With traditional study destinations like the US, UK, Australia, and Canada tightening visa norms, capping student intakes, and trimming stay-back windows, New Zealand is moving to capture growing interest from Indian students. In his first media interaction in India, Education New Zealand’s (ENZ) new regional director for India and South Asia, Adrian Hirst, outlined a focused approach to building brand preference, accelerating student conversions, and tapping into high-demand academic disciplines.

Latest full-year ENZ data shows that international student enrolments in New Zealand touched 92,580 in 2025 – an 11% increase over 2024, and 80% of the island nation’s pre-Covid peak. China is the top source market at 34%, followed by India at 14%. Strong performance across higher education drove these gains, with university enrolments rising 14% to 38,025 students and school enrolments expanding 10% to 20,155. Regionally, Auckland hosted 55% of all foreign students, while regions like Canterbury (up 10%) and Waikato (up 19%) also saw growth.

Big 4 versus New Zealand

On the Big Four (the UK, US, Australia, and Canada) making it tougher for foreign students, Hirst emphasised that New Zealand is pursuing sustainable, long-term attraction rather than relying on short-term spillovers. “It is definitely an opportunity, but the key thing here is not making it the opportunity on its own in isolation,” he said. “We’re not looking for an overnight hockey-stick kind of growth just because students are no longer able to easily go to those markets, but are looking at it from a more sustainable approach.”

He added that a primary challenge remains visibility. While prospective students recognise New Zealand, it often lacks top-of-mind awareness despite all its universities ranking in the top 2% globally. However, recent ENZ research indicates 22% of prospective students rank New Zealand in their top three study destinations.

To convert that interest, ENZ is shifting focus towards defining quality beyond basic accreditation, emphasising critical thinking and practical skills designed to drive graduate employment outcomes.

Hirst said that, for South Asian students, New Zealand can provide world-class education in fields such as agriculture, engineering, healthcare, and education. “Our universities are globally among the best in agriculture and agri-tech and focus on advanced research and specialised innovation. There is also a strong focus on engineering and resource management, as well as healthcare and education,” he said. “In fact, nursing and teaching are two high-demand sectors locally.”

The promotional push aligns with New Zealand’s ambitious goal to almost double its international education revenue – from NZ$3.6 billion to NZ$7.2 billion by 2034. While the target is steep, Hirst called it ambitious yet realistic, provided New Zealand positions itself as a global leader in high-quality educational design.

NZ campuses in India

Unlike countries such as the UK, Australia, and the US – whose universities are actively setting up branch campuses in India – none of New Zealand’s universities are present here yet. But Hirst noted that discussions are underway, though specific institutions have yet to announce official plans. “ENZ’s primary role remains facilitating introductions and opening regulatory doors for institutions to establish a direct presence,” he said. “Through cohesive brand messaging and localised partnerships, New Zealand aims to turn growing regional interest into lasting academic value.”