This paper reports on one phase of a project on student engagement in Aotearoa New Zealand. It reports the results of a survey of students enrolled for the first time in a post-compulsory education programme. The students were enrolled in one of nine institutions: two universities, one wananga, four institutes of technology, a private training establishment and a community organisation. This paper reports on one aspect of the questionnaire. It uses Self-Determination Theory to investigate motivators for student engagement and assesses how extensively they are acted on by students. Findings show that institutions are both different and similar; that students are motivated more by competence than agency or relationships; and that they act on agency needs more than on competency or relationship ones. Drawing on the similarities, the paper outlines some ways in which teachers and institutions might use the findings to improve student engagement. (Contains 7 tables.)