Looking for New Zealand Scholarships for International Students? You’ve found it. New Zealand is not a popular study destination like the US or UK. And there are not many scholarship opportunities, in comparison. But the country does offer opportunities for international students to study at universities in New Zealand. Universities in New Zealand maintain two semesters/trimesters in the year; February-July and July-December. Hence, application for admission and scholarships should reasonably be made months before the beginning of the