The New Zealand Government offers commonwealth scholarship for the students of participating developing commonwealth countries. The scholarship is offered for master and PhD studies at New Zealand universities. The scholarships will cover tuition and enrolment fees and provide an establishment allowance, a basic stipend, approved scholarship-related travel, some course-related costs, and medical and travel insurance. To apply for these scholarships applicants must submit application to their nominating agency.
Study Subject(s): Scholarships will be awarded in agreed priority study sectors to meet countries’ or regions’ human resources development needs and training priorities, as set by the New Zealand Government and nominating agencies. The priority study sectors are: leadership and governance, economics, public sector governance and reform, environmental studies, education, health, agriculture and fisheries, biosecurity and food safety, infrastructure and utility and human rights and gender
Course Level: Applications can be for either Master’s or PhD level study in New Zealand.
Scholarship Provider: New Zealand Government
Scholarship can be taken at: New Zealand
Eligibility: To be eligible to be considered for a Commonwealth Scholarship an applicant must:
- have citizenship of a participating developing Commonwealth country; permanent residents of a participating country are not eligible to apply;
- be residing in their country of citizenship, preferably for at least two years prior to application;
- not have citizenship or permanent residence status of New Zealand or Australia, or another developed country, except where their country does not issue passports and they hold a New Zealand passport (i.e. the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau);
- not be married or engaged to be married to a person who holds, or who is eligible to hold, citizenship or permanent residence status of New Zealand, Australia or another developed country, except where their country does not issue passports and they hold a New Zealand passport (i.e. the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau);
- be applying to commence a new qualification and not be seeking funding for one already commenced at PhD or Masters level;
- satisfy the admission requirements of the New Zealand university at which the qualification is to be undertaken, including English language criteria;
- have been working in their country of citizenship, preferably for at least two years prior to application;
- hold a first degree of upper second class Honours (or above); or a second class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification, which will normally be a Master’s degree;
- be available to commence their academic studies in New Zealand at the start of the New Zealand academic year in February 2014;
- have already secured admission to their preferred New Zealand university; evidence of admission (eg. a letter of offer) is required with the application form; a conditional letter of offer from a New Zealand university is sufficient to allow an application to be accepted;
- have a planned programme start date (in the letter of offer) at the start of the New Zealand Academic year in February 2014; offers for a planned start date for Semester 2, 2014 cannot be accepted.
Scholarship Open for International Students: The students of participating developing Commonwealth country can apply for this scholarship.
Scholarship Description: The 2013-2014 Commonwealth Scholarship for students from developing countries to study in New Zealand is now open for applications. The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) is an international programme under which member governments offer scholarships and fellowships to citizens of other Commonwealth countries. The CSFP was established at the first Commonwealth education conference in 1959 and is reviewed by education ministers at their triennial meetings – the only scholarship scheme in the world to receive such high-level recognition. The CSFP was set up to provide a framework through which any Commonwealth government could offer scholarships or career development opportunities to citizens of other Commonwealth countries.
What does it cover? The New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarships scheme funds tuition and enrolment fees, an establishment allowance, a basic stipend, approved scholarship-related travel, some course-related costs, and medical and travel insurance. Each Scholarship provides:
- Travel: International, and New Zealand domestic, air travel at the start and end of the scholarship for awardees, and reimbursement of awardees’ visa costs. In addition, a reunion travel entitlement may be available to awardees who have left dependants in their home country.
- Tuition Fees and other compulsory institutional course costs.
- Postgraduate research and thesis allowance: An allowance of NZ$1,500, and a return economy airfare to awardees’ home country for overseas fieldwork, if research component is 50% or greater.
- Medical and Travel Insurance
- Establishment allowance: NZ$3,000 paid on arrival in New Zealand to meet text book costs and to assist with other set up costs in New Zealand. At the beginning of each additional study year NZ$1,000 will be paid to cover the full year.
- Living Allowance: The annual rate of NZ$21,580 (NZ$415 per week) is paid fortnightly and is a contribution to living costs for day-to-day expenses, including accommodation (rent or board), food costs, utility expenses (telephone, electricity etc.), transport, personal items, and course-related costs (stationery, field trips, workshops etc.).
Selection Criteria: Complete and eligible applications will be assessed and reviewed by a selection committee in Wellington, New Zealand. Members of this committee will be representatives from the New Zealand Aid Programme at MFAT and representatives from the Scholarships Committee of Universities NZ. The nominations submitted to Universities NZ will be considered by the selection committee according to the following selection criteria:
- academic merit of the candidate.
- the quality of the research proposal.
- the likely impact of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country.
How to Apply: The application form is available from the applicant’s Nominating Agency. Each applicant must submit to their Nominating Agency one (1) original application form and all requested attachments. In addition to the application form the following documents are required:
- Certified copy of applicant’s birth certificate (in English);
- Certified copy of official evidence of any name change for applicant (in English);
- Certified copy of the personal pages of applicant’s passport;
- Certified copy of the academic transcript for all tertiary qualifications held by the applicant and the grading schedule for each qualification (in English);
- Certified copy of the completion or graduation certificate for each tertiary qualification that the applicant has completed (in English);
- If the applicant is employed, a current job description confirming their position and outlining their responsibilities and duties;
- A current (dated) curriculum vitae – a brief history of the applicant’s education, work experiences and skills;
- Three (3) references (no more than 24 months old) on official letterhead, supporting the scholarship application to study in New Zealand, and relevant to their proposed study programme or research topic. References should be provided from the applicant’s current employer, a former lecturer or academic supervisor (in an area of study relevant to the application) and, where possible, a relevant government or community based organization;Note: Applications with less than three references will be disadvantaged;
- An letter of offer from the New Zealand University at which the applicant wishes to study (see Section 8 of the application form);
- A 500 word statement describing the specific skills and knowledge the applicant wishes to gain from the proposed study and how this will contribute to the applicant’s current and/or future job (see Section 9 of the application form);
- A 500 word statement describing how the applicant’s proposed area of study will enable them to contribute to the social or economic development of their home country (see Section 9 of the application form);
- A 500 word statement outlining the proposed research topic.
From the applications received each Nominating Agency will identify up to two applications to nominate to Universities NZ. Universities NZ will receive the nominated applications from the Nominating Agencies. These applications will be subject to a final check for eligibility and completeness. Any nominated applications that are found to be ineligible or incomplete will be rejected. Only those nominees whose recommendation by Universities NZ is endorsed by the New Zealand Aid Programme will be offered a scholarship.
Scholarship Application Deadline: Each Nominating Agency will set their own country deadline for the receipt of applications. Nominating Agencies are aware that their nominations must be received by Universities NZ in Wellington, New Zealand no later than 31st July 2013.
