Why New Zealand Is Emerging As A Top Choice For Indian Students

October 27 2025

Why New Zealand Is Emerging As A Top Choice For Indian Students

In recent years, New Zealand has climbed up the rankings of preferred study-abroad destinations for Indian students. What’s fueling this shift is a combination of smarter policy reforms, tighter alignment between education and employment and a push to make the journey smoother and less risky for families.

Rising demand backed by numbers

Between January and August 2024, Indian student enrollments in New Zealand grew by about 34%, reaching nearly 10,640 students.
The New Zealand government is setting ambitious 10-year targets. Over the next decade, it plans to double the economic value of its international education sector to USD 7.2 billion by 2034.

With global competitors tightening visa or migration rules, New Zealand is positioning itself as a more accessible, reliable option.

What’s changed: policy, process, pathways

Visa processing and transparency

New Zealand has digitized many steps in the student visa application process. That reduces human error and gives families clearer timelines on approvals.
As of early 2025, university student visas are being processed in 2 to 3 weeks on average.
Approval rates for Indian applicants have recovered. In early 2025, they are around 75%, up from about 59% in 2024.

Work rights and upgrades

From November 2025, students will be allowed to work 25 hours per week during semesters, improving flexibility to manage living costs.
Post-study work rights have been clarified: master’s graduates will be eligible for three-year work visas.
Level-8 postgraduate diploma holders are given specific work-rights pathways.

Education aligned with employment

New Zealand is emphasizing “study-to-job” alignment. Their Green List highlights priority occupations; graduates in these fields may get faster routes to residence.
Universities are pushing to integrate industry projects, internships, and employer linkages into curricula, especially in engineering, healthcare and data science fields.
The objective: reduce the gap between finishing a degree and securing a job. That makes the investment more predictable for students and their families.

Value, perception, and safety

Families are evaluating decisions more cautiously now. They look for certainty, not just prestige. When visa timelines, work rights and career paths are clearer, the perceived risk drops.
The total cost (tuition + living) in New Zealand is seen as competitive when weighed against the return (job prospects).
Safety, quality of life, and student experience are strong selling points. Many current Indian students in New Zealand report satisfaction with these aspects.

Author : Abigail Thomas

I’m Abigail Thomas, Vice President at Berakah Elite Education. I manage university partnerships and tutor students in IELTS, PTE and TOEFL. After earning a finance degree from the University of Texas at Dallas, I worked at Charles Schwab and am now pursuing my MBA at Michigan