New Zealand is investing up to NZ$2.5 million in a new support service designed to help more schools recruit, enrol and retain international students from 2027, as the government pushes ahead with ambitious international education growth targets.
Around 611 New Zealand schools currently enrol international students, but the government said participation remains constrained by a range of practical barriers. Photo: iStock
Education minister Erica Stanford said the initiative would target both schools with established international programs and those that have struggled to enter the market.
“This support is not limited to schools that already have well-established international programs,” said Stanford.
“We want more schools to benefit from the opportunities international education offers, while continuing to build capability across the school sector.”
Education New Zealand (ENZ) has selected academyEX as the preferred provider following a competitive tender process. Its contract begins in October 2026, with ENZ overseeing implementation.
Around 611 New Zealand schools currently enrol international students, but the government said participation remains constrained by a range of practical barriers.
These include limited capacity and expertise in international recruitment, enrolment and student support, difficulties developing overseas networks and challenges securing homestay accommodation.
Under the new service, schools will be offered tools, templates and resources alongside training, coaching and advisory support covering the international student journey.
The program will be tailored to individual institutions, with support available to schools recruiting international students for the first time as well as those seeking to grow established programs.
academyEX will also work with international education stakeholders and draw on expertise already present within schools, with the aim of encouraging institutions to learn from each other.
International students enrich our schools and communities by bringing new perspectives, cultures and global connections, helping prepare young people for an increasingly connected world
Erica Stanford, education minister
“International students enrich our schools and communities by bringing new perspectives, cultures and global connections, helping prepare young people for an increasingly connected world,” said Stanford.
The government is also pitching wider participation in international education as a way to spread its benefits beyond schools that already have mature international operations, with more communities expected to benefit from student spending as well as cultural and educational exchange.
The initiative forms part of New Zealand’s International Education Going for Growth Plan, under which the government is targeting 105,000 international student enrolments by 2027 and NZ$7.2 billion in export earnings from the sector by 2034.
“Our job now is to keep the momentum going by backing education providers to grow and helping more communities benefit from the economic, cultural and educational value international students bring,” said Stanford.
