New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarship

Overview

Opportunities exist for candidates from some developing Commonwealth countries to undertake full-time postgraduate study or research at a university in New Zealand. Approximately 10 new Commonwealth Scholarships are awarded each year by the New Zealand Government.

Funding for these Commonwealth Scholarships is provided by New Zealand's International Aid and Development Agency (NZAID).

As with other NZAID-funded scholarships, Commonwealth Scholarships play an important role in addressing the human resource development needs of developing countries. The scholarships are awarded to candidates of strong academic merit who are expected to make a significant contribution to the development of their home country following completion of their scholarship. By building capacity in key sectors, Commonwealth Scholarships can contribute to NZAID’s mandate of sustainable development and poverty reduction.

Levels of study | Commonwealth Scholarships are available for candidates from developing countries to study in New Zealand at Masters or doctoral level. For Masters qualifications, the scholarships are tenable for up to two years. For doctorate (eg PhDs), the maximum scholarship length is four years. It is important that candidates note that the scholarship is tenable only in New Zealand. Candidates are required to study/research full-time.

Fields of study | Commonwealth Scholarships are available in all disciplines, but preference will be given to candidates who nominate fields of study relevant to the development of their home country. This may include study in: health, basic education, sustainable rural livelihoods (including agriculture, forestry, veterinary science etc), environment, human rights and gender, leadership and governance and community development. Awardees enrolled in study where the research component is over 50 percent of the qualification, may be funded to undertake fieldwork/research in their home country where it is confirmed by the institution that it is an integral component of their programme. Further information on priorities areas in countries and regions can be found here.

The Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships Plan (CSFP) website has further information on Commonwealth Scholarships, including nominating agencies’ contact details for application enquiries.

Disclaimer

The Commonwealth Scholarships scheme is subject to ongoing review and amendment, including country eligibility. Applicants should check their eligibility prior to submitting an application. NZAID reserves the right to decline any application before it has been fully processed, in the event of eligibility changes.