Most New Zealand universities offer direct admission to Vietnamese students

This policy is part of New Zealand's 'open-door' approach for Vietnamese students in 2025, officials said during the New Zealand Study Abroad Fair held in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday.

Under this scheme, the majority of New Zealand universities and technical institutes consider high school academic records for admission, regardless of whether students attended specialized or regular programs.

Vietnamese students can now enter undergraduate programs directly, without completing the first year of university in Vietnam or attending foundation or vocational courses in New Zealand as previously required.

Ben Burrows, regional director for Asia at ENZ, which is New Zealand’s government agency in charge of promoting the country’s education internationally, explained that the policy recognizes the strong academic results of Vietnamese students.

"We want to make the study journey smoother, saving both time and costs," he said.

"Vietnam is one of the few markets where New Zealand applies this policy because student results are highly regarded."

The policy is coordinated directly by ENZ's Vietnam office in partnership with universities and technical institutes.

New Zealand's public higher education system is relatively compact, with eight universities and sixteen technical institutes, which facilitates coordination and policy implementation across institutions.

According to Burrows, 2025 is ENZ's busiest year in Vietnam, marking a strong return of Vietnamese students to New Zealand after the coronavirus pandemic.

ENZ's latest figures show undergraduate enrollment has returned to pre-pandemic 2019 levels, while high school enrollees have grown by around 10 percent compared to the previous year.

To further strengthen educational cooperation, ENZ recently introduced the New Zealand Schools Scholarships, supported by the New Zealand government, offering Vietnamese high school students a 50-percent tuition reduction at participating schools.

Burrows noted that this is currently the only school-level scholarship globally directly implemented by ENZ.

A similar program, the New Zealand University Awards, has also been launched for undergraduate students.

Looking ahead to 2026, Burrows emphasized that even as some countries tighten policies for international students, New Zealand remains committed to maintaining an open, safe, and supportive environment.

According to New Zealand Immigration, from November 2025, international students in years 12-13 and at the undergraduate level in the country will be allowed to work up to 25 hours per week, instead of the current 20, plus full-time work during holidays.

This measure is expected to help students better support themselves financially while preserving competitive post-graduation work opportunities compared to other countries.