NorthTec vs UCOL:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, UCOL had more branded searches than NorthTec among polytechnics in New Zealand. UCOL was estimated to have 6.3K branded searches compared to NorthTec’s 3K, and held a 4% Share of Search versus NorthTec’s 2%.
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Which is more popular in search, NorthTec or UCOL?
Compare New Zealand polytechnics and institutes of technology offering vocational and applied study. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for UCOL, NorthTec. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Open Polytechnic | Unitec | Otago Polytechnic | Wintec | Ara Institute of Canterbury | Toi Ohomai | Whitireia | UCOL | Manukau Institute of Technology | SIT | NMIT | EIT | WelTec | NorthTec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 28.5% | 12.3% | 10% | 8.2% | 6.9% | 6.3% | 6.5% | 3.9% | 4.4% | 3.3% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Nov 2025 | 31.2% | 12.9% | 9% | 8.8% | 6.7% | 6.5% | 5.3% | 3.5% | 4% | 3.5% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.2% | 1.8% |
| Dec 2025 | 36.1% | 12.7% | 8.5% | 7.5% | 5.6% | 6.2% | 2.9% | 4.1% | 3.8% | 4.2% | 2.2% | 2.7% | 2% | 1.5% |
| Jan 2026 | 32.4% | 11.3% | 9.4% | 8.4% | 6.2% | 6.8% | 2.8% | 4.5% | 4.2% | 4.5% | 2.4% | 3% | 2.3% | 1.8% |
| Feb 2026 | 26.1% | 13.2% | 9.1% | 9.3% | 7.8% | 7.8% | 4.9% | 4.5% | 4.1% | 2.9% | 2.9% | 2.8% | 2.6% | 1.9% |
| Mar 2026 | 26.1% | 13.3% | 11.1% | 7.7% | 8.3% | 8% | 5.9% | 3.6% | 4% | 2.9% | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.4% | 1.8% |
| Apr 2026 | 33.2% | 11.8% | 9.7% | 8.3% | 7.5% | 6% | 5.1% | 3.2% | 3.6% | 3.2% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 2.2% | 1.8% |
| May 2026 | 28.4% | 12.3% | 10.2% | 10.2% | 7.5% | 7.3% | 5.2% | 3.4% | 3.7% | 3.3% | 2.1% | 2.6% | 2% | 1.6% |
| Jun 2026 | 29% | 12.6% | 10.2% | 8.6% | 7.3% | 7.4% | 4.8% | 3.5% | 3.7% | 4.1% | 2.6% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 1.7% |
| Jul 2026 | 28% | 14.6% | 9.9% | 8.4% | 7.9% | 6.2% | 4.7% | 3.9% | 4.4% | 3.2% | 2.1% | 2.6% | 2.4% | 1.7% |
| Aug 2026 | 28.2% | 12.4% | 10.1% | 8.4% | 7.9% | 7.5% | 5% | 4% | 3.6% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the NorthTec and UCOL comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- UCOL was ahead of NorthTec in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, NorthTec’s estimated Share of Search among polytechnics in New Zealand moved from 1.9% to 2%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 3K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, UCOL’s estimated Share of Search among polytechnics in New Zealand moved from 3.9% to 4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 6K to 6.3K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand polytechnics in August 2026?
1 change
UCOL’s estimated Share of Search among polytechnics in New Zealand has gained ground for 3 months in a row, from 3.4% to 4% in August 2026.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using NorthTec’s and UCOL’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
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