Speech Language Therapy Scholarship
The Speech Language Therapy Scholarship is designed to support people to study one of 4 specified speech therapy courses.
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- About the scholarship
- Apply for a scholarship
- Available programmes
- Eligibility
- What to include in your application
- Your responsibilities
- What it's like to work in learning support
- More information
About the scholarship
Applications are now open for speech language therapy scholarships.
This scholarship provides:
- $5,000 per year of study upon successful completion of the academic year (paid to you)
- one guaranteed placement at a Ministry office during the practicum block course with additional $1,500 payment paid before the placement starts
- strengthened support for Māori scholarship recipients by connecting you with a network of Ministry Māori speech language therapists and allowing greater flexibility in your placement experience
- an interview with the Ministry in your final year.
You must be enrolled in one of the following courses to be eligible for this scholarship:
- Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology (Hons) offered by the University of Canterbury
- Master of Speech and Language Pathology (MSLP) offered by the University of Canterbury
- Bachelor of Speech Language Therapy (Hons) offered by Massey University
- Master of Speech-Language Therapy Practice offered by the University of Auckland.
Information in te reo Māori
Information in te reo Māori about the scholarship:
Available programmes
The scholarship supports those who are enrolled in a:
- Bachelor of Speech and Language Pathology (Hons) – University of Canterbury(external link)
- Master of Speech and Language Pathology (MSLP) – University of Canterbury(external link)
- Bachelor of Speech Language Therapy (Hons) – Massey University(external link) (Distance programme only)
- Master of Speech-Language Therapy Practice – The University of Auckland(external link) (Tamaki campus).
Contact information
If you have any questions regarding the courses of study, contact programme coordinators.
University of Canterbury
Toby Macrae
Associate Professor
Toby.macrae@canterbury.ac.nz
Catherine Theys
Associate Professor
Catherine.theys@canterbury.ac.nz
Massey University
Dr Mershen Pillay
Programme Leader
M.Pillay@massey.ac.nz
Emma Quigan
Work-integrated Learning Coordinator
E.Quigan@massey.ac.nz
University of Auckland
Clare McCann
Head of Speech Science
c.mccann@auckland.ac.nz
Philippa Friary
Director of Clinical Education
philippa.friary@auckland.ac.nz
Eligibility
To be eligible for this scholarship, you must:
- be accepted onto one of the courses of study
- be studying full time
- be interested in working in the education sector as a speech language therapist
- be a New Zealand citizen or have rights to reside and work in New Zealand indefinitely or permanently
- not be repeating a failed course.
We will give priority to applicants who (in descending order of priority):
- demonstrate proficiency in te reo Māori or te reo rangatira (NCEA level 2 equivalent or a higher qualification or equivalent)
- demonstrate proficiency in a Pasifika language (NCEA level 2 equivalent or a higher qualification or equivalent)
- are of Māori or Pasifika descent
- demonstrate proficiency in a spoken language in addition to English that is widely used by children attending early childhood centres and schools in New Zealand (NCEA level 2 equivalent or higher qualification or equivalent).
What to include in your application
Your application must include:
- your resume/CV
- a cover letter outlining particular factors that are appropriate to our assessment (as per the points listed below):
- why you want to become a qualified speech language therapist
- your strengths and experience, personal and professional, and ability to establish and maintain relationships that will help you to become an effective speech language therapist.
- academic transcripts or grades of your highest and most recent qualifications
- any special circumstances you would like the selection panel to consider.
If you are applying for priority selection:
- submit evidence in the form of formal qualifications or written references from a tertiary institution, a kaumātua or a community leader of your language proficiency.
The decision to grant or not grant a scholarship is final.
Your responsibilities
If you are granted this scholarship, you must meet certain conditions. The specific terms and conditions will be listed in your letter of offer.
In brief, you must:
- enrol in your courses at the university
- plan your study and workload for the year
- pass your course papers
- email us if any of the information you provided in your application changes (this includes your contact details, if you fail any papers and if you change your proposed study)
- email us if you are appointed to a position within the Ministry after you graduate.
Failure, withdrawal and breaks in study
If you:
- decide not to start the course after you have enrolled, you must re-apply for a scholarship in the following year. Your scholarship will not be deferred for a year
- fail a paper you will need to re sit and pass the paper before you receive your scholarship payment
- want to study part time email us and let us know this change in your study
- withdraw from study part way through the qualification, you will need to pay back all academic fees that we have paid for your study
- need to take a break from study due to unforeseen circumstances, email us and the university. You may ask for a study break of a maximum of 1 year.
Required disclosures
Your application must disclose any convictions you have had unless they are covered by the Criminal Records (Clean Slate Act) 2004.
This is required to ensure that you would not be prevented from gaining future employment with the Ministry of Education.
You must declare all of your convictions if you have:
- been convicted of an offence within the last 7 years
- been sentenced to a custodial sentence (for example, imprisonment, corrective training, borstal)
- been ordered by a court during a criminal case to be detained in a hospital due to your mental condition, instead of being sentenced; or
- been convicted of a 'special offence' (for example, sexual offending against children, young people or those mentally impaired)
- not paid in full any fine reparation or costs ordered by the court in a criminal case
- been indefinitely disqualified from driving under section 65 of the Land Transport Act 1998 or earlier equivalent provision.
What it's like to work in learning support
See what our current speech-language therapists have to say about working at the Ministry.
Meet Nicky-Marie Hitaua, a speech-language therapist in Gisborne: [PDF, 859 KB]
Working in learning support: Nicky-Marie Hitaua [PDF, 859 KB]
Meet Emma Cooke, a speech-language therapist in Wellington: [PDF, 852 KB]
Working in learning support: Emma Cooke [PDF, 852 KB]
Does this sound interesting? Find more information in the frequently asked questions.
FAQs for study awards and scholarships
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