About 30 returning international students have arrived at the University of Otago this year and another 50 are on their way.
The university remained optimistic of further approvals, university international director Jason Cushen said.
About 250 Otago international students met the Government's criteria to return, he said yesterday.
However, the University of Otago was only allotted 160 of the 1250 spaces made available nationally in the first two groups of returnee students.
Eligible students were contacted by the university to make sure they knew they met the criteria to return, but also to make sure they knew there was assistance the university could offer if they were in a position to come back, Cushen said.