Today AIS St Helens is New Zealand's largest and most international independent degree provider, with a roll of over 1000 students, of whom around 80% are international students from over 30 different countries. The institute was established in 1990, starting as a School of Languages Offering courses in English language to international students. Established with financial backing from Taiwanese, Japanese and New Zealand interests, the institute was located for the first three years in Auckland's Downtown Centre. In 1991 development of this initial venture helped the institute to bring to fruition its original objective of becoming a private tertiary institution specializing in international business and cross-cultural communication. In this year, with the opening of the School of Business, the original “Diploma of Business Studies” was launched.

In 1992 the School of Travel and Tourism was added to expand the scope of international studies offered to the domestic market. The Advanced Diploma in Business was also developed as part of the progression towards degree-granting status. In that year, expanding student numbers led to the search for more suitable premises and refurbishment commenced at the St Helens site in Mt Albert which opened in mid-1993. In 1994 the institute's first degree, the Bachelor of International Business, was approved by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority. The fourth school, the School of Graduate Studies, opened in 1995 offering an MBA in International Management. 1995 also saw the establishment of a foreign language and culture department offering a Bachelor of Language and Culture degree. A period of consolidation followed as campus improvements were made to the library, computer laboratories, and dormitory and classroom facilities. In 1997 the institute received the New Zealand Services Exporter of the Year Award from Trade New Zealand in recognition of the importance of the international market to its overall operations.