New Zealand witnesses 69,000 international student enrolments in 2023

According to New Zealand full-year enrolment data released today, the country saw a substantially increased number of international students in 2023. New Zealand is a popular study-abroad destination as it has been welcoming to international students and offers quality education.

New Zealand government today released the full-year enrolment data that shows that in 2023, 69,135 international students enrolled with New Zealand education providers, representing an increase of 67% as against 2022, and 60% if compared with 2019.

Dr Linda Sissons, Acting Chief Executive of Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao stated, “over 69,000 enrolments from international students all over the world is good news for our education sector and positive for our communities.”

“It confirms that New Zealand is an attractive place to study, offering a quality learning experience inside and outside the classroom in a safe, welcoming environment. New Zealand is a small country and for many students, rubbing shoulders with people from other cultures gives them a greater understanding of the issues facing our complex world. In this time of fragile geopolitics, the melting pot of campus life can help build greater understanding and tolerance,” added Dr Linda Sissons.

“Enabling a thriving and globally connected New Zealand through world-class international education is a government priority. We are actively diversifying our recruitment efforts to reach international students in a broad range of countries,” Dr Sissons further said.

New Zealand's international student community has the biggest number of Chinese students (35%), followed by Indian students (17%), Japan (10%), South Korea (5%), and Thailand (4%). Among other source countries, none contributed more than 4%.

University subsector sees biggest recovery

As per the official release, the strongest recovery was seen in the university subsector which jumped by 86% as against 2019 as there were a total of 29,065 students in 2023. For foreign students, universities and schools are the two biggest subsectors. The enrolments of international students have increased in all subsectors as compared to 2022 except Wananga. The biggest percentage increase was seen in the enrolments at English Language Schools which is up by 511% from 1,565 in 2022 to 9,570 in 2023.

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