Auckland, New Zealand 20th July 2026: Global payment network, UnionPay International, is continuing to strengthen its support for Chinese international students in New Zealand by building a comprehensive payment ecosystem that spans the entire student journey, from tuition payments and enrolment through to school then campus life, accommodation, dining, retail spending, and everyday living.
As New Zealand continues to attract growing numbers of students from China, UnionPay is expanding its payment acceptance network across the country’s education sector and wider merchant community, helping students and their families manage cross-border payments more conveniently and securely while contributing to New Zealand’s international education sector and broader economy.
The company’s integrated approach aims to support students from the moment they choose New Zealand as a study destination through to their arrival and daily life in the country.
Five of New Zealand’s eight public universities now accept UnionPay payments, including The University of Auckland, Victoria University of Wellington, the University of Canterbury, Lincoln University, and the University of Otago.
Beyond the university sector, many leading private schools have also enabled UnionPay acceptance, including ACG, King’s College, Kristin School, Pinehurst School, St Cuthbert’s College, St Kentigern College, Diocesan School for Girls and Parnell College, with additional institutions expected to join in the future.
China remains New Zealand’s largest source market for international students, accounting for 35 per cent of total international student enrolments. According to enrolment figures from the first semester of 2025, there were 22,645 students from China studying in New Zealand, including approximately 4,300 students enrolled in primary and secondary schools, representing 19 per cent of the total Chinese student population.
The figures reflect broader shifts occurring across China’s international education landscape, where families are increasingly considering overseas education opportunities earlier in a child’s academic journey.
Parents are placing greater emphasis on long-term educational planning and international exposure, with many in China believing that starting overseas education earlier can improve their chances of admission into leading global universities. While undergraduate study remains the most common pathway, nearly one quarter of Chinese families are now considering overseas education at the high school, middle school or even primary school level.
UnionPay believes this evolution is reshaping how families prepare for international education, creating demand for trusted services that can support students and parents before departure and throughout their time abroad.
“UnionPay has continued to strengthen its service capabilities in New Zealand’s education payments sector, with transaction volumes maintaining steady growth,” said Michelle Shao, Executive Vice President, South Pacific Division, UnionPay International.
“During peak tuition payment periods, particularly February and July, education-related transaction volumes typically increase, reflecting the growing number of international students and parents choosing to pay tuition fees through UnionPay channels. Additionally, as the number of schools accepting UnionPay is rapidly expanding, as UnionPay becomes the preferred payment option for Chinese students and their families making cross-border education payments.”
“UnionPay’s acceptance network now extends across a broad range of merchants frequently used by international students, including restaurants, retail stores, supermarkets, and gift shops, providing a more convenient and seamless payment experience,” said Michelle Shao.
“This broader ecosystem ensures students can use familiar and trusted payment methods throughout their daily lives, whether they are paying tuition fees, purchasing groceries, dining with friends or exploring New Zealand during their studies.”
For UnionPay, supporting international students extends beyond payments alone. The company sees financial connectivity as an important enabler of educational mobility. As Chinese families continue to pursue international education opportunities and New Zealand strengthens its position as a preferred study destination, UnionPay is committed to growing payment ecosystem to help make the transition easier for students at every stage of their journey.
Notes
New Zealand is frequently recognised for its emphasis on wellbeing, outdoor learning, creativity and nature-based experiences.
Observations from Chinese media indicate that decision-making has increasingly moved away from last-minute applications and towards earlier preparation, with families considering educational pathways several years in advance. New Zealand has benefited from this trend, emerging as an increasingly attractive destination due to its high-quality education system, favourable policy settings, safety, lifestyle advantages, and strong value proposition.
As more international students arrive in New Zealand at younger ages, the need for seamless financial support throughout their education journey becomes increasingly important. Chinese parents are requiring native, trusted payment solutions that allow them to manage tuition fees and provide financial support to their children from overseas, while students need convenient ways to make everyday purchases and access services locally.
For families seeking a different cultural and educational environment, New Zealand’s approach offers opportunities for children to develop independence, adaptability and broader life skills alongside academic achievement.
The growth of international education is also occurring at a time when New Zealand is evolving its approach to workforce development and digital capability building, creating new opportunities for collaboration between New Zealand and China.
Speaking in May 2026 during an interview with China Education Daily at the World Digital Education Conference in Hangzhou, Julia Wharton, Deputy Director of Education New Zealand, highlighted the country’s focus on preparing students for an increasingly digital future.
“Education in New Zealand is undergoing a transformation to help students acquire AI and digital skills to truly meet real-world needs,” said Julia Wharton.
“New Zealand’s polytechnics are rapidly expanding their AI-focused courses, ranging from micro-certificates to bachelor’s degrees, directly integrating practical, real-world AI application skills into various professional curricula to ensure students are truly competitive and prepared for the future.”
Wharton also pointed to the opportunities for deeper collaboration between New Zealand and China in emerging education fields.
“Under the existing policy framework, there is great potential to establish a deeper ‘AI + Education’ partnership with China,” she said
“New Zealand should actively explore collaborative pathways between New Zealand and China’s vocational education systems, focusing on building systemic capabilities, jointly addressing the challenges driven by artificial intelligence, and collaboratively promoting high-quality development of vocational education.”