Scholarships play an important role in a student’s decision to study
abroad. Some students manage to sponsor their education with the savings
of their family but a majority of students still depend on
scholarships, bursaries and bank loans to complete their dream of
studying abroad. Students aspiring to study in New Zealand can choose from a number of scholarships offered by the New Zealand government and private organisations.
Some of the popular scholarships are:
- Commonwealth Scholarship
- New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships (NZIDRS)
- New Zealand Development Scholarship - Public Category (NZDS Public)
- R.H.T. Bates Postgraduate Scholarship
Commonwealth Scholarship:
The Commonwealth Scholarship is offered by the Official Development
Assistance (ODA) programme of the New Zealand government for students of
developing nations aspiring to study postgraduate or doctoral level
courses in New Zealand. The scholarships are offered to students who opt
for a full-time course; two years for postgraduate courses and four
years for doctoral courses. The scholarship covers tuition fees and
living costs. Scholarship awardees can study in any of the following
institutions - University of Canterbury, Victoria University of
Wellington, University of Waikato, Massey University, Auckland
University of Technology, University of Otago and Lincoln University.
The Commonwealth scholarships are managed by every country’s nominating
agency. In India, the nominating agencies are Director General of Indian
Council for Cultural Relations and Deputy Educational Adviser of
Ministry of Human Resource Development.
New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships (NZIDRS):
The New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships provide
financial support for international students seeking doctoral degrees by
research in New Zealand universities. Funded by the New Zealand
Government and administered by the Education New Zealand Trust, the
scholarship amount is generous and awardees receive funding, which
covers tuition fees, a living allowance ($25,000 per annum), a travel
allowance (up to $2,000), an annual health insurance allowance ($600), a
one-off establishment allowance ($500), and a book and thesis allowance
($800).
Applicants should meet the following criteria:
- Hold an "A" average or equivalent in their studies to date.
- Meet the requirements for entry into a research-based doctoral degree programme at a New Zealand university and also meet the prescribed English language requirements.
- Provide evidence that they have contacted the relevant department in their chosen institution and discussed their proposed research, research interests and the availability of supervision. Candidates who have a firm offer of a place are preferred.
New Zealand Development Scholarship - Public Category (NZDS Public):
This scholarship opportunity is offered to people from selected
developing countries by NZAID, the New Zealand government's
international aid and development agency. Both undergraduate and
postgraduate scholarships are available. The scholarship covers tuition
fees, return airfare, basic living allowance, health care insurance and
an arrival allowance.
R.H.T. Bates Postgraduate Scholarship:
This scholarship is an extremely prestigious award given by the Royal Society of New Zealand. The scholarship, tenable at any New Zealand University
for one year, is available to graduates who are registered for the
Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Physical Sciences and Engineering.
In accordance with Professor Bates’ love of interdisciplinary research a
wide range of students in the physical sciences and engineering will be
eligible. Preference will be given to those whose research aims to
apply information/image processing to studies in medicine, the physical
sciences, astronomy or engineering.
Students are advised to browse through the websites of the institutions, which they have short-listed to check for institution-specific scholarships.
Institutions like the Victoria University of Wellington and University
of Otago offer scholarships of their own to eligible international
students. With a wealth of information available on the internet,
students should be thorough in their research and apply to all relevant
scholarships for which they are eligible.
