The number of international students choosing to study in New Zealand is increasing rapidly and has already reached the pre-pandemic levels. When asked why they chose New Zealand, most international students often give reasons like quality education, great university support, beautiful nature, and friendly locals.
It’s true that higher education in New Zealand is less expensive than in countries like the United States, the UK, and Canada. But it’s still not cheap. Scholarships are a great way to reduce the financial burden and concentrate more on academic excellence. In this blog, we’ll talk about ten popular scholarships in New Zealand that can help you realise your dream of a New Zealand education. Let’s get started.
Before we get into the top 10 scholarships in New Zealand, let’s first understand the different types of scholarships available to students.
There are two main scholarships in this category: Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships and New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships (NZIDRS). We’ll talk in detail about these two scholarships shortly.
Every university in New Zealand offers several scholarships to students in undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes. These scholarships are based on academic excellence, financial hardship, country of an international student, and field of study.
These scholarships are awarded by businesses and non-profit organisations. The main purpose of these scholarships is to encourage students to study in fields that are important to these businesses.
These scholarships are awarded to students who are enrolled in undergraduate & postgraduate study, vocational short-term training, thematic short term cohort training, and English language training for officials.
The Manaaki New Zealand scholarships for undergraduate & postgraduate study is available to students of some Asian and Pacific countries. After the completion of studies in New Zealand, students must return to their home countries and contribute to the national economy.
This is a very generous scholarship that includes coverage of full tuition fees, living allowance, establishment allowance, medical insurance (while staying in New Zealand), tutoring costs, air tickets to come to New Zealand and return to the home country, travel insurance, reintegration allowance, and some other costs.
To learn more about this scholarship, we recommend visiting the official website of Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships.
This merit-based scholarship rewards academic high-achievers with up to NZD 10,000 toward tuition fees. This scholarship is open to new undergraduate and postgraduate students (postgraduate diploma or master’s programmes) and considers your previous academic performance alongside other accomplishments.
To learn more about the International Student Excellence Scholarship, please visit the official website of the University of Auckland.
Worth up to NZD 10,000, this scholarship targets first-year international students at Victoria University. The award recognises outstanding academic achievement and is available for both undergraduate and postgraduate studies. Applications require proof of academic excellence and a personal statement outlining your educational goals and how studying at Victoria will help you to achieve them.
To learn more about the Tongarewa International Scholarship, please visit the official website of the Victoria University of Wellington.
Dedicated to supporting international students pursuing research-focused master’s degrees, this scholarship provides a stipend of NZD 18, 204 per year and a tuition fee waiver for a year (maximum of NZD 35,000). The competitive selection process evaluates academic merit and research potential. You’ll benefit from Otago’s strong research culture and world-class facilities.
To learn more about the International Master’s Research Scholarship, please visit the official website of the University of Otago.
Auckland University of Technology offers these scholarships to incoming international students with strong academic backgrounds. The awards apply to a wide range of undergraduate and postgraduate programmes across four AUT faculties and schools.
The regions included for these scholarships are South Asia, Southeast Asia, and North Asia. For the undergraduate programmes, NZD 5,000 is awarded towards the tuition fees for the first year and NZD 7,000 for the postgraduate programmes’ tuition fees (first year). There is also a scholarship for the School of Business.
To learn more about the AUT International Scholarships, please visit the official website of Auckland University of Technology.
This scholarship supports international students undertaking taught master’s programmes at Lincoln University. It provides a significant reduction in study costs of up to NZD 10,000 for students demonstrating academic excellence. Automatic consideration makes this option stress-free for qualifying students.
To learn more about the 180-credit Taught Master Merit Scholarship, please visit the official website of Lincoln University.
Targeting students from India, this scholarship offers NZD 5,000 toward first-year studies at the undergraduate level and NZD 10,000 for the postgraduate level. The award recognises outstanding academic performance and leadership potential.
To learn more about the India High Achievers Scholarship, please visit the official website of the University of Canterbury.
This scholarship rewards academic excellence with up to NZD 15,000 (tuition fee) for the first year of study at the University of Waikato. Available for both undergraduate and taught postgraduate programmes, it evaluates candidates based on previous academic records. The straightforward application process and wide range of eligible programmes make this an accessible option for many international students.
To learn more about the Vice Chancellor’s International Excellence Scholarship, please visit the official website of the University of Waikato.
Supporting international students conducting research as part of their master’s degree, this scholarship provides financial assistance of up to NZD 15,000. It covers some selected programmes only. Selection criteria include academic merit and the quality of the research proposal.
To learn more about the Master’s Research Scholarship, please visit the official website of Massey University.
All New Zealand universities offer substantial doctoral scholarships that typically include full tuition coverage and a living stipend for three years. These competitive awards attract top research talent globally. Application requirements generally include a research proposal, academic transcripts, and an assessment form submitted by your primary supervisor. Some universities combine this scholarship with the PhD admission application itself.
To learn about the complete application process for a doctoral scholarship, please visit the website of your selected university.
New Zealand offers a complete educational experience for international students. You’ll get top-quality teaching with stunning natural surroundings and a welcoming culture. The scholarships we discussed here represent valuable pathways to make this experience financially accessible.
Remember that persistence pays off when applying for scholarships as an international student in New Zealand. Even if your first applications aren’t successful, each attempt will help you to refine your approach. If you have any questions about studying in New Zealand, please contact us for more information.
Vandana Rai is a Senior Licensed Immigration Adviser and has built a reputation around her rare set of skills, which could be considered ideal for her legal profession.