What happened
New Zealand's Education Minister Erica Stanford announced that international education earned the country nearly NZ$5 billion in the year to June 2026. ICEF Monitor reported this on 24 September 2026. Earnings were NZ$3.5 billion in 2024 and NZ$4.3 billion in 2025.
International student numbers have risen from 69,140 in 2023 to a projected 99,000 this year. That is still below the roughly 116,000 of 2019, but the sector now earns more from fewer students. University enrolments rose 14% on the same period last year.
Analysis by Studymove shows the shift to postgraduate study. In 2025 there were 21,000 international postgraduate students, against only 9,000 in 2019, while undergraduate numbers (24,000) were still below 2019 levels.
The government's Going for Growth plan targets 105,000 international students by 2027 and NZ$7.2 billion in earnings by 2034. Education New Zealand focuses on 16 markets, five of them growth markets including India. Its chief executive, David Downs, credits competitive settings such as work rights, visa policy and processing times, as well as New Zealand's safe and welcoming reputation.
What it means for you
- New Zealand is actively trying to attract more students from India, which it lists as one of five growth markets.
- Postgraduate international numbers in New Zealand have more than doubled since 2019, so it is a growing option for master's study.
- New Zealand officials say its work rights and visa settings are competitive, but check the current rules yourself before deciding.
Sources
- ResearchStudymove: Studymove sector research
- Reported byICEF Monitor: New Zealand’s education exports surpass pre-COVID levels as sustainable growth strategy takes hold (24 September 2026). This story is based on their reporting; read the original for full detail.
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