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  • Update from Immigration New Zealand

    Visa processing update

    • From 01 January to 31 March 2025, student visas have been processed in 12 days (two and a half weeks) on average, compared to 24 days (five weeks) for the same period in 2024.

    • Currently, international student visas are being decided in 10 days (two weeks) on average. 

    • The tertiary sector’s mid-year intake is almost upon us, and students need to apply for their visas now.

    • Latest visa processing times can be found on the INZ website: Student visa wait times | Immigration New Zealand.

    Reminders from Immigration New Zealand

    The conditions of a student visa state that the visa holder must attend the programme of study at all times, at the place of study endorsed on the visa (unless there are genuine reasons for absences), and that they must make satisfactory progress in the programme of study.

    Immigration New Zealand (INZ) receive a number of applications from students in New Zealand, who have poor attendance and/or progress, without any explanation of why.

    If students do have poor attendance or progress, it is recommended that an explanation for this is provided up front with the application to avoid the need for INZ to request further information. This will prevent any delays in processing.

    If you are refunding an international student’s fees, then the ToE form should be filled out, regardless of whether or not the student’s visa has been sighted by the provider.

  • Charan overcomes obstacles to finally return to New Zealand study

    Having to dig deep to overcome the disruption to his education caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, he recently returned to Lincoln University to pick up where he left off. He is part of the second cohort of 1000 international students able to come back to New Zealand to complete their studies after being caught offshore when border restrictions began in March 2020. 

    As Covid spread, the Indian student was recalled to New Zealand only six weeks into his semester exchange at Wageningen University in the Netherlands, but our border closed while he stood in line at Amsterdam’s Schipol Airport.  

    “It was pretty tense,” he says. “The flight I had initially booked was cancelled, so I had to book the next earliest flight which was at 7am the next day. I reached the airport around 2am but while waiting for my boarding pass, I received a call from New Zealand asking me not to board the flight as the borders were closing that night.”  

    Charan could not even get back to India, as the airports he would need to transit in were closed. At the time, he was in the third year of his Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree, with one year left to complete. 

    He says the staff at both universities were super-helpful and after many flurried emails and calls, it was agreed he could return to his studies at Wageningen. With no sign of the border opening in June he was granted permission to stay until the end of the year, and he managed to secure an extension to his Erasmus scholarship which funded his living costs. 

    “I decided I was going to treat what was happening as an adventure”

    Covid disruption a stressful time 

    But the disruption came at a price. The high-achieving student failed his first test after the stressful experience at the airport. “It took me some time to accept what had happened. I just couldn’t focus on study.” But his second attempt was successful, and he never looked back.  

    “I decided I was going to treat what was happening as an adventure, and to make the most of my time in the Netherlands.”  

    By the end of 2020, Charan was still unable to return to New Zealand and he made the decision go home to India. “The first four months were pretty chaotic, but I was really blessed I could be with my family.” 

    He didn’t know how long he would be in India but was committed to getting back to Lincoln to complete his degree. “I didn’t want to study remotely. I decided it was better to have time off and then return to do my Honours year.” 

    In the end, it took another year and multiple attempts at securing a place in MIQ before he could return to New Zealand. “When they brought in the lottery system, I had to wake up at 3am each week to log in and try and secure a place. I’m still trying to look at the experience positively and I know that I have stories to share in the years to come!” 

    Charan arrived back in Christchurch in January and is excited to be underway with his Honours year. He is working with Professor Clive Kaiser at Lincoln University’s new Centre of Excellence for Potato Research and Extension.  

    Potato research of value internationally 

    He is researching the development of a rapid test for the identification of Candidatus Liberibacter in potato leaves and tubers. The bacterium causes Zebra chip, a disorder of potatoes which creates distinctive stripes in the flesh and poses a threat to commercial potato growers. Rapid identification of affected plants in the field will help reduce cost and wastage for the $1 billion potato industry in New Zealand.  

    “I was keen to be involved in this research because I like solving problems and this is a real-world problem with big implications here and overseas,” Charan says. “Potatoes are grown all around the world and almost every culture uses them as a staple part of their diet. So, this research will be of value internationally.” 

    Charan is eyeing a future in vertical farming, an intensive form of horticulture where crops are grown in trays indoors under controlled conditions and he hopes to one day run his own business.  

