A double degree is a joint programme run by two institutions, after which the graduate receives documents from both. In European practice a double degree means separate degrees from each partner for a single joint programme, as opposed to a joint degree, which is one document issued by all partners together. For Nairi International University (NIU), "online" means that part of the joint programme is studied at a distance with NIU and the rest on campus at a New Zealand partner. Below: how such programmes work, which documents you receive, how to check them, and what they mean for your visa and recognition.
Updated 30 September 2026. Information is taken from official sources on that date.
Double degree, joint degree and "two degrees": the terms
Definitions from the European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes (EQAR):
| Term | What it is | Number of documents |
|---|---|---|
| Joint programme | an integrated curriculum coordinated and offered jointly by several institutions | depends on the form |
| Double degree | separate degrees from each partner for one joint programme | two (or more) |
| Joint degree | a single document from all partners, recognised as the award of the joint programme | one |
| "Two degrees" in everyday usage | two independent programmes taken one after the other or in parallel | two, with no shared curriculum |
What separates a real joint programme from "two degrees" is the shared curriculum: the institutions have agreed in advance what they credit to each other, so the same study counts towards both.
How Russian law treats it
Russia's Law on Education (273-FZ) has no concept of a "double degree" or "joint degree". The closest provisions (ConsultantPlus, version of 04.08.2026) are:
- Article 15, the network form: a programme can be delivered using the resources of several organisations, including foreign ones, under an agreement that specifies the "document or documents" to be issued, which is the legal basis for a single joint document or two;
- Article 105, which lists developing and delivering programmes jointly with foreign organisations among the forms of international cooperation (ConsultantPlus).
For NIU programmes this matters: NIU is a Chilean university and the joint programme runs between NIU and a New Zealand provider, so Russian law does not apply to it directly. How each document is recognised in Russia is covered on Degree recognition.
How NIU joint programmes work
NIU's joint programmes rest on an inter-institutional agreement with the New Zealand provider and recognition of prior learning (RPL): the partner credits the credits earned at NIU as part of its own programme.
| Master of Business Informatics (MBI) | Bachelor of Business Information Systems (BBIS) | |
|---|---|---|
| Partner | ICL Graduate Business School, Auckland | ICL Graduate Business School, Auckland |
| Level | 9 (master's) | 7 (bachelor's) |
| Credits | 180: 60 at NIU + 120 at ICL | 360: 180 at NIU + 180 at ICL |
| NIU stage | 1 semester online | 1 academic year by distance |
| ICL stage | 1 academic year on campus | on campus in Auckland |
| Length | about 16 months | 24 months |
| What the graduate receives | an NIU certificate and a Master degree in Business Informatics from ICL | an NIU certificate and a bachelor's degree from ICL |
| First stage | USD 2,499 per semester | USD 7,500 per academic year |
Confirm exactly which documents you will receive before you enrol. NIU issues a certificate for the NIU stage, and the New Zealand degree is awarded by the partner. Ask an adviser to show you what both documents look like for your programme and what they state.
What this model gives you
- A start without moving. The first stage is studied from home, in any month for the MBI; a student visa is needed only for the on-campus stage.
- A New Zealand degree from a provider in the NZQA system; ICL is Category 1.
- Eligibility for a post-study work visa. A master's needs at least 30 weeks of on-campus study in New Zealand, and the ICL year is designed to meet that. The online stage does not count towards those weeks, but it does not get in the way either (INZ). See Post-study work visa.
- Lower costs in the first stage, with no New Zealand living costs while you study online; see Online stage vs fully on campus.
How to check a programme is genuine
- The New Zealand provider is in the NZQA register. Look it up in the NZQA register, which shows its category after external evaluation, the date of its latest evaluation and whether it has signed the code for international learners. ICL Graduate Business School is a Category 1 private provider, rated Highly Confident on both measures at its evaluation of 20.09.2022 (ICL record).
- The programme level on the NZQCF. A master's is level 9, a bachelor's level 7 (NZQA).
- The legal entity of the partner. NIU is NAIRI INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY ONLINE COMMUNITY SpA, Chile, RUT 77.928.614-2, Reñaca Nte. 265, Of. 510, Viña del Mar, Valparaíso; full details are on Accreditation and partners.
- The agreement and the credit terms. Ask which credits are recognised and on what basis; for the MBI, it is 60 NIU credits within the 180-credit programme.
How to apply
| Step | MBI | BBIS |
|---|---|---|
| Documents | a bachelor's in business or IT (average of 50%+) or work experience in business/IT | a school certificate |
| English | IELTS Academic 6.5 (no band below 6.0) — for the ICL stage | IELTS Academic 6.0 (no band below 5.5) — for the move to ICL |
| Start | online with NIU, in any month | at NIU by distance |
| Moving on | NIU certificates → ICL offer → student visa | NIU first-year certificate → ICL offer → student visa |
English requirements in detail are on English language requirements, and the visa on Student visa.
Recognition of both documents
Each document is recognised separately, under the rules of the country where you will use it. In Russia:
- degrees from only six New Zealand universities on the Russian government list are recognised automatically;
- degrees from other providers, including private ones, are recognised by Rosobrnadzor on application: an expert assessment, a state fee of 6,500 roubles and up to 30 working days, which can be extended (ConsultantPlus, Article 107 of 273-FZ).
Details on Degree recognition.
Other programmes in the catalogue
Besides the joint programmes, the Programs and courses catalogue includes New Zealand programmes studied on campus from day one, which lead to a single degree from the provider. For example:
- Master of Management — ICL;
- Master of Business Informatics (Thesis) — ICL, the research version of the MBI;
- Postgraduate Diploma in Business Informatics — ICL.
Sources
All links checked on 30 September 2026.
- EQAR — European Approach for Quality Assurance of Joint Programmes, definitions: https://www.eqar.eu/kb/joint-programmes/definitions/
- Federal Law No. 273-FZ, Article 15 (ConsultantPlus, version of 04.08.2026): https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_140174/499cc91fbe852d6839d4de3b173bb4953a33419c/
- Federal Law No. 273-FZ, Article 105: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_140174/8e5be7fa943b780309272c643ee316b105206f39/
- Federal Law No. 273-FZ, Article 107: https://www.consultant.ru/document/cons_doc_LAW_140174/8765fc4bcab2fa76d72a00ba54d39f74466167b9/
- NZQA — Provider register: https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers/index.do
- NZQA — ICL Graduate Business School: https://www.nzqa.govt.nz/providers/details.do?providerId=754840001
- NZQA — The New Zealand Qualifications and Credentials Framework (1 July 2025): https://www2.nzqa.govt.nz/assets/Qualifications-standards/Understanding-NZQF/The-New-Zealand-Qualifications-and-Credentials-Framework.pdf
- INZ — Post-Study Work Visa: https://www.immigration.govt.nz/visas/post-study-work-visa/