University of Waikato Tauranga enrolments jump 9% as internationals double
Student enrolment numbers at the University of Waikato’s Tauranga campus have grown 9% on last year, including a doubling of its international cohort.
The institution released its 2026 student enrolment numbers for its Hamilton and Tauranga campuses today, with overall onshore Equivalent Full-Time Student (EFTS) numbers 4% higher than the same time last year.
Vice-chancellor Professor Neil Quigley said the Tauranga campus’ student cohort had grown 9% from last year.
The campus doubled its 2025 international student cohort, which Quigley said reflected the university’s “whole of university effort” in student recruitment and its efforts to recover from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It’s encouraging to see more international students choosing Tauranga as a place to study and live.
“We look forward to welcoming them and showing them what the city has to offer.”
The Bay of Plenty Times reported last month the university had made significant property deals in Tauranga as it progressed “ambitious plans” to grow its Durham St campus, purchasing the nearby Bongard Centre and soon-to-be-former Craigs Investment Partners building on Cameron Rd.
The University of Waikato’s 3000 Māori students make up 25% of its total cohort. Its Pacific cohort hit 1000 students for the first time this year.
The school-leaver cohort was 6.4% larger than in 2025, which had set the previous record.
Quigley said the increase in the university’s retention of students – up 8.4% on the same time last year – was of particular note.
“Retention and learner success are key strategic priorities here at the University of Waikato.
“Just as much as we want to bring new students through the door, we’re keenly focused on ensuring that all students have every opportunity to succeed at Waikato.”
The university’s 2025 year-end onshore international student enrolments increased 52% on 2024, and were an 32% increase on the pre-Covid peak of international enrolments of 2019.
International student cohort numbers for 2026 were similar to the same time in 2025, Quigley said.
“This year’s figures tell us that our growth in this area was not a temporary surge, and that we’re continuing to cement our place as a globally attractive university of choice.
“Ours is a rich multicultural environment.”
Ground was broken in December for the university’s new Graduate School of Medicine in Hamilton, New Zealand’s third medical school.
The university said it had invested heavily in the development of innovative new health programmes in recent years, with graduate-entry midwifery and pharmacy programmes joining the suite in 2025 alongside the graduate-entry Master of Nursing Practice and popular Bachelor of Nursing programme.
University of Waikato 2026 enrolments
Total domestic EFTS: 9222
Tauranga EFTS: 1029
Māori EFTS: 2457 (headcount 3016)
Pacific EFTS: 935 (headcount 1139)
International EFTS (onshore): 1822