Tertiary participation
Participation in tertiary education in New Zealand.
Students enrolled at New Zealand’s tertiary institutions
The following section summarises the key trends in enrolments and equivalent full-time students (EFTS) at universities, Te Pūkenga (previously institutes of technology and polytechnics), wānanga and government-funded private training establishments (PTEs). The data covers domestic and international students that were enrolled during the 12 months to the end of December 2022.
Full data tables for provider-based enrolments, industry training and other programmes can be accessed below.
Provider-based enrolments
What does the 2022 data show?
- The overall number of students enrolled in formal study at tertiary providers decreased by 5.1 percent (20,225), from 397,920 in 2021 to 377,695 in 2022.
- Domestic student numbers declined in 2022. There were 4.1 percent (or 14,855) fewer students enrolled in 2022 than in 2021. International student numbers decreased this year by 13.7 percent (5,370), from 39,075 in 2021 to 33,705 in 2022. This represents a slow-down in the rate of decline of international students due to the pandemic and subsequent border closures.
- All ethnic groups other than the Asian group saw a decrease in enrolments for domestic students. The Asian ethnic group increased by 2.4 percent, while the largest fall was seen by the Māori ethnic group, down 5.6 percent.
- All subsectors showed a decrease in total student enrolments in 2022. Decreases ranged from 9.4 percent for Private Training Establishments to 2.2 percent for wānanga. Universities saw a fall of 3.0 percent in total student enrolments, benefiting from a smaller fall in international students.
- Changes in study load, measured in EFTS, generally followed similar trends as for student enrolment numbers.
Total participation
The overall number of students enrolled in formal study at tertiary education providers in 2022 decreased by 5.1 percent (20,225), from 397,920 in 2021 to 377,695 in 2022. Domestic student numbers fell in 2022. There were 4.1 percent (or 14,855) fewer students enrolled in 2022 than in 2021. (Differences in numbers are calculated on rounded numbers, percentage differences on unrounded numbers.) International student numbers decreased this year by 13.7 percent (5,370), from 39,075 in 2021 to 33,705 in 2022. This represents a slow-down in the rate of decline of international students due to the pandemic and subsequent border closures (see Table 1).
Enrolments for male students decreased slightly more than for female students. Note that reporting of students who are of another gender started in 2019. Year on year changes in this gender category may mostly reflect increasing reporting compliance and the reporting of demographic details of students new to tertiary education.
Number of students enrolled | Number of EFTS | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | 2022 | % change | 2021 | 2022 | % change | |
Total | 397,920 | 377,695 | -5.1 | 261,860 | 241,815 | -7.7 |
Domestic | 358,845 | 343,990 | -4.1 | 233,585 | 218,555 | -6.4 |
Female | 218,750 | 210,450 | -3.8 | 142,060 | 133,185 | -6.2 |
Male | 138,890 | 131,545 | -5.3 | 90,625 | 83,865 | -7.5 |
Another gender | 1,205 | 1,995 | 65.2 | 905 | 1,505 | 66.1 |
International | 39,075 | 33,705 | -13.7 | 28,270 | 23,255 | -17.7 |
Figure 1: Domestic student enrolments and EFTS 2013-2022 and participation rates 2013-2021
Participation by ethnic group
Table 2 compares domestic enrolments and EFTS for the main ethnic groups for 2021 and 2022. All ethnic groups other than the Asian group saw a decrease in enrolments for domestic students. The Asian ethnic group increased by 2.4 percent, while the largest fall was seen by the Māori ethnic group with 5.6 percent.
Percentage changes in domestic EFTS numbers were slightly higher than changes in headcounts, except for Asian students where the trend in numbers was up, but down for EFTS. All ethnic groups showed a decline in EFTS.
Figure 2 shows participation rates by ethnicity for 2016 to 2021. Participation rates for 2022 will be added once population data is available. Māori and Pacific rates are consistently higher than other groups. Participation rates increased sharply in 2021, corresponding to the rise in enrolment numbers seen in that year.
Ethnicity | Number of students enrolled | Number of EFTS | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2021 | 2022 | % change | 2021 | 2022 | % change | |
European | 224,880 | 214,800 | -4.5 | 145,385 | 136,560 | -6.1 |
Māori | 75,265 | 71,085 | -5.6 | 48,180 | 43,775 | -9.1 |
Pacific Peoples | 35,760 | 34,065 | -4.7 | 23,765 | 21,915 | -7.8 |
Asian | 61,180 | 62,635 | 2.4 | 42,485 | 42,155 | -0.8 |
Other | 18,860 | 18,600 | -1.4 | 12,030 | 11,525 | -4.2 |
Total | 358,845 | 343,990 | -4.1 | 233,585 | 218,555 | -6.4 |
Figure 2: Domestic participation rates by ethnic group 2016-2021
Participation by subsector
All subsectors showed a decrease in total student enrolments in 2022. Decreases ranged from 9.4 percent for Private Training Establishments to 2.2 percent for wānanga. Universities fell 3.0 percent, benefiting from a much smaller fall in international students (see Table 3).