    He says studying at Lincoln has been “an amazing experience” where he has made friends with New Zealand students and other international students. “I learned a lot about different cultures from them.” 

    Charan describes the challenges that Covid has thrown at him as “daunting” but says that overcoming them has made him more resilient. He is grateful to be back on track with his international education in New Zealand, a place which “keeps you grounded and allows you to focus on your study”.     

  • Massey student’s robotic gut capsule could be a game-changer

    Millions of people globally die every year from gut-related illnesses, and many more live a life of suffering, yet diagnostic tools remain quite rudimentary.  

    Arriving from Pakistan as an international student in 2018, armed with a BSc and MSc in Electrical Engineering, Rehan was excited to join the Microbiotics Lab at Massey University. There he accelerated early work on a micro capsule which could be swallowed and was able to collect samples of the microbiome in specific parts of the gut.  

    Unlike the poop in a jar method, the capsule’s targeted sampling provides a much more detailed analysis, allowing for earlier diagnosis of killer diseases such as cancer and diabetes and easier treatment of inflammatory conditions like Crohn’s and coeliac diseases.

    Early treatment of gut disease can save lives 

    Treating disease early reduces complications and saves lives. And with the capsule expected to be quite affordable to produce, developing countries could share in the benefits it would bring.  

    “It is a huge step forward. There are so many advantages and applications,” Rehan says. “The gut is still a bit of a mystery, but the micro-organisms that live there can tell us a lot about our health.” 

    While an endoscopy camera capsule can take images, it has limitations, and clinicians are excited by the prospect of having such a sophisticated but easy-to-use device to help with diagnosis, Rehan says.  

    Research project shows commercial promise 

    What started as a research-oriented project is showing commercial promise. And not just from doctors. Rehan has also had interest from the veterinary sector, and nutritionists keen to better understand nutritional absorption. 

    The next step is to hone the final details of the capsule design and apply for patents. Once he has ethical approval, he can begin testing in animals. He expects that to be within months. 

    Rehan is proud of what he has achieved since arriving in New Zealand with his young family three years ago. He says he could have gone to the UK or US, but chose New Zealand based on recommendations by friends already studying here, who described the research environment for international students as open and collaborative. He was also excited by the work being undertaken in microbiotics by his supervisor Ebu Avci and was keen to be involved. 

    Collaborative environment makes for impactful outcomes 

    “I’ve valued the network of like-minded people I’ve developed and know that I’ll have a supportive community to call on when I’m no longer in New Zealand,” he says. “The easy collaboration with other universities and organisations such as Callaghan Innovation and MacDiarmid Institute also makes the research and outcomes more impactful.” 

    Such is the life-saving potential of Rehan’s gut capsule, that he was selected to represent New Zealand last month at the International Falling Walls Lab competition in Berlin, Germany. The competition provides a platform for early-career innovators to present, in a three-minute pitch to a jury of experts from academia and business, how they might fix pressing global challenges. Rehan had to compete remotely and wasn’t the ultimate winner but says he it was a great opportunity to network and learn from other research developments going on around the world.   

    Rehan plans to spend next year writing his thesis before returning to Pakistan. Funded by his government to study internationally, he is conscious of the need to return home to share his skills and knowledge but has not ruled out returning to New Zealand to undertake further research in the future. 

  • ICEF ANZA returns to New Zealand

    We’re pleased to announce that Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre will host ANZA from March 4-6, 2026. ICEF ANZA will showcase New Zealand as a study destination to 160+ agents from all over the world, and is open to education providers from both Australia and New Zealand. ICEF ANZA was last in New Zealand in April 2024, where global agents and New Zealand and Australian education providers came together in Christchurch.  
     
    ICEF ANZA is an Australasia-focused event that gives education providers from Australia and New Zealand the opportunity to meet with top international student recruitment agents from around the world who have a focus on these key study destinations.  
     
    ENZ Group General Manager International and Sector Engagement, Sahinde Pala, said ENZ is excited to welcome ICEF ANZA back to New Zealand at a time when we are well positioned to attract more international students.  

    “We encourage institutions to participate, as well as to invite agents to visit their regions before and after the event, to experience more of our beautiful country first hand," she said.

    For more information please visit: https://www.icef.com/events/icef-anza/

    Click here to register: https://www.icef.com/provider-registration-form/ 

  • New Zealand universities’ academic reputation ranks first among English-speaking countries

    Published annually, the QS rankings assess more than 1,500 universities globally across areas such as reputation, teaching, research and internationalisation. 

