NZ international enrolments hit 92k as recovery gathers pace

The latest data puts the sector at 80% of its pre-pandemic peak, with universities and schools driving growth as the country strengthens its appeal in an increasingly competitive global market.

ENZ acting chief executive Linda Sissons said the results reflected steady progress across the sector, supported by sustained efforts from providers and ENZ’s international marketing activity.

A recent ENZ Global Brand Health and Awareness Survey found that 22% of prospective students now place New Zealand among their top three study destinations and according to ENZ, “this strengthening preference is consistent with the growth we are seeing in international student enrolments”.

“In a highly competitive global market, New Zealand’s high-quality education providers, great student experience and strong graduate outcomes are the factors that most influence student choice,” added Sissons.

Universities recorded some of the strongest gains, with enrolments rising 14% to 38,025 students, while school enrolments increased 10% to 20,155.

ENZ said international enrolments across primary, intermediate and secondary schools remain a distinctive feature of New Zealand’s offering, helping create early pathways into the country’s education system.

Recovery across other subsectors has been less consistent, with institutes of technology and polytechnics rebounding at different rates depending on market conditions.

China and India remain New Zealand’s two largest source markets, accounting for 34% and 14% of enrolments respectively. They are followed by Japan (9%), South Korea (4%), Sri Lanka (4%), Germany (3%), the US (3%), Nepal and the Philippines (3% each).

Sissons pointed to particularly strong growth from emerging markets including Sri Lanka and Nepal, which she said would play a greater role in ENZ’s market strategy for 2026/27.

International students continue to study across all regions of New Zealand, although Auckland remains the dominant hub, hosting around 55% of students. Canterbury, Auckland and Waikato posted the fastest regional growth, increasing by 10%, 14% and 19% respectively.

“Growth across regions reflects a sector that is rebuilding at pace and contributing to our local communities and economy,” Sissons added.

In 2025, New Zealand’s International Education Going for Growth plan laid out an ambitious vision of growth, planning to lift international enrolments by 35,000 and nearly double the sector’s value to NZD $7.2 billion by 2034.

As part of its ambition to significantly expand the international education sector, the New Zealand government is introducing new pathways to post-study work, announcing a new short-term graduate work visa – accepting applications later this year – and an extension to existing post-study work visa eligibility.

The latest enrolment figures follow renewed focus on New Zealand’s recruitment pipeline, with The PIE recently exploring the country’s top-performing student recruitment agents.