All subsectors had decreases in international enrolments, although these were generally less than last year.
Number of students enrolled | Number of EFTS | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Subsector | 2021 | 2022 | % change | 2021 | 2022 | % change | |
Domestic | Universities | 156,830 | 152,895 | -2.5 | 122,790 | 118,095 | -3.8 |
Te Pūkenga | 126,485 | 119,450 | -5.6 | 60,305 | 55,000 | -8.8 | |
Wānanga | 34,045 | 33,475 | -1.7 | 20,825 | 18,110 | -13.0 | |
Public providers | 311,580 | 300,075 | -3.7 | 203,920 | 191,210 | -6.2 | |
Private training establishments | 52,095 | 48,250 | -7.4 | 29,665 | 27,350 | -7.8 | |
Total | 358,845 | 343,990 | -4.1 | 233,585 | 218,555 | -6.4 | |
International | Universities | 26,075 | 24,600 | -5.7 | 19,935 | 18,175 | -8.8 |
Te Pūkenga | 7,240 | 5,055 | -30.2 | 4,375 | 2,835 | -35.2 | |
Wānanga | 200 | 15 | -92 | 75 | 5 | -90 | |
Public providers | 33,425 | 29,615 | -11.4 | 24,385 | 21,015 | -13.8 | |
Private training establishments | 5,805 | 4,185 | -27.9 | 3,885 | 2,240 | -42.3 | |
Total | 39,075 | 33,705 | -13.7 | 28,270 | 23,255 | -17.7 | |
Total | Universities | 182,900 | 177,495 | -3.0 | 142,725 | 136,270 | -4.5 |
Te Pūkenga | 133,725 | 124,505 | -6.9 | 64,680 | 57,835 | -10.6 | |
Wānanga | 34,245 | 33,495 | -2.2 | 20,900 | 18,120 | -13.3 | |
Public providers | 345,005 | 329,690 | -4.4 | 228,310 | 212,225 | -7.0 | |
Private training establishments | 57,900 | 52,440 | -9.4 | 33,550 | 29,590 | -11.8 | |
Total | 397,920 | 377,695 | -5.1 | 261,860 | 241,815 | -7.7 |
Participation by qualification level/type
Enrolments decreased across all qualification levels between 2021 and 2022 except for Certificates at Level 1, which were up 13.6 percent. The largest percentage decreases were for Level 2 certificates (down 2,780 students or 12.5 percent), Level 3 certificates (down 6,695 students or 11.3 percent), and graduate certificates and diplomas at Level 7 (down 1,785 students or 15.4 percent). The smallest percentage decreases were for bachelors (3.6 percent), masters (3.2 percent) and doctoral degrees (2.3 percent) (see Table 4).
EFTS declined in all qualification levels.
Number of students enrolled | Number of EFTS | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Qualification type/Level | 2021 | 2022 | % change | 2021 | 2022 | % change |
Certificates 1 | 13,315 | 15,125 | 13.6 | 5,210 | 4,670 | -10.4 |
Certificates 2 | 22,290 | 19,510 | -12.5 | 8,420 | 6,960 | -17.3 |
Certificates 3 | 59,330 | 52,635 | -11.3 | 25,550 | 21,505 | -15.8 |
Certificates 4 | 59,785 | 54,815 | -8.3 | 25,460 | 22,985 | -9.7 |
Diplomas/certificates 5-7 | 54,775 | 51,735 | -5.5 | 28,710 | 26,335 | -8.3 |
Bachelors degrees 7 | 147,000 | 141,755 | -3.6 | 119,590 | 114,435 | -4.3 |
Graduate diplomas/certificates 7 | 11,595 | 9,810 | -15.4 | 6,380 | 4,780 | -25.1 |
Honours/Postgraduate certs & dips 8 | 31,320 | 30,075 | -4.0 | 20,680 | 19,705 | -4.7 |
Masters degrees 9 | 24,075 | 23,310 | -3.2 | 14,235 | 12,990 | -8.8 |
Doctoral degrees 10 | 10,320 | 10,090 | -2.3 | 7,635 | 7,450 | -2.4 |
Total | 397,920 | 377,695 | -5.1 | 261,860 | 241,815 | -7.7 |
Technical Notes and Definitions
Data sources:
Data relates to students enrolled at any time during the year with a tertiary education provider in formal qualifications of greater than 0.03 EFTS (more than one week's full-time duration). Data excludes all non-formal learning and on-job industry training. Data includes those private training establishments that received Student Achievement Component funding, and/or had students with student loans or allowances, and/or delivered Youth Guarantee programmes. Students are counted in each ethnic group they identify with. Totals also include those students with unknown values.