    New Zealand's overall average score of 51 among countries and territories with at least eight institutions featured in this year’s rankings puts it first in the English-speaking world and fifth in the world for the overall quality of its higher education. 

    The 2026 results see New Zealand universities improve across academic reputation, citation per faculty, and international student indicators. New Zealand also ranks the highest globally in terms of employment outcomes among key English-speaking study destinations.  

    Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao Chief Executive Amanda Malu said this is a fantastic result or New Zealand universities as they continue to grow in appeal among international students.  

    “It reinforces New Zealand’s position as a high-quality and welcoming international education destination. 

    “New Zealand universities are all highly regarded for sustainability research and programmes. We need to celebrate this wonderful result for New Zealand universities that highlights the high calibre of our teaching, research staff and students,” Amanda said. 

    On sustainability research and programmes, New Zealand comes second only to Sweden and has three universities in the top 100 globally for the sustainability indicator of the QS rankings.  

    Learn more about the latest QS World University Rankings 2026 here  

  • Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education deepens links in New Zealand

    The delegation from Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education East Asia Global Education Institute (Incheon MOE) travelled to Ngatea, Wellington, Canterbury and Otago – visiting providers from the schools, university and vocational education sectors. 

    The visit began with a visit to Ngatea to connect with Hauraki Plains College and Ngatea Primary School. 

    Observing the Agriculture Academy and trades-based courses at Hauraki Plains College.

    A key aspect of the delegation’s time in Ngatea was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Hauraki Plains College and four schools from Incheon: Sunin High School, Shinsong High School, Geomdan High School and Youngwha International Tourism High School.  

    The intent of the MoU is to strengthen educational ties between the schools, which includes a reciprocal exchange program.  

    The first of these exchanges will see 28 students from across the four Incheon schools visit Hauraki Plains College in October 2025, 28 students from Hauraki Plains College will then travel to Incheon in April 2026.   

    The delegation was formally welcomed to the Wellington with a Mihi Whakatau hosted by ENZ Chief Executive Amanda Malu, local staff and the Ministry of Education (MOE).

    In Wellington, the delegation received a detailed briefing from the Ministry of Education and visited Scots College to observe the school in action. 

    Scots College Junior School Principal, Rachael Huggins, showing the Incheon delegation around a primary-level classroom.

    Down to Christchurch, the Incheon delegation visited Lincoln University to fine-tune the details of an MoU signed in January this year. The partnership arrangement will support five Incheon students to study at Lincoln University each year.  

    Incheon delegate members with Lincoln University staff from the Faculty of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Faculty of Agribusiness and Commerce, Academic Preparation and Pathways and International Operations. 

    Waitākiri Primary School Principal Mr. Andrew Barker introduces a Year 6 long-term international student from Korea to the delegates. She shared how much she has enjoyed her time at Waitākiri Primary School and expressed her sadness that her year at the school is coming to an end. 

    The group visited Shirley Boy’s High School and Avonside Girls High School in Christchurch, with a side-visit organised with Waitākiri Primary School.  

    Further South, a visit was arranged with Otago Polytechnic in Cromwell to understand the pathways to vocational education in New Zealand. 

    Director of Incheon Metropolitan Office of Education East Asia Global Education Institute, Jooyong Kim, said visiting New Zealand schools was a truly meaningful and deepened delegates understanding of the education system.  

    “We hope this visit will help strengthen the relationship between schools in New Zealand and Incheon”. 

    “We look forward to future collaborative projects with New Zealand institutions,” he added. 

    Several of the schools visited have expressed interest in deepening these new relationships, with planning underway to keep up the momentum and connect again at ENZ-led fairs and agent seminars in Korea later this year.   

     

  • PM mission advances New Zealand and China education relationship

    The New Zealand Education Connect event on 20 June at the New Zealand Embassy in Beijing brought together leading Chinese government representatives, institutional partners, education agents, and alumni to strengthen people-to-people links and celebrate collaboration.  

    The event programme was packed, with nine Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed between New Zealand and Chinese counterparts, and another MoU signed between Victoria University of Wellington and Fudan University on 19 June. 

    Providers from across the tertiary education sector signed the MoUs – with Victoria University of Wellington, Unitec, NMIT and UP Education’s University of Auckland International College and New Zealand Tertiary College formalising partnerships. 

