1. Check if your country is eligible for a New Zealand Scholarship

New Zealand Scholarships are available to citizens from eligible countries. If your country is not on the list, then the New Zealand Government does not offer any academic scholarships to you.

Select a region to find out if your country is eligible

As a result of COVID-19, we have had to change our focus for tertiary scholarships in 2021. This year, tertiary scholarships will be available to applicants from the Pacific only. Please see the COVID-19 Updates page for further information.

Pacific countries

Citizens from eligible countries in the Pacific have two full scholarship options. You can choose to study in New Zealand or at a Pacific university

Option 1: Scholarships to study in New Zealand

In 2021, a smaller number of tertiary scholarships for study in New Zealand will be offered to school leavers* undertaking undergraduate study only.

*Please note: You are considered a Pacific school leaver if you: a) are in your last year of secondary school; or b) finished secondary school in 2019 or 2020 and have since been enrolled in tertiary education or in a preparatory-level study programme for tertiary study. This preparatory-level programme may have been undertaken at a tertiary institution or another education facility.

Eligible Pacific countries:

Federated States of Micronesia, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

Note: Cook Island scholars have their own scholarship managed by the Cook Islands Ministry of Education and funded by the New Zealand Government

Note: Tokelau scholars are currently only eligible to apply for Short Term Training Scholarships

Levels of study available:

You can study these undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications at one of eleven New Zealand universities or education institutions:

Undergraduate Degree (3-4 years)

Expected start dates:

We aim for Pacific scholars selected in 2021 to enter New Zealand to commence study from Semester 2, 2022.

Option 2: Scholarships to study at a Pacific university

Eligible Pacific countries:

Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

Levels of study available:

You can study these qualifications at one of four universities in Fiji, Papua New Guinea or Vanuatu:

Undergraduate Degree (3-4 years)
Postgraduate Certificate (6 months)
Postgraduate Diploma (1 year)
Master’s Degree (1-2 years)
PhD (3.5 years)

Expected start dates:

We aim for Pacific scholars selected in 2021 to enter their Pacific study country to commence study from Semester 2, 2022.

We only accept applications from citizens from eligible countries

If your country is not on this page, you can research scholarships from other New Zealand organisations

NEXT: If you are from an eligible Pacific country, check if you meet all eligibility criteria for a New Zealand Scholarship

Asian countries

African countries

Caribbean countries

Latin American countries

Commonwealth countries

NEXT: 2. If you are a citizen of an eligible country, check if you meet all eligibility criteria for a New Zealand Scholarship