International students report high satisfaction as New Zealand sees steady recovery in enrolments

This year, 87 percent of students gave a positive rating of their overall experience, maintaining the upward trend seen in 2024 (86%). The proportion of students who rated their experience as ‘excellent’ rose to 43 percent, a two percent increase from the previous year. 

These strong satisfaction results come as international student enrolments in New Zealand continue to grow. Between January and April 2025, 63,610 international students were enrolled with New Zealand education providers, a 16% increase compared to the same period in 2024 (54,690), and a 49% increase on 2023 (42,700). 

All education subsectors saw growth, with Private Training Establishments (PTEs) showing the strongest increase at +41% compared to 2024. 

China and India remained the top source markets, followed by Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka, USA, Nepal, the Philippines, Thailand, and Germany. Notably, Sri Lanka rose to fifth place (from ninth), and Nepal to seventh (from eleventh), reflecting shifting dynamics in student mobility. 

What students value most  

Students were most positive about the people and connections they made in New Zealand (92%), the quality of their education (90%), their arrival and orientation experience (89%), the ease of making study arrangements (87%), and their overall living experience (87%). 

International students’ experiences of making study arrangements have notably improved, with 80 percent of students rating their experience with the visa application process positively (up from 78% in 2024), and 74% positively rating the time taken to get their visa (up from 64%). 

Education New Zealand and Immigration New Zealand will continue to collaborate on provision of information to students to ensure an enhanced student experience. 

The survey also shows an increasing proportion of international students regard New Zealand as offering good value for money, with positive perceptions rising from 65% to 76%. 

Education New Zealand's Chief Executive, Amanda Malu, said the results reflect New Zealand’s ability to provide a high-quality education within an environment that fosters meaningful connections and relationships.

“This is encouraging news for New Zealand. The fact that students continue to rate their experience here as excellent is a credit to our education providers and speaks to the warmth of the welcome our communities extend to international students,” she said.

“We’re seeing a steady and encouraging recovery in international education. It’s not a boom, but a sign that our collective efforts are making a difference. What matters most is that students are not just coming to New Zealand, they’re having a high-quality experience that supports wellbeing and a sense of belonging.”

“Under the International Education Going for Growth Plan, we’re focused on thoughtful, sustainable growth. These insights help us ensure that our progress is not just about numbers, but about delivering long-term value to students, communities, and the wider economy.”

Education New Zealand’s Director Insights and Performance, Marie Clark, said the survey continues to be a key piece of work for ENZ and a useful tool for the international education sector. 

“It remains the only national survey focused on international student experience in all subsectors in New Zealand. With several years of data now collected, we’re building a meaningful picture of student experience over time,” she said.  

“The ability to break down insights by variables like country, sector, and gender makes the dataset especially useful. We expect the report and Tableau dashboards will be very practical resources for anyone working in the sector,” Clark added.  

 For further information: 

• Visit Tableau Public to access the data sets: International Student Experience Survey 2025 | Tableau Public 

• Sai Raje | Senior Communications Advisor, Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao 
  sai.raje@enz.govt.nz | +64 21 479 649 

Notes to Editors: 

About the New Zealand International Student Experience Survey 2025 

The survey aims to better understand the overall experience of international students enrolled with New Zealand education providers, as well as recent graduates. It also identifies areas for improvement to enhance the student journey. 

Fieldwork was conducted from 28 April to 19 May 2025 with 5,420 respondents across all education subsectors and stages of study. 

 About Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao 

Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao (ENZ) is the government agency dedicated to helping New Zealand realise the social, cultural, and economic benefits of international education. Our role is to promote New Zealand as a high-quality education destination offering excellent education and student experiences.

With approximately 85 staff in 13 locations around the world, ENZ works closely with New Zealand’s diverse education sector which includes schools, English language providers, Private Training Establishments, Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology Te Pūkenga), and universities.

Internationally, we work with a range of education stakeholders, including government agencies and education providers to identify and encourage sustainable growth opportunities for New Zealand’s education sector.