Revealing the data on March 20, minister for Tertiary Education and Skills, Penny Simmonds, said that the figures confirm that “international students continue to find New Zealand an attractive education destination”.

“For the university sector with 27,535 students enrolled, where a proportion of learners may study for a number of years, there is a solid base of students from which to grow,” she said.

The country’s international education sector was hit hard by the pandemic, with New Zealand’s border being one of the world’s most secure as government placed safety as highest priority.

Recovery from the pandemic has been difficult, but the new figures are promising with some in the sector suggesting the country could benefit from policy changes in key competitor countries such as Australia, the UK and Canada.

The PIE also named New Zealand as the “one to watch” for 2024 in its round up of last year.

“There is a solid base of students from which to grow”

International student enrolments have grown in all sub-sectors apart from Māori-context tertiary institutions, wānanga. The English Language School sector has seen the greatest recovery in terms of percentage increases.

Enrolments in ELT grew from 1,565 in 2022 to 7,001 in the eight months of 2023, a rise of 347%.

“It is a government priority to diversify our recruitment efforts for international students with the aim of reaching a broader spectrum of countries,” Simmonds – who took over as minister for Tertiary Education and Skills in November 2023 following last year’s election result – added.

School enrolments have risen from 5,925 to 12,662 in the available 2023 data, Te Pūkenga from 4,955 to 6,560, universities from 24,040 to 27,535 and Private Training Establishments (funded and unfunded) from 5,000 to 5,671.

China represented 36% of enrolments, India and Japan both 10% each, South Korea 5% and Thailand 4%.

Final enrolment numbers for 2023 will be available shortly, Education NZ added.