Education
More New Zealand students are finishing their qualifications — and doing so in greater numbers than at any point in recent years.
New Ministry of Education data shows the number of students completing a provider-based tertiary qualification rose 8% in 2025 compared with 2024. Domestic completions climbed 5.9% to 123,200. International student completions jumped 22% to 21,230.
Tertiary Education Minister Penny Simmonds welcomed the figures. "These results show more students are finishing their study to gain the skills and qualifications they need to succeed in work and life, while helping build the skilled workforce New Zealand needs. It also shows that international students value our tertiary education," Simmonds said.
Retention data adds further weight to the trend. Of domestic students who started a bachelor's degree, 72% completed a qualification or progressed to a higher level within eight years.
Māori and Pacific students recorded improved bachelor's degree completion rates. Asian students continued to post the highest completion rates at bachelor's degree level. Women and full-time university students outperformed their part-time counterparts — a pattern that has held for some time.
Private training establishments saw the biggest jump of any subsector, with domestic completions up 12%. Level 1 certificate completions rose 14%, while Level 4 certificates and graduate certificates and diplomas each increased 13%. Completions among learners under 20 were up 10%.
"Not only are more students completing qualifications, but they are also progressing to higher levels of learning," Simmonds said. "It is particularly encouraging to see improved performance across both vocational and degree-level study."
The minister framed the results in economic terms. "These results demonstrate that more New Zealanders are engaged in higher learning and the tertiary education system is supporting them to succeed, helping deliver the skills New Zealand needs for economic growth and prosperity."
The data is published on Education Counts, the Ministry of Education's official statistics platform.