New Zealand Government Scholarship for Foreign Students

Applications are currently being received for the 2023-2024 New Zealand Government Scholarship. Offered by the New Zealand government, the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship program has been created to support international students from selected countries in pursuing their education in New Zealand. The scholarship covers tuition fees, travel expenses, living costs, etc., for the entire duration of the study program.

This government scholarship program aims to support the economic, social and political development of eligible partner countries by training their human resources to acquire necessary knowledge and skills. The scholarship is highly competitive and awarded based on academic merit, leadership potential, and commitment to community development.

The New Zealand Government Scholarship is available for citizens of eligible countries who are interested in studying or conducting research in New Zealand. Candidates can apply for Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, undergraduate Master’s Degree and PhD programs. The New Zealand Scholarship is a fully funded program that is provided by the New Zealand Aid Programme and managed through the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Program Details

• Host Institution: Partner universities in New Zealand and Pacific countries.
• Field of Study: Available programs at host institutions.
• Number of awards: Not Specified.
• Duration: Undergraduate Degree (3-4 years), Postgraduate Certificate (6 months), Postgraduate Diploma (1 year), Master’s Degree (1-2 years), PhD (3.5 years).
• Target group: Please find the full list below.

New Zealand Government Scholarship Benefits

The Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship is a fully funded program that provide scholars with the following coverage:

1. full tuition fees;
2. living allowance of NZ$ 531 per week;
3. an establishment allowance of NZ$ 3000. This is to help with set-up costs in New Zealand;
4. medical insurance when you are in New Zealand;
5. travel to and from your home country at the start and end of the scholarship;
6. travel insurance;
7. travel home during your scholarship: Scholars studying over 1.6 years are entitled to travel home to visit family (one or two trips home, will be allowed depending on the scholarship length);
8. tutoring costs up to the value of NZ$1000, to assist with the cost of additional tutoring while you are studying if needed.
9. managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ): This is no longer required when entering New Zealand. The scholarship program will provide support towards the costs of MIQ upon return to your home country if this is mandatory and your home government does not already cover this cost.
10. reimbursement for COVID-19 vaccinations if required by your study country or transit country, and for any COVID-19 pre-departure tests. Costs will not be reimbursed for dependent family members. Scholars will need to meet the requirements stipulated by national governments and/or airlines with regard to the type of COVID-19 vaccination and COVID-19 pre-departure test deemed acceptable. MFAT will only cover costs if a charge has occurred and a receipt is provided.
11. reintegration allowance of NZ$1000. This is to help with set-up costs upon your return to your home country.
12. help with research and thesis costs for many postgraduate students.

Eligible Countries for the New Zealand Scholarship

Candidates from countries listed below are eligible to apply for the 2023-2024 call of the New Zealand Government Scholarship program.

African Countries: Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Djibouti, Eswatini, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.

Asian countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Jordan, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Mongolia, Myanmar, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam.

Caribbean countries: Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname.

Latin American countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela.

Pacific countries

Option 1 (Scholarships to study in New Zealand): Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji (postgraduate only), Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

Option 2 (Scholarships to study at a Pacific university) : Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

Host Institutions for the New Zealand Scholarship

The Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship applicant can study at one of the approved education institutions: There are eight universities (1-8) and three institutes of technology (9-11). Institutes of technologies provide high-quality qualifications and training that focus on practical skills and hands-on experience.

1. Auckland University of Technology
2. Lincoln University
3. Massey University
4. University of Auckland
5. University of Canterbury
6. University of Otago
7. University of Waikato
8. Victoria University of Wellington
9. Southern Institute of Technology
10. Unitec Institute of Technology
11. Wintec – Waikato Institute of Technology

Pacific Universities

Citizens from eligible Pacific countries can also study at one of the four approved Pacific universities.

1. University of South Pacific
2. Fiji National University
3. University of Papua New Guinea
4. Pacific Adventist University

New Zealand Government Scholarship Eligibility

To apply for this Oceania scholarship, applicants must meet following criteria.

• Age requirements:
  • applicants must be 18 years old or older when the scholarship starts. This means you can apply at 17 years old but you must be 18 years old before you start your scholarship in semester one. Exception for Samoa applicants who can start at 17 years of age.
  • There is no upper age limit for applicants. However, the program does prefers applicants who are under 40 years old.
• Immigration and visa requirements: applicants must meet the student visa requirements. If a scholarship recipient does not get a student visa, the scholarship will be withdrawn.
• Check if you meet academic entry requirements and English language requirements at your target university
• Applicants do not need to provide English language test scores when applying. You will only need a test score if you’re shortlisted
• Scholarship holders are expected to return to their home country at the end of their studies for a minimum period of two years to contribute to their country’s social or economic development.

To apply for a New Zealand Scholarship, you must meet all of the eligibility criteria. You must complete the online questionnaire to confirm whether you can apply. The Eligibility questionnaire will check things such as:

• Which country you hold citizenship in;
• How long have you been living in your home country;
• How much work experience you have;
• Whether your country is eligible for the scholarships.

Similar opportunities

1. Turkish Government Scholarship for International Students;
2. American Government Scholarship For Foreign Students;
3. Government of Romania Scholarship.

How to Apply for the New Zealand Government Scholarship

Eligible candidates who would like to apply for this government scholarship must follow steps below:

1. Click here to check your eligibility;
2. Click on the apply button below and Register for an account if you are eligible. If you have previously registered or logged in using RealMe to access the online portal, you will need to reset your password.

The application deadline is February 28, 2023. For more detail on the New Zealand Government Scholarship, please visit the official page. To be the first to see latest opportunities, please follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.