The University of Waikato has this year welcomed its largest-ever international and school-leaver student cohorts, and has seen overall EFTS growth of 14%, compared to the same time last year.
Vice-Chancellor Professor Neil Quigley has praised the University's collective effort to grow enrolments.
“This success reflects strongly on the efforts of our staff and our reputation as a provider of world-class education,” he says.
Students gather outside The Pā during Welcome to Waikato.
This year's international student EFTS are 45% higher than their pre-pandemic equivalent (2019), with growth in enrolments of postgraduate students from a wide range of countries, particularly India, China, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.
Domestic enrolments are also strong, with the University’s largest-ever school-leaver cohort, 15% higher than the same time last year. Compared to this time last year, the total domestic cohort has grown 6%, and comprises 26% Māori students and 9.7% Pacific students.
Waikato’s enrolment growth comes after it marked its 60th anniversary in 2024, a milestone on its journey to becoming the globally connected institution for teaching, learning and research that it is today.
This year’s enrolment numbers show strong interest in programmes with a clear link to industry across both domestic and international student cohorts, Professor Quigley says.
“Many of our degrees have opportunities for students to gain valuable work experience while they study, making the transition from university to employment easier,” he says.
Waikato’s learner success and pastoral care offerings aim to ensure that all learners, particularly those new to university, have the best chance of success.
For example, the Ōritetanga learner success programme aims to improve learner outcomes by using data modelling to identify challenges to student success, and target interventions to remove barriers.
“We’re proud to have created a university environment where learners who are new to tertiary education can thrive. Our effectiveness in this area is demonstrated by the fact that this year’s returning cohort is also very strong.”
The most popular qualifications with school-leavers are the Bachelor of Business, the Bachelor of Engineering and the Bachelor of Science.
The Bachelor of Laws (LLB) is now the University’s largest undergraduate qualification for domestic students. At the University’s Tauranga campus, the Bachelor of Laws has grown by 25% from the same time in the previous year to 220 students. All four years of an LLB can be studied at the Tauranga campus.
University of Waikato 2025 enrolments
Total domestic EFTS: 8694
Tauranga EFTS: 928 (943 including international)
Māori EFTS: 2259
Pacific EFTS: 844
International EFTS (on-shore): 2466
