New Zealand’s int'l education earnings hit $2.92bn, Vietnam a key market

The figure exceeded the NZ$4.403 billion ($2.58 billion) recorded in the same period ending in June 2019, before the pandemic disrupted international education.

Twelve-month international education earnings have risen sharply in recent years, increasing from about $2.08 billion in June 2024 to $2.53 billion in June 2025 before reaching $2.92 billion in June 2026.

The New Zealand government expects international education to generate NZ$7.2 billion ($4.22 billion) by 2034 as it works to increase international student enrollment to 105,000 by 2027 and 119,000 by 2034.

New Zealand's Education Minister Erica Stanford said international students also contribute to the local economy through spending on accommodation, transportation, shops, and restaurants.

Despite the recovery in revenue, the number of international students remains below pre-pandemic levels, she said.

New Zealand recorded 92,580 international enrollments in 2025, compared with 115,705 in 2019.

China and India remained the two largest source markets in 2025, accounting for 34 percent and 14 percent of New Zealand's international enrollments, respectively, while Japan ranked third with nine percent.

ENZ also recorded growth in Sri Lanka and Nepal, making the two countries part of its resource allocation plans for 2026-27.

Vietnam remains a priority source market

Vietnam is among New Zealand's priority growth markets and is one of only two countries where ENZ invests across all education segments, David Downs, chief executive of ENZ, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) online newspaper during a recent meeting in Ho Chi Minh City.

Aotearoa is increasing its resources in Vietnam following the disruption to international education caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Downs said.

The additional resources include personnel, scholarship programs, student support, and efforts to strengthen connections with schools and education consulting organizations.

Downs said New Zealand wants to welcome international students, including those from Vietnam, while maintaining the quality of its education, with career experience being one of the factors that attract students from around the world.

About 2,200 Vietnamese students were studying in New Zealand in 2025, up 14 percent from the previous year, according to the New Zealand government.

The growth was higher than the 11-percent increase in the overall number of international students in Aotearoa during the same period.

University students accounted for 61 percent of the Vietnamese students in New Zealand in 2025, according to ENZ.

Meanwhile, the number of Vietnamese students at private training establishments increased 34 percent, while those at English-language schools and public institutions rose 25 percent and 10 percent, respectively.

The figures underscore Vietnam's status as a priority market when New Zealand seeks to expand its international education sector.