Equivalent full-time student (EFTS):
One equivalent full-time student (EFTS) unit is defined as the student workload that would normally be carried out in a single academic year (or a 12-month period) by a student enrolled full-time.
Participation rate:
The total participation rate is the percentage of the population aged 15 years and over who were enrolled at any time during the year. Rates are only calculated for domestic students. Rates for 2022 will be made available when all national and ethnic population estimates are available for the calculations.
Rounding:
Data, including totals, has been rounded to the nearest 5 to protect the privacy of individuals, so the sum of individual counts may not add to the total. Differences in numbers are calculated on rounded numbers, while percentage changes are calculated from the unrounded counts.
Te Pūkenga:
The New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (NZIST) was established in 2020 as part of the reforms of vocational education. It is a new kind of organisation providing work-based, on campus, and online vocational learning and training across the country. NZIST brings together the previous 16 Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics (ITPs) into one organisation, and over time, will develop the capability to support work-based, campus-based and online learning as a unified system. More information can be found on the website for Te Pūkenga.
Statistical Tables
Provider-based enrolments Updated: April 2023
Statistics relating to students enrolled in tertiary education providers by a range of demographic and other characteristics.
- Provider-based enrolments [MS Excel 1.6mB]
Provider-based equivalent full-time students Updated: April 2023
Statistics relating to student enrolment in tertiary education providers in terms of equivalent full-time student units.
- Provider-based equivalent full-time students (EFTS) [MS Excel 1.3mB]
Participation rates Updated: August 2023
Statistics relating to the percentage of the New Zealand population enrolled in tertiary education.
- Participation rates [MS Excel 2.9mB]
- Age-standardised participation rates [MS Excel 2.9mB]
- Methodology for participation rates [PDF 149kB]
Provider-based enrolments: field of study
of the courses studied at tertiary education providers Updated: June 2023
Statistics relating to the field of study of each of the courses a student is enrolled in at tertiary education providers by various student and study characteristics. For example you might use this data to know how many students are studying at least one course in Information Technology.
Provider-based equivalent full-time students: field of
study of the courses studied at tertiary education providers Updated: June 2023
Statistics relating to the number of equivalent full-time students (EFTS) at tertiary education providers by field of study and by various student and study characteristics. This data is collated at the course level. For example you might use this data to know the number of EFTS enrolled in Information technology courses.
- Provider-based equivalent full-time students: Field of Study [MS Excel 973kB]
Provider-based enrolments: predominant field
of study of students at tertiary education providers Updated: June 2023
Statistics relating to the predominant field(s) of study of students enrolled at tertiary education providers. This data looks at all the courses studied within a qualification to determine a student's predominant field(s) of study. For example, you might use this data to know how many students are specialising in Information technology.
- Provider-based enrolments: Predominant field of study [MS Excel 1mB]
Participation in industry training Updated: June 2023
Statistics relating to trainees enrolled in workplace-based learning, including industry training and apprenticeships.
- Participation in industry training [MS Excel 394kB]
Rates of progression to further study after graduating Updated: June 2023
Statistics about students who undertake further study after completing a tertiary qualification. Data is presented for detailed and grouped qualification levels and types, and for narrow and broad fields of study. Data is available in spreadsheets as filtered lists, or as comma delimited text files for uploading into business intelligence and analytics tools.
Graduate Progression Rates: Broad levels[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 2.0mB]
Graduate Progression Rates: Broad levels Narrow FOS[MS Excel Binary Worksheet 16.9mB]
Graduate Progression Rates: Detailed levels [MS Excel Binary Worksheet 5.3mB]
Files for Business Intelligence and Analytics tools
- Data graduate progression rates: detailed levels [Zipped CSV File 2.1mB]
- Data graduate progression rates: broad levels FOS [Zipped CSV File 6.7mB]
Targeted training programmes Updated: June 2019
Statistics relating to students enrolled in Training Opportunities, Youth Training and Skill Enhancement programmes.
- Targeted training programmes [MS Excel 53kB]
Secondary-Tertiary Alignment Resource (STAR) Updated: October 2023
Statistics relating to school students participating in Secondary-Tertiary Alignment Resource (STAR) programmes.
- Secondary-Tertiary Alignment Resource (STAR) [MS Excel 46kB]
Adult and community education Updated: October 2023
Statistics relating to participation in non-formal learning, including Adult and Community Education.
- Adult and community education [MS Excel 40kB]
Languages Updated: July 2023
Statistics relating to participation in language courses.
- Language courses 2013 - 2022 [MS Excel 193kB]
- Courses in Te Reo Māori 2013 - 2022 [MS Excel 793kB]