International student statistics
Explore key statistics about international students, including citizenship and what international students are studying.
Our international students come from about 100 different countries around the world.
Find out more about studying as an international student at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
International student enrolments by qualification
| International Students by Qualification Level (Headcount)1 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-degree certificates/diplomas2 | 213 | 52 | 72 | 235 | 303 |
| Undergraduate3 | 1,690 | 1,405 | 1,255 | 1,455 | 1,426 |
| Postgraduate (excluding PhD) | 702 | 470 | 392 | 615 | 826 |
| PhD | 524 | 559 | 565 | 597 | 652 |
Citizenship of international students
| International students by current top 10 countries 4 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| China | 876 | 849 | 713 | 671 | 723 |
| Viet Nam | 237 | 211 | 210 | 254 | 277 |
| United States | 265 | 96 | 94 | 223 | 276 |
| India | 199 | 104 | 120 | 185 | 258 |
| Malaysia | 197 | 168 | 168 | 148 | 135 |
| Indonesia | 79 | 63 | 70 | 104 | 129 |
| Japan | 44 | 34 | 40 | 85 | 83 |
| Cambodia | 51 | 22 | 29 | 45 | 71 |
| United Kingdom | 58 | 44 | 38 | 61 | 65 |
| Sri Lanka | 41 | 41 | 36 | 48 | 62 |
Notes
- Students may pursue qualifications that span multiple levels during an academic year.
- Micro-credentials have been excluded.
- "Bachelor's with Honours" are included as undergraduate qualifications for the purpose of these tables.
- The composition of the top 10 countries may vary between years. In this context, we utilise the data from the most recent year as the basis for determining the "Top 10".
- For more information, read our Annual Report.
- Check Education Counts for more tertiary education sector statistics.