Education New Zealand estimates about 8000 Chinese students visit New Zealand each year for short-term study programmes and tours. Schools and agents told RNZ this week that demand is growing faster than some Auckland schools can handle.
The programmes usually run during China's school holidays, in July and August and in January and February. Children, mostly aged 5 to 15, spend a few weeks in a New Zealand classroom, often with a parent along, and travel around the country on weekends.
How big is the demand?
Lisa Liu, director of Hamilton-based agency Kiwi Walker, told RNZ that enquiries from Chinese families have risen by about 30 percent each year since 2023. She said primary school students aged 8 to 11 make up 50 to 60 percent of her clients, and most families come from Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Most stay two to four weeks. Liu said a month-long stay for one adult and one child typically costs about 60,000 yuan, or roughly NZ$16,000.
She also said more parents of children as young as 3 or 4 are bringing them to attend kindergarten.
Auckland places are tight
Rebecca Wang, founder of Auckland agency NZ123, told RNZ that Auckland's population growth has made it harder to secure places. "Some primary and intermediate schools only offer two places for international students in each classroom," she said.
Sunnyhills School in Auckland takes short-term international students only in Term 3, for a minimum of four weeks. Principal Mark Keenan said the school, with about 500 students, gets more than 100 applications a year for 35 to 40 places. Applicants are assessed on academic achievement, work habits and behaviour, and must send a recent school report in English. The school accepts applications from families or reputable agents, not large tour groups.
Wang said homestay families also tend to prefer long-term students when accommodation is in demand. That, plus the shortage of school places, is pushing families to other regions.
Hamilton feels the spillover
Rototuna Junior High School in Hamilton can take up to 100 short-term international students at a time, with a minimum stay of two weeks in busy periods. Director of international students Veronica Hendrikse told RNZ that agents had told the school limited places in Auckland were sending families further afield. She said the school sometimes turns away groups of 50 to 70 students and prioritises those who stay two to four weeks.
The "assembly-line" concern
Liu warned about what she called "assembly-line-style study tours", where some agencies use several subcontractors and focus on signing up as many children as possible. She said some families were not told enough before departure about classroom routines, expectations and homestay life, and some children struggled as a result.
Hendrikse said some visiting students found it hard to adjust to morning routines, managing their own schedules, joining in class discussions and the school's limits on device use. Rototuna gives families translated pre-departure material.
What Education New Zealand says
Education New Zealand chief executive David Downs told RNZ he believes schools have the capacity for short-term students, though he acknowledged some Auckland schools are already under pressure from local enrolments. He said agents should help families understand New Zealand's culture, education system and school expectations before they leave.
If you are a parent or host family
- Ask the agent which school, not just which city. Schools set their own limits, terms and minimum stays.
- Ask what preparation is included, such as an orientation session before departure or on arrival.
- Check what the price covers: tuition, homestay or other accommodation, insurance and travel.
- Get a recent school report translated into English if the school asks for one.
- Talk to children about device rules and daily routines before they arrive, as these were the adjustment problems schools mentioned.
Keenan's advice to all sides: "Clear communication and realistic expectations before arrival are essential."
Related reading: student visa refusals and what genuine applicants should know and international student medical insurance claims.
Source: RNZ, "Rise in Chinese short-term study tours tests capacity at Auckland schools" (Duoya Lu, 3 November 2026).