High visa rejection rate for Indian students worries New Zealand universities
New Zealand universities are urging the government to take action on the high rejection rates of student visas for Indian applicants. Universities New Zealand, which represents all eight tertiary institutions, has expressed concern over the issue. According to Immigration New Zealand, the rejection rate of Indian student visa applications in 2023 increased to 40% from 28% in 2022.
Due to affordability, New Zealand is a preferred destination for Indian students wishing to study abroad. The New Zealand dollar is relatively cheaper than other currencies such as the US dollar, pound sterling, and euro, making it a cost-effective option for Indians to study in New Zealand.
There are eight universities in New Zealand, and they Ranked in the top 3% in the world in the QS World University Rankings,
These universities offer hundreds of courses in various fields including computer science, medicine and business administration. Popular courses among Indian students in New Zealand are MBA, Artificial Intelligence, Engineering and Hotel Management etc.
Universities New Zealand chief executive Chris Whelan highlighted the problem, saying at the start of the first semester about 10% of visas had not yet been allocated for processing, and 2% were still under processing.
“At the start of the first semester this year, about 10% of visas to study at a New Zealand university had not yet been allocated to a New Zealand immigration officer for processing, and another 2% were still being processed,” Whelan said, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported.
He also revealed that a total of 18% of visas had not been confirmed at the start of the session, causing delays and uncertainty for students.
“This meant uncertainty for students, and many were affected by having to start their studies late, and when they were able to start, had to deal with the dual pressure of getting familiar with the new country and making up for missed studies,” Whelan said.
He stressed that these delays were unfair to students and damaging to New Zealand’s reputation as a top study destination.
“If we want this country to be able to benefit from international education, we need to do a better job for these students,” he said, RNZ reports.
High rejection rate of Indian student visa applications
According to a report by RNZ, between January and April 2024, Immigration New Zealand processed 5,018 study visa applications from Indian students, of which 2,010 were rejected.
In contrast, the agency processed 8,012 study visa applications from Chinese students, rejecting only 206 of them, resulting in a rejection rate of just 2%.
A total of 8,810 visa applications were submitted by Indian students in 2023, of which 5,074 were approved and 3,523 were rejected, resulting in a rejection rate of 40%.
However, the student visa rejection rate was significantly lower in 2022. According to Immigration New Zealand, only 700 Indian student visa applications were rejected, which is 12% less than the number of applications rejected in 2023.
Universities’ efforts to attract Indian students
New Zealand universities are collaborating with Indian institutions to attract more students.
In July 2023 a university was close to signing an agreement with the Bombay Stock Exchange Institute, Mumbai.
Education New Zealand has partnered with the Indian High Commission to showcase India as a “Country of Honour” at the New Zealand International Education Conference, NZEIC KI TUA 2024.
“Recognising India as a respected country recognises this strong relationship and provides a platform for the development of bilateral ties and further partnership,” an Education New Zealand spokesperson told RNZ.
Student Visa Process Challenges
Celia Coombs, director of student visas at Immigration New Zealand, said applications are often rejected due to insufficient proof of funds or a lack of genuine study intention.
“We have recently implemented initiatives to facilitate the processing of student visas as quickly as possible, while protecting the integrity of the immigration system,” Coombs said, RNZ reports.
He said there are 90 full-time staff working on student visa applications, and the average processing time is 31 working days, or about six weeks.