is further learning only, it has no equivalence.

A combination of both is accepted as equivalent to Washington Accord accredited qualification.

Overseas equivalent qualifications:

• Dublin Accord
• Sydney Accord
• Washington Accord

Mutual recognition of memberships, registrations and licences:

• Dublin Accord - Chartered Member (Engineering Technician), CMEngNZ (Engineering Technician)
• Sydney Accord - Chartered Member (Engineering Technologist), CMEngNZ (Engineering Technologist)
• Washington Accord - Chartered Member (CMEngNZ)

What you will get

If your Credential check is successful, you will receive Accord recognition.

We will assign an Accord recognition status to each credential:

If an Accord recognition is assigned, this means the credential is either recognised by us as Accord-accredited or as demonstrating equivalence to an Accord-accredited qualification.

If your goal is to become Chartered, this will help us recommend your next step: which assessment you need to complete.

Find out more about recognised qualifications

Find out more about recognised credentials

Find out more on getting Chartered

Chartership eligibility

Need a report about your international credentials?

As part of your credential check request, you can tell us if you need a report about your international credentials for:

• Immigration New Zealand visa application
• Electrical Workers Registration Board (EWRB) registration assessment
• Potential employer or education provider

We’ll send you a report that meets your purpose after your credential check is completed.

Request a check

If you're an Engineering New Zealand member, just log in to your account to request a check.

Log in

If you're not a member, simply sign up to get access to request a check.

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Fraudulent activity and plagiarism

We take any activity of the sort very seriously.

Read our document outlining fraudulent activity and plagiarism