The decile five school is one of the lowest ranked decile secondary schools in Dunedin, and yet it has consistently maintained the highest number of international pupils studying at the school.
It won the excellence in marketing award, which was presented by Tertiary Education Minister Stephen Joyce.
While principal Philip Craigie was delighted with the award, he said the school's international student programme was "unashamedly" run as a business and the school had worked hard to market itself in other countries.
The school had pupils from Spain, Brazil, China, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Japan, Korea, Macau, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam, and had developed sister-school relationships with schools in many of these nations, Mr Craigie said.
Many pupils who visited Kaikorai Valley College on short-stay visits, returned later as long-term full fee-paying pupils.
The pupils helped market the school by sharing their Dunedin experiences with other pupils when they returned home.
"I think international students like Dunedin. I think we've got experienced ESOL staff and they are well regarded by the kids who come here.
"We also have a good home-stay set-up and I think the extracurricular activities we have - like ski trips - are very enjoyable, especially for the German students.
"It's the things Dunedin has to offer that brings the students here."
