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

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
    • teachers in bilingual and immersion settings
    • 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 1 teacher at a school can apply for a scholarship. In fact, this is recommended as studying together provides good opportunities for collegial support.

TESSOL tuition fees scholarships are offered for study at:

What the scholarship covers

The scholarship funds up to 5 specified core papers depending on the course.

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

The funding usually covers 2 years' study at a rate of 1 or 2 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

TESSOL Scholarship applications for 2024 closed on 6 November 2023. 

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

  • completed supplementary information form [DOCX, 19 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.

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