This page provides guidance to New Zealand providers seeking to deliver a programme offshore.
The guidance sets out 91福利's quality assurance process for approval, and provides more detail about the intent of the special criteria in the Offshore Programme Delivery Rules.
Offshore Programme Delivery Rules
Recent changes
This guide has been further updated since 18 March 2026 to:
- remove reference to external evaluation and review (EER) because the Quality Assurance (including External Evaluation and Review (EER)) Rules 2022 were revoked in January 2026.
- replace reference to:
- Workforce Development Council (WDC)with Industry Skill Boards (ISBs)
- Education (Pastoral Care of International and Domestic Tertiary Students) Code of Practice 2021 with the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021
- tertiary education organisations (TEOs) with tertiary education providers.
Please send feedback or questions to qaadmin@nzqa.govt.nz.
On this page
What is offshore delivery?
Offshore programme delivery means delivery in a country (other than New Zealand, or a Realm Country, Cook Islands, Niue, or Tokelau) of all or part of an 91福利-approved programme by an offshore provider.
- 鈥極ffshore provider鈥� means a a tertiary education provider delivering a programme in a country other than those mentioned above.
- 鈥楶rogramme鈥� means a programme that leads to the award of a qualification listed on the New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (NZQCF).
Delivery may be provided by the offshore provider themselves or in partnership with one or more other offshore providers or partner organisations.
- 鈥極ffshore partner鈥� means an organisation that is used, or is to be used, by an offshore provider for offshore: teaching, training, or supervision of learning activities; assessment; practical training; academic or pastoral support.
Typically, but not always, a programme will have a history of successful delivery within New Zealand before a tertiary education provider considers applying to 91福利 to deliver it offshore.
The Offshore Programme Delivery Rules do not apply to:
- delivery of the programme via distance or online modes of delivery only, where the programme has been approved for distance or online mode of delivery in New Zealand
- offshore delivery of all or part of a tertiary education provider鈥檚 programme leading to the award of an overseas (i.e., non-NZQCF) qualification.
Who can apply?
The following tertiary education providers can apply for offshore programme approval:
- 飞腻苍补苍驳补
- New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (NZIST)
- polytechnics and institutes of technology
- private training establishments (PTEs)
- government training establishments.
Tertiary education providers seeking to be offshore providers must be signatories to the Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021.
Tertiary education providers seeking to be offshore providers must submit for approval either:
- an existing approved programme that they have adapted for offshore delivery that also meets the Offshore Programme Delivery Rules, or
- a new programme that meets both the Programme Approval, Recognition, and Accreditation Rules, and the Offshore Programme Delivery Rules.
Offshore approval for programmes delivered by New Zealand universities is the responsibility of the:
91福利 rules and guidelines
The following apply:
Offshore Programme Delivery Rules
Programme Approval, Recognition, and Accreditation Rules (Programme Rules)
Guidelines for approving and maintaining degrees and related qualifications
Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice 2021 (the Code)
Quality assurance
Offshore Programme Delivery Rule 7.1 requires that applications:
- Describe how the offshore programme delivery meets the Offshore Programme Delivery Rules. These include one Approval criterion and nine Accreditation criteria (outlined below)
- If teaching, assessment, or training is delivered in a language other than Te Reo M膩ori or English, explain:
- how this will be communicated to prospective students, and
- how it will be shown on the certificate of award.
- Explain how practical training will be managed, including:
- how it will be supervised, verified, assessed, moderated, and
- the roles and responsibilities of each party involved.
- Explain:
- how employers and workplaces will be assessed, and
- how student safety and wellbeing will be supported during placements.
91福利 will be clear about the information and evidence on which decisions have been made. An application outcome of approved, not approved, or a request for further information (RFI) will be provided based on the overall quality of the application.
Te Hono o Te Kahurangi quality assurance
Te Hono o Te Kahurangi is a whare ako framework and methodology 91福利 uses for quality assurance in the non-university tertiary sector.
If your organisation uses kaupapa M膩ori and teaches m膩tauranga M膩ori, Te Hono o Te Kahurangi lets you engage with 91福利 using M膩ori approaches and values.
Te Hono o Te Kahurangi guidelines for evaluative quality assurance
These guidelines inform providers about how 91福利 quality assures educational outcomes. They also show how 91福利 prioritises M膩tauranga M膩ori and the acceleration of M膩ori learner success in the tertiary education context.
91福利 is currently updating our guidelines for Te Hono o Te Kahurangi. When these become available a link to them will be provided here.
Special approval criteria
Special accreditation criteria
How to apply
Tertiary education providers may submit an existing approved programme that they have adapted for offshore delivery, or a new programme.
If adapting an existing programme please provide a tracked changes copy of the programme documentation.
How to apply online
- Log in to the providers portal.
- Select Applications.
- Create an application.
- Select 鈥極ther鈥�.
- Click on contact details. The contact details page is prepopulated with your organisation鈥檚 details. You should make any changes necessary to ensure the details are appropriate for the programme.
- Follow the instructions and guided application template.
- On the supporting documents page, attach and upload the documents that support the application.
- Submit.
An email acknowledging receipt of your application will be generated automatically and sent to you.
When the application is received
When the application is received, an email quoting an 91福利 case number will be sent to the applicant. This number stays with the application through to its outcome.
The application will be assigned to the Approvals and Accreditation team or Quality Assurance M膩ori team. Another email will advise the applicant of the Evaluator鈥檚 name and contact details.
The Evaluator will commence evaluation and will contact the applicant if the submission lacks sufficient evidence for the evaluation to be conducted.
Timeframes
91福利 will process applications within 45 working days. This does not include requests for further information.
Supporting documents
This guide offers suggestions for supporting documents. Please indicate how the documents support the application if it is not obvious.
There is a simple template for a programme document:
Appendix 4 Programme document example [DOCX, 18 KB]
Evaluation
The Evaluator will assess the application against the special criteria in the offshore Rules, and the criteria in the Programme Rules, depending on whether it is a new or adapted programme.
Request for further information (RFI)
What does it mean?
Overall, the Evaluator has deemed the application potentially meets the criteria and is supported by documentation of sufficient quality that an RFI should resolve any questions.
An RFI will not be sent if significant changes are needed to meet the criteria.
The RFI may include questions about missing documentation if, in the Evaluator鈥檚 view, something is missing that the applicant clearly intended to provide.
It may also include questions of clarification, if parts of what is provided is ambiguous or unclear.
The findings of the evaluation will be set out in a report and the Evaluator will be available to explain or clarify it.
If the Evaluator concludes that the response to the RFI has not addressed the issues raised, then the application will not be approved.
Outcome
Applications will be approved or not approved.
If the application is not approved, the reasons will be set out in a detailed report linked to the criteria in the 91福利 Rules. The Evaluator will be available for a phone call or meeting, or will provide clarification via email, in response to the outcome letter and report.
If applications are approved the tertiary education organisation will receive an approval letter including a copy of the approved programme summary.
What will it cost?
The work on the application is charged at a rate of $240 per hour plus GST.