The results of the 2024 International Student Experience Survey, announced on August 7, revealed that 86% of students rated New Zealand positively, marking a two percentage point increase on last year.  

“That we have a significant increase in the number of students rating their overall New Zealand experience as excellent is something to be celebrated,” said ENZ acting chief executive Linda Sissons, announcing the results at the NZIEC KI TUA conference.  

This year, 2024, sees the highest proportion of international students rating their overall experience as ‘excellent’, at 41% of the nearly 5,000 surveyed students.   

“The results are a reassuring testament to the ongoing recovery of the sector and our ability to deliver international students what they highly value in a study destination,” said Sissons.  

She added that the survey demonstrated the high quality of the New Zealand experience both inside and outside the classroom.

Sissons highlighted that students were most positive about the people and connections they experienced in New Zealand (90%), which speaks to “the enriching ties these students will have to our country in the long run, and how we will benefit and learn from each other,” she added. 

The results are a reassuring testament to the ongoing recovery of the sector

Dr Linda Sissons

In 2023, the number of international students in New Zealand rocketed by 511%, with universities welcoming just under 30,000 overseas students through their doors.  

This represented a near-90% recovery on pre-pandemic figures.  

The seal of approval from students comes at a pivotal time for New Zealand’s international education sector, which aims to increase its economic contribution to $4.4 billion by 2027 – largely through enticing more international students to the country. 

According to the survey, students also positively rated education experience (87%), making study arrangements (87%), arrival and orientation (85%) and living experience (83%). 

Agents were credited by students, with 84% positively rating their education agent’s knowledge of providers and the application process, which 79% said had reduced the time taken to complete their application.