Overseas Trained
Gaining Registration with the Dietitians Board in New Zealand requires an assessment of your dietetic qualifications and Board Examinations be sat; you must clear each stage successfully to progress to the next.
Overseas trained dietitians who wish to apply for an assessment of their qualifications must:
- have completed undergraduate and/or postgraduate nutrition and dietetic training of at least four years.
- hold current registration/credential, or can demonstrate eligibility for registration/credential as a dietitian with the dietetic credentialing body in the country of tertiary education or practice.
- have practiced as a dietitian within the last 3 years in the country where the practitioner holds registration/credential, or, have completed their qualification within the past 2 years.
- meet the Dietitians Board’s English Language Requirements for practice as a dietitian in New Zealand.
The Dietitians Board is required by law to ensure that all candidates for registration are fit in accordance with sections 15 and 16 of the HPCA Act 2003.
The Act requires the Board to assess:
- prescribed qualifications or their equivalents,
- competence to practice as a dietitian,
- ability to communicate effectively for the purposes of practicing as a dietitian,
- proficiency in the English language,
- absence of qualifying criminal convictions for the purposes of section 16(c),
- physical and mental fitness to practice,
- professional disciplinary proceedings or investigations which may be the subject of such proceedings, and
- likelihood of the applicant endangering the health or safety of the New Zealand public.
There are TWO steps to achieve registration eligibility – STEP ONE is the Recognition of Qualifications Assessment and STEP TWO is the Board Examinations.
STEP ONE – Recognition of Dietetic Qualifications
- Print to complete the Recognition of Dietetic Qualifications form and scan it along with all supporting documentation. Email them to administration@dietitiansboard.org.nz. For big files, please email the link to the cloud storage such as Google Drive, OneDrive, iCloud, Dropbox etc. Your application will only be processed once the application fee of $1500 is paid.
- DO NOT send any documentation until you have collated all the documents we require.
- Ensure ALL your documentation is CORRECTLY certified (by a Justice of the Peace or Solicitor).
NB: The Recognition of Qualifications assessment process can take up to 6-8 weeks depending on the documentation provided.
What MUST be provided?
The application requires you to provide the following:
- Birth certificate or passport
- Marriage or other certificate demonstrating change of name
- Curriculum Vitae
- Current dietetic registration license/credential/certificate
- Current Certificate of Good Standing from dietetic credentialing body*
- Professional reference from current/last employer
- Two references from registered/credentialed dietitians
- Academic transcripts
- Academic syllabi
- Placement information
- Criminal record checks
- English Language test results (if applicable)
* In countries with no credentialing body, please provide documentation from a professional dietetic association or an institution where the candidate last worked or trained as a dietitian for at least a year.
For more detail about the required supporting documentation see the Recognition of Qualifications checklist.
Please ensure your documentation is complete and accurately certified and your referees also submit their references promptly. This will enable you to meet the appropriate application deadline and ensure your assessment can be completed in time for you to apply to sit the next MCQ.
If your qualifications are successfully recognised and you are deemed eligible, you will be invited to apply for the first Board Examination.
STEP TWO – Board Examinations
The Board Examinations consist of two stages; you must pass the written exam to be eligible to sit the oral exam. Once you have sat and passed both then you will be eligible for Registration.
See Board Registration Examination for further information about the exams.
Timing your Application
You need to time your application carefully as the written examination is only held twice a year, generally in March and September.
To be considered for the March written exam, the application form and supporting documents are due November 1st of the previous year.
To be considered for the September written exam, the application form and supporting documents are due May 1st of the same year.
The next written exam is in March and September 2023.
The next OSCE is in May and November 2023.
Please contact our Registration Officer if you require any further information at administration@dietitiansboard.org.nz