Auckland and Canterbury university enrolments rise as trades training struggles
Auckland and Canterbury have seized most of the growth in university enrolments this year.
New Zealand's universities saw a surge in enrolments this year, with Auckland and Canterbury universities leading the growth, according to a report by the Tertiary Education Commission. From April 2025 to April 2026, the total number of people enrolled in tertiary education and training dropped by 1 percent, reaching 354,695. This decline was primarily driven by a 5 percent decrease in vocational education and training enrolments, while higher education enrollment increased by 4 percent.
The total number of full-time equivalent students rose by 2 percent, to 203,918, compared to the previous year.
The largest increases in higher education were recorded at the University of Auckland, which saw an 8 percent rise, adding 2165 EFTS, and the University of Canterbury, which also experienced an 8 percent increase, adding 1254 EFTS. These two universities accounted for nearly half of the total growth in higher education delivery. Lincoln University was the only university to see a decrease in delivery, with only a minimal drop of six EFTS.
Conversely, the number of people enrolled in vocational education and training fell sharply, with work-based apprenticeships and training enrolments dropping by 10 percent compared to the same period last year. Most subject areas experienced a decline in work-based EFTS, with Architecture and Building seeing a 17 percent decrease, and Engineering and Related Technologies experiencing a 9 percent drop.
These two subject areas accounted for 63 percent of all work-based vocational education provision in April 2026, contributing significantly to the overall decline in work-based provision.
Despite the decline in vocational education, the number of work-based learners had dropped for four consecutive years, falling 28 percent lower than in April 2021 when measured on an equivalent full-time student basis. The number of international students also rose by 9 percent, reaching 45,586 equivalent full-time students, with more than half of them studying at universities.
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