Scholarships for Teaching English in Schools to Speakers of Other Languages (TESSOL)

Learn about TESSOL (Teaching English in Schools to Speakers of Other Languages) tuition fees scholarships, including who’s eligible to apply and how to make an application.

Level of compliance	Main audience	Other
Inform	Educators, Teachers and Kaiako ESOL Teachers SENCOs and Learning Support Coordinators RTLB	Principals and Tumuaki Early Learning Service Managers

Level of compliance

Main audience

Other

Inform

Educators, Teachers and Kaiako
ESOL Teachers
SENCOs and Learning Support Coordinators
RTLB

Principals and Tumuaki
Early Learning Service Managers

Teachers in state-funded schools or early learning services can apply for a TESSOL scholarship.

Who's eligible to apply

You're eligible to apply if you:

are a New Zealand citizen or New Zealand resident
work full-time or part-time in a state-funded school, or early childhood education service
are a New Zealand registered teacher in roles including:
- subject and class teachers
- bilingual teachers
- specialist ESOL teachers
- members of the senior leadership team
- SENCO
- learning support coordinators
- RTLB
- early childhood educators
currently teach new migrant, former refugee, Pacific-background or international students in a state-funded school or early childhood education service
have at least two years' teaching experience.
have not received a TESSOL scholarship before.

More than one teacher at a school can apply for a scholarship – in fact, this is recommended as studying together provides good opportunities for collegial support.

Apply now for a TESSOL scholarship(external link)

TESSOL tuition fees scholarships are offered for study at:

What the scholarship covers

The scholarship funds up to five specified core papers depending on the course.

Funding includes course fees and $200 towards course-related costs.

The funding usually covers two years' study at a rate of one or two papers each year.

We strongly encourage schools to help teachers complete the qualification by funding at least some of the papers not covered by the scholarship.

How to apply

Thank you for taking the time to consider a TESSOL Scholarship application for 2023.

Online applications for 2023 TESSOL scholarships will be open at the beginning of September until 7 November 2022.

You will need the following information about your school/ECE service to complete the application:

completed supplementary information form [DOCX, 22 KB] signed by your principal
school/ECE number
total number of students enrolled
number of staff with TESSOL qualifications
total number of ESOL-funded students
number of ESOL-funded students from a migrant and former refugee background
number of ESOL-funded students from a Pacific background
number of international fee-paying students.