Provider-based enrolments

What does the 2019 data show?

• The overall number of students enrolled in formal study at tertiary providers decreased by 2.0 percent (7,970), from 396,700 in 2018 to 388,730 in 2019.
• Domestic student numbers decreased by 2.2 percent (7,545), from 335,620 to 328,075. This continues a downward trend that started in 2009. International student numbers also decreased slightly by 0.7 percent (425), from 61,080 to 60,655.
• The only ethnic group with an increase in domestic enrolments between 2018 and 2019 was Asian with an increase of 1.7 percent (865), while enrolments for Pacific Peoples were steady (70 additional students). Enrolments for the other major groups both fell (Māori by 2.8 percent and European by 2.4 percent).
• Student numbers decreased overall at ITPs by 4.6 percent (6,135), at wānanga by 6.0 percent (2,265) and at PTEs by 4.9 percent (3,005), but increased overall at universities by 1.5 percent (2,665).
• Decreases in the total study load, measured in EFTS (equivalent full-time student units), mirror the downward pattern in student numbers.

Total student numbers

The overall number of students enrolled in formal study at tertiary education providers in 2019 decreased by 2.0 percent (7,970), from 396,700 in 2018 to 388,730 in 2019. Domestic student numbers decreased by 2.2 percent (7,545), from 335,620 to 328,075. This continues a downward trend that started in 2009. International student numbers decreased by 0.7 percent (425), from 61,080 to 60,655.

Figure 1: Domestic student enrolments, EFTS and participation rates 2010-2019

Participation by ethnicity

Table 2 compares domestic enrolments, EFTS and participation rates for the main ethnic groups for 2018 and 2019. Enrolments for Asian students continued to increase in 2019 (by 1.7 percent) in keeping with population change. The largest age group among tertiary students is 20 to 24 years and this age group has trebled in New Zealand’s Asian population over the last 20 years. Enrolments for Pacific Peoples were steady (70 additional students). Enrolments for the other major groups both fell (Māori by 2.8 percent and European by 2.4 percent).

Enrolment changes were reflected in EFTS numbers, with an increase for Asian students (by 1.8 percent) and decreases for other groups in line with decreases in enrolments.

Participation by subsector

Most subsectors showed a decrease in student enrolments in 2019. Student numbers decreased overall at ITPs by 4.6 percent (6,135), from 133,450 to 127,315. The decrease at wānanga was 6.0 percent (2,265), from 37,700 to 35,435, with a similar decrease at PTEs by 4.9 percent (3,005), from 60,850 to 57,845. Consistent with 2018, the exception was universities which had an increase in enrolments of 1.5 percent (2,665), from 175,240 to 177,905 (see Table 3).

The largest decreases in domestic enrolments were at wānanga – whose student body is almost wholly domestic – (by 6.0 percent, or 2,265 students) and ITPs (4.7 percent, or 5,405). For international enrolments the largest decrease was for PTEs (17.3 percent, or 2,200) followed by ITPs (4.2 percent, or 730). These decreases were nearly balanced by an increase in international enrolments at universities (by 7.5 percent, or 2,355).

Participation by qualification level/type

Enrolments in Level 1-7 diploma or certificate level qualifications decreased in 2019. The biggest percentage decrease was for Level 1 certificates (-13.1 percent, or 1,980 students) followed by Level 2 certificates (-11.1 percent, or 2,880 students) and then Level 5-7 certificates and diplomas (-9.9 percent, or 5,505 students). Enrolments in bachelors degrees were relatively stable, increasing by under 1 percent (495 students), and have been above 145,000 since 2016. There was a slight decrease in enrolments for graduate certificates and diplomas (by 0.5 percent, or 80 students), a larger decrease for honours degrees (-2.2 percent, or 735 students). Remaining qualifications showed increases, by 8.9 percent for masters (1,850 students) and 1.8 percent for doctorates (185 students).

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. Age has been calculated as at 31 December.

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 participation rate is the number of domestic students enrolled in tertiary education at any time during the year divided by the number of people in the population. The total participation rate is the total number of students enrolled in tertiary education divided by the total population aged 15 and over. Rates are only calculated for domestic students.

The population numbers are taken from the latest estimated resident population numbers produced by Statistics New Zealand. These estimates are revised after every census, which can result in some changes to previously published data.

A full description of the methodology followed to calculate participation rates can be found here.

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.