    These agreements cover a mix of in-market delivery, joint programmes, and initiatives to grow student mobility between New Zealand and China.  

    This builds on the now over 60 approved joint education programmes and institutes recognised by the China Ministry of Education between New Zealand and Chinese institutions, and other education partnerships across early childhood education, vocational training, higher education, and research areas.  

    The New Zealand Education Connect event had senior leaders officially launching New Zealand’s Country of Honour campaign for the upcoming China Annual Conference and Expo for International Education (CACIE), China's largest platform for international education, due to take place in October this year.  

    ENZ’s Chief Executive, Amanda Malu, launches the Country of Honour campaign for New Zealand at CACIE alongside Prime Minister Luxon and CEAIE’s Secretary General Jun Yang.

    ENZ Chief Executive, Amanda Malu, said it’s exciting to see advancement of the partnerships New Zealand providers have built with their Chinese counterparts. 

    “We’re eager to see the outcomes of the new agreements formalised at New Zealand Education Connect and look forward to deepening our bilateral ties by leading a delegation to CACIE later this year,” she said. 

    Information on the registration process for New Zealand education providers to join the New Zealand Country of Honour events in October will be shared next month on ENZ’s event page.  

    The Country of Honour promotional video is available with Chinese subtitles on The Brand Lab.  

     

  • Prime Minister's Scholarship shakes up geology student's plans

    Soltice Morrison was only 15 when that earthquake happened, but she is part of a new generation of students and researchers wanting to equip themselves with the latest knowledge and technology to better understand New Zealand’s vulnerability to quakes. The best way to achieve this is through international collaboration with other countries which face the same risks.

    Having already completed a BSc in Geology and Oceanography from Otago University, Rotorua-born Soltice secured a Prime Minister’s Scholarship for Asia during her Honours year in 2018, which allowed her to enrol in a post-graduate short course in geology at Hokkaido University in Japan and stay on to complete most of her Honours research.

    Prime Minister’s Scholarship allowed joint research

    Under the guidance of her supervisor, Dr Virginia Toy, she was involved in a project which studied the characteristics and behaviours of New Zealand’s Alpine Fault and Japan’s Median Tectonic Line to better understand what causes earthquakes in both countries.

    "We’re both very seismically active countries but Japan is much more advanced in its use of technology. We were able to bring some of that knowledge back to New Zealand."

    Soltice says that without the funding she received through the Prime Minister’s Scholarship (PMS), she would not have been able to study abroad.

    The scholarship programme to Asia was established in 2013 and extended to Latin America in 2016. To date, 2400 students have been given financial support to study abroad. While currently on hold due to Covid travel restrictions, the programme is poised to restart once borders reopen.

    Importance of New Zealanders studying abroad

    Funded by the government and administered by Education New Zealand, the programme recognizes the importance of giving New Zealanders the opportunity to have an international education experience in countries where we have key trade and business relationships.

    There are few restrictions on study options, with the programme having broad goals to enhance understanding of other cultures and business practices; establish new friendships and networks; and upskill the New Zealand workforce through overseas experience.

    “It’s very important to connect with students and colleagues internationally in order to get ahead,” says Soltice. “We can get caught up thinking that the New Zealand way is the only way. Studying overseas helps you broaden your horizons, your knowledge, your understanding of different cultures, and the way things can be done.”

    In geophysics, Soltice says international collaboration is essential.

    “We’re able to learn a lot from Japan and the advances they have made in technology and monitoring.”

    The time Soltice spent in Japan ended up taking her career in a new direction. “While I was there, I was able to understand the effects of seismic activity on buildings and how we can strengthen our cities to ensure they’re resilient, so I’ve ended up in the engineering space working for Aurecon.”

    But her work also has an environmental focus and she is currently part of the multi-disciplinary team working on the Lakes 380 project, which seeks to combine best scientific thinking with mātauranga Māori (traditional wisdom and knowledge) to better understand the social, cultural, and environmental history of Aotearoa’s lakes. “It’s rewarding work and I love it.”

    Reawakening of cultural identity

    Soltice says her time in Japan prompted a reawakening of her own cultural identity. “I had always tried to blend in at home, but the questions I was asked about my background while I was away made me realise I was proud of my Māori ethnicity and also taught me the value of indigenous knowledge.”

