KEY POINTS:
Three in four international students feel they have been discriminated against by local students, according to the results of a major study.
But the more than 2600 students from overseas to respond felt better about treatment they got from teachers and staff at institutions - and other international students.
More than half were likely to recommend New Zealand as a study destination, a rise since the last Experiences of International Students in New Zealand report in 2003.
The study - commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Department of Labour - aimed to get a better sense of who came to study and how to better their experiences.
The sector is estimated to be worth around $2 billion a year.
The number of international students, particularly from China, boomed about 2003 but fell away.
Latest figures indicated numbers are again on the rise.
Cindy Zheng, who came to New Zealand from China in 2003 to finish high school, told the Herald she found her new home "nice", with a beautiful environment and friendly people.
The University of Auckland Bachelor of Commerce graduate said she had not felt discriminated against but the biggest unfairness was ongoing hikes in international fees.
She said it also appeared that people from overseas found it tougher to break into the job market because of a lack of understanding.
"The employers are more reluctant," said Ms Zheng, who will soon start as an assistant accountant.
Stuart Boag, spokesman for industry body Education NZ, said the survey showed New Zealand generally did well catering for overseas students.
He said the finding on discrimination was interesting and the unfairness could not be condoned.
But he questioned if it was racially-based and how widespread it was.
"I think that you would find in a purely New Zealand classroom with only New Zealand students, that most of those students one way or another would have experienced some discrimination," he said.
The survey found fewer respondents felt included in their class last year than in the 2003 survey.
But Mr Boag said comparisons between the two surveys were difficult because the earlier study had more secondary school students.
"You know what a lecture theatre is like at university with 400 students in it, there's not much cultural interaction with anyone," said Mr Boag.
The mean age of respondents was 22.9 years, with 75 per cent living in the North Island. By country, 42 per cent were from China, 11 per cent Korea and 7 per cent from Japan.
NZ REPORT CARD
Of the international students surveyed:
* 47% felt included in their class last year - down from 59% in 2003
* 61% intended to apply for permanent residency - up from 42% in 2003
* 53% were likely to recommend NZ as a study destination - up from 44% in 2003
Source: The Experiences of International Students in New Zealand
