Why do New Zealand universities directly admit Vietnamese students?

Vietnamese students can enter the bachelor's program directly, instead of being required to complete the first year of university in Vietnam or attend a preparatory course or vocational certificate in New Zealand as before.

Students at the New Zealand Study Abroad Fair on October 11 - Photo: TRONG NHAN

Currently, most of New Zealand's tertiary education institutions - including universities and technical and technological institutes - have applied a direct admission mechanism for Vietnamese international students.

Most schools consider direct admission based on students' high school academic results (transcripts). This policy applies to graduates from all high schools, regardless of whether they are specialized or not.

This is one of many highlights in New Zealand's "open door" policy for Vietnamese students in 2025, shared by a representative of the New Zealand Education Agency at the New Zealand Study Abroad Fair in Ho Chi Minh City on October 11.

Specifically, Mr. Ben Burrows - Regional Director for Asia, Education New Zealand (ENZ) - explained that this is a recognition of the academic quality of Vietnamese students.

"We want to help students have a smoother learning journey, saving more time and money. Vietnam is one of the few markets where New Zealand applies this policy because students' learning outcomes are highly appreciated," he said.

According to him, the policy implementation is directly coordinated by the ENZ Office in Vietnam, in coordination with universities and technical and technological academies.

Because the New Zealand education system is quite compact, with 8 universities and 16 institutes of technology, It is easy for parties to achieve consensus among many schools when implementing policies.

Mr. Ben Burrows added that 2025 is ENZ's busiest year in Vietnam, marking the strong return of Vietnamese students to New Zealand after the pandemic.

According to the latest figures from ENZ, the number of Vietnamese students in New Zealand is growing rapidly. At the university level, the number has returned to pre-pandemic levels in 2019, while at the secondary level, it is up about 10% compared to the same period last year.

Many opportunities to study in New Zealand with scholarships - Photo: TRONG NHAN

Over the past year, ENZ introduced two new scholarship and award programs to strengthen education cooperation between New Zealand and Vietnam.

The first is the New Zealand Schools Scholarship, a program supported by the New Zealand Government , offering a 50% reduction in tuition fees for Vietnamese students studying at participating secondary schools. According to Mr. Ben Burrows, this is currently the only school-level scholarship program directly implemented by ENZ globally.

In addition, the New Zealand University Awards for undergraduates is also applied with a similar model, becoming one of two typical scholarship programs of ENZ in Vietnam this year.

Regarding the policy for 2026, Mr. Ben Burrows said that in the context of some countries tightening policies with international students, New Zealand is committed to continuing to maintain an open, safe and favorable image for students.

According to the New Zealand Immigration Department, from November 2025, international students in grades 12-13 and university and above will be allowed to work up to 25 hours/week, instead of 20 hours as present, in addition to the right to work full-time during holidays.

This policy is expected to help students increase their ability to cover their own expenses, while the right to work after graduation is still maintained stably and competitively compared to rival countries.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/vi-sao-cac-dai-hoc-new-zealand-tuyen-thang-hoc-sinh-viet-nam-20251011165001451.htm