    Building on this confidence, she has set up a Māori strategy group with colleagues at Aurecon “looking at ways we can weave cultural understanding with scientific knowledge into the work we do.”

    Soltice says she made life-long friends during her time in Japan and built a valuable network of contacts. “I work closely with the geophysicists here at Aurecon and sometimes when we have questions, I will reach out to my contacts offshore.”

    Three years on, she remains a passionate advocate for Prime Minister’s Scholarship programme. “The overall experience – the research, the culture, the living situation, I would 100 percent say it was one of the best times of my life.”

    Students value flexibility, networks, and personal growth

    The positivity of Soltice’s experience was echoed by other scholarship recipients in a recent survey conducted by Education New Zealand. Close to 300 students participated, with 98 percent saying they would recommend PMS to others. Benefits they identified included the unique flexibility of the programme, the networks they built, the opportunity for personal and professional growth, and the chance to better understand New Zealand’s place in the world.

    As for life after the programme, 57 percent said they would become involved in global causes, 50 percent would become involved in political or policy issues, and 44 percent would become involved in their local community or iwi.

  • Student visas moving to enhanced Immigration Online

    From 18 August 2025, all international student visa applications will move to Immigration New Zealand’s enhanced Immigration Online system. For education agents submitting applications on behalf of international students around this timeframe, here are important updates on how applications will be managed during this transition –  

    • All applications submitted on or before 17 August will be processed under the old system 

    • Draft applications that have not been submitted by 17 August have until 17 September to be completed and submitted. 

    • International students should still aim to apply 3 months ahead of their intended travel date regardless of the change in Immigration New Zealand’s application forms. This will help to avoid delays that may impact students’ ability to begin study.   

    To help you prepare, Immigration New Zealand has developed this video explaining the new process: Guidance on the new Student Visa application form. 

    If you have questions, please submit using this form: https://forms.office.com/r/DkHAk36fiw by 1 August, Friday 6pm NZDT. 

    Responses will be uploaded onto https://agentlab.enz.govt.nz/inz-faq-topics/ on 18 August. 

    Important to note: Immigration New Zealand will do its best to answer submitted questions but may not be able to respond to all of them. Questions that will be resolved by viewing/using the new Student Visa application form on 18 August will not be answered. 

  • Viet Nam webinar series boosts interest in New Zealand ITPs and PTEs

    The webinar series is part of a work programme to raise the profile of New Zealand’s subsectors in Viet Nam, while strengthening connections between New Zealand providers and Vietnamese education agents. 

    This initiative is key to ENZ’s ongoing efforts to diversify New Zealand’s international education offerings in Viet Nam, and ensuring prospective students are aware of the practical skills, industry connections, and post-study opportunities they can gain through New Zealand ITPs and PTEs. 

    The series featured three education agent-focused webinars, and one session for prospective students and their parents co-organised by ENZ and seven local education agencies. 

    The agent-focused webinars attracted an average of over 120 attendees per session, peaking at 131, demonstrating strong interest from Viet Nam’s agent network.  

    The student-facing webinar drew around 200 registrations and had 70 prospective students attend. 

    Participating New Zealand providers included Wintec, Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology, Ara Institute of Canterbury, Eastern Institute of Technology, Toi Ohomai, Southern Institute of Technology, WelTec & Whitireia, New Zealand Skills and Education Group, Pacific International Hotel Management School, Le Cordon Bleu, and Up Education (NZTC, NZMA, Yoobee).  

    This wide sector presence ensured agents and prospective students received timely sector updates and insights first hand.  

    Immigration New Zealand contributed to the first agent-only session with updated details on in-study and post-study work rights for international students in vocational and degree programmes at ITPs and PTEs. They also shared policy updates, guidance, best practice on pathway visas, and practical tips to help agents prepare and submit strong visa applications for ITP/PTE students. 

    ENZ Market Manager Van Banh said the feedback was positive.  

    “New Zealand providers said they really valued the opportunity to connect with the Vietnamese market through these webinars, noting that the format allowed them to share tailored information and highlight the strengths of their programmes,” she said.  

    “Vietnamese agents also gave positive feedback, and said the sessions equipped them with practical knowledge about New Zealand’s study options with ITPs and PTEs, so they can be even more confident and effective in their conversations with prospective students,” Van added. 

     

     

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