This scholarship is for ākonga doing vocational education, including:

• apprenticeships
• traineeships
• courses at a tertiary education provider, universities, polytechnics, wānanga and private providers.

You can apply if:

• your course leads to a certificate or a diploma at NZQA levels 4 to 7. If you are not sure what level your course is at, you can ask your tutor
• you can be doing your course in a workplace as an apprentice or be doing classes at a provider
• your course is at least 120 credits total and you are studying, training or undertaking your apprenticeship full time
• you are doing a level 4 apprenticeship. This scholarship is focused on ākonga who have completed years 1 to 2 of their apprenticeship and are enrolling in their third or fourth subsequent year.

You must be enrolled for your course in the year that you receive the money for the scholarship. For example, if you apply for the scholarship in 2026, you will get the money for the scholarship in 2027. You must still be enrolled in your course in 2027.

If you are doing an apprenticeship and you move to a new employer, you can still keep getting the scholarship as long as you stay enrolled in that apprenticeship.

Not for bachelor's degree

This scholarship is not for ākonga doing a bachelor's degree. If you are doing a bachelor's degree, you can apply for the Ngarimu undergraduate scholarship.

What to include in your application

Record of achievement

Your application must include a record of achievement or other record of learning, for example:

• a MyBCITO record
• a transcript from your tertiary provider
• record of achievement via NZQA for NCEA or other NZQA qualification results
• or other record of learning from your course provider.

Reference or endorsement

Your application must include a reference or endorsement that comments on your achievement and suitability for training or study. This reference should be from someone involved in your study or training journey. This can be a letter from a lecturer, tutor, secondary school staff member, or workplace assessor.

The reference or endorsement cannot be from a friend or family member.

What to include in your application

Record of achievement

Your application must include a verified tertiary academic transcript or, if you are still to start study, your NZQA record of learning for NCEA Level 2 (and Level 3 if applicable) or equivalent Cambridge International Examinations or International Baccalaureate.

Reference or endorsement

Your application must include a reference or endorsement of your academic achievement and suitability to study. This reference should be from someone involved in your academic journey and can be a letter from a teacher, dean, tutor, lecturer, or a community leader, church minister, and so on.

The reference or endorsement cannot be from a friend or family member.

We offer 4 master's level scholarships:

• 1 Master of Education research scholarship for candidates who are planning to complete Māori education research as part of their master’s degree. The research may involve various aspects of Māori education including student learning, teaching methods, teacher training, and classroom dynamics.
• 3 master's scholarships for candidates studying any other subject.

What to include in your application

Applications for both scholarships will need to include:

• a verified tertiary academic transcriptnbsp;
• an endorsement of your academic achievement and suitability to study
• a brief statement of up to 250 words outlining the topic, the reasons for your interest in the subject area and your future expectations.

What to include in your application

If you are applying for the doctoral scholarship, you must include:

• a 500-word essay outlining the topic of your thesis/doctorate and future expectations, and
• a reference from your chief supervisor commenting on your academic abilities, and your commitment and contribution to your area of study. They should also provide confirmation of your acceptance into the PhD programme.