International students flocking back to the Far North

International students Alejandra Escobar Montoya and Anna Chiara Draabe are loving the outdoors activities at Kerikeri High School, including its Sailing Academy.

Northland’s beauty, outdoors and adventure activities are being credited for a big influx of foreign students returning to the region.

Pre Covid-19, international education was New Zealand’s fifth-largest export industry and contributed about $5 billion annually to the national economy.

International students are a multimillion-dollar industry for Northland - around $15 million to the regional economy a year before Covid at high schools, NorthTec and private educators, with its natural attributes contributing to the interest from overseas countries.

But with the return comes the need for more host families to put up foreign students to make their stay here even better, and to give them a look at some normal Kiwi lifestyles.

After a three-year Covid-enforced absence, foreign students will be returning in big numbers from July, with Kerikeri High School seeing one of its largest ever intakes.

And Whangārei Girls’ High School is also seeing its foreign students return, with term three, from July, due to see school’s largest ever number of foreign students.

Jessica Donovan, director of international students at Kerikeri High School, said Europe and South America were some of the main places its students were coming from with another 64 international students expected in Term 3.

Donovan said only the long term international students - those here for up to three years - were still in the country when Covid hit in 2020, so it was great to see the shorter-term students return in such big numbers.

Kerikeri High School international student Niko Heinz at the school’s Sailing Academy.

“Covid had a big impact on international students. But 2020 (national lockdown) meant they had to leave the country in order to get home. By the beginning of 2022 we had four international students, where we would normally have around 75. That’s a huge drop in numbers.’’

So why are they coming back in big numbers?

“We are very attractive due to our location in the Bay of Islands. We have a reputation as a good place for them academically and we are riding on the coat tails of the beautiful Bay of Islands and all the exciting, outdoor adventure activities we do here.

“We are known for our outdoor lifestyle. There’s sailing, surfing, stand up paddleboarding, walks, mountain biking, horse riding and so many things they can do here. Many would not be able to do those things in their home countries so they really enjoy getting that experience here, in a safe environment.’’

She said the international students added so much to the community and school and they also gained so much from being here and hosted by local families.

Many of the students and families who hosted international students made lifelong friendships, with some meeting up with their students overseas, and some even going to their weddings.

“It’s really nice to have the students in the school and community, sharing their culture and experience and learning about ours. And the impact on our students is amazing. They really enjoy have the students here.’’

Donovan said host families are always needed and anybody interested in hosting an intentional student can email accommodation@kerikerihigh.ac.nz.

Amelia Morrison, International Director at Whangārei Girls’ High School, said Germany and Japan were the main contributors to its international student numbers, with 24 coming for Term 3.

“We have great relationships with both (countries) and it’s very positive to see them coming back in numbers like that. When Covid hit we only had a few long-term students stay on and we just had to cope. But it was so quiet without the international students and our students missed them so much and there’s such a buzz that they are back,’’ Morrison said.

“It’s very exciting and we have a group of students ready to buddy up with our international students and it’s so special to help build those relationships,’’ Morrison said.

Again, she said it’s Northland’s stunning natural beauty and it’s exciting outdoors lifestyle that appeals to the international students and their families.

“They can do things here that they may not get to experience going to school in a big city. We have the outdoors, our sea activities and wonderful bush right on our doorstep, and that is priceless.’’

And, she said, the school also needs more host families to look after some of its international students while they are here.

A host family will gain so much from hosting a student and the student will also benefit from the experience. Morrison said many life-long friendships have been made between host families and their students and their families.

Anybody interested in hosting a Whangārei Girls’ High international student can email international@whgs.school.nz.

A day out for Kerikeri High School’s international students can include a day out on the Fullers Explore Hole in the Rock cruise, from left, Eneas Vogel, Anna Muehlhofer, Nicolas Van de Winckel, Maja Walz, Emma Kyrisch and Ben Walk.

■ Following the first school term of 2023, Northland’s international education recovery is shaping up with positive signs of the region bouncing back including increased enrolment numbers and growing offshore demand through agent enquiries and visits to the region.

Northland has seen the strongest bounce back from Japanese and German student markets, with more growth on the horizon from Japan in particular throughout the rest of the year.

Whangārei Boys’ High and Whangārei Girls have hosted large short-term groups from Japan this year with more groups still to come, signalling positive recovery in the Japanese short-stay space.

Japanese schools are also in discussions with providers about exchanges with groups of Kiwi students due to visit later this year

Overall, international students have arrived from Germany, Japan, Thailand, France, Switzerland totalling about 100 students across Northland high schools.