English language students' spending still rising

Embargoed until 10:45am – 6 August 2008

English language students' spending still rising

Expenditure by international students studying at English language schools was $242 million in the year ended March 2008, Statistics New Zealand said today. This expenditure was $7 million higher than for the year ended March 2007.

According to the English Language Providers (ELP) survey, there were 39,668 international students enrolled in English language schools in New Zealand in the year ended March 2008 – an increase of 1,940 (5.1 percent) from the previous year.

Expenditure on tuition and related fees was $121 million in the March 2008 year, up $3.7 million from the previous year. The March 2008 year is the second consecutive year that expenditure on tuition and related fees has increased. However, these increases followed a 56.7 percent decline between the March 2003 and March 2006 years.

The biggest increase in expenditure on tuition and related fees this year was by students from Saudi Arabia.

Their expenditure increased $3.9 million (68.8 percent), reflecting an increase in student numbers. Expenditure on tuition and related fees by Saudi Arabian students has increased $8.6 million since the March 2004 year.

The Republic of Korea (South Korea) surpassed China as the largest contributor to expenditure on tuition and related fees for both the March 2007 and March 2008 years. Expenditure by South Korean students increased $8.6 million (47.5 percent) since March 2006, while expenditure by Chinese students decreased $10.8 million (31.3 percent).

The estimated total value of expenditure by all international students studying in New Zealand was $1,514 million for the year ended March 2008, down $36 million from the previous year. Total expenditure by all international students includes the expenditure by students measured by the ELP, as well as the expenditure of students enrolled at primary and secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

Geoff Bascand
Government Statistician
6 August 2008

ENDS

There is a companion Hot Off The Press information release published – Survey of English Language Providers: Year ended March 2008.

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