New Zealand Unis Positive About International Students’ Return in 2022

Higher education institutions in New Zealand have seen “astonishingly high” enrolments even amid the pandemic and are reportedly optimistic about students returning to the country in mid-2022, according to Radio New Zealand.

It can be recalled that the government of New Zealand has announced its plans to allow a thousand selected international students to travel to the country to continue or start with their higher education from the middle of 2022.

    Key Takeaways:

• International student enrollments were “astonishingly high” among New Zealand higher education institutions.
• New Zealand universities are still optimistic about the return of international students to the country.
• While New Zealand universities hope students could enter the country in mid-2022, this would still depend on when the country’s borders reopen.

The announcement detailed the approval of a further border class exception for 1,000 international tertiary students for 400 pilot trainees, 300 students at degree level and above, and 300 students at the sub-degree level. 

According to Chris Whelan, Universities New Zealand’s chief executive, the eight institutions had some 14,000 international students, a lot better than initial forecasts, during the start of the pandemic.

The optimism of New Zealand universities is aligned with the anticipated country’s reopening of borders.

Currently, the government is in coordination with other government agencies and the international education sector to bring international students back into the country.

International students pursuing their higher education have also been through the same disruptions as students in other destinations, Education New Zealand (ENZ) Student Experience and Global Citizens director Sahinde Pala said.

The government’s recent plan has been positively welcomed by the ENZ, considering it as an important next step toward the recovery of the country’s international education sector.

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