UCOL vs Unitec:Which is more popular by branded search in New Zealand?
In August 2026, Unitec had more branded searches than UCOL among polytechnics in New Zealand. Unitec was estimated to have 19.2K branded searches compared to UCOL’s 6.3K, and held a 12.4% Share of Search versus UCOL’s 4%.
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Which is more popular in search, UCOL or Unitec?
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 Unitec, UCOL. 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 UCOL and Unitec comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Unitec was ahead of UCOL in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- 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.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Unitec’s estimated Share of Search among polytechnics in New Zealand moved from 12.3% to 12.4%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 19.2K.
How did search popularity change for New Zealand polytechnics in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Unitec lost estimated Share of Search among polytechnics in New Zealand, from 14.6% to 12.4%.
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 UCOL’s and Unitec’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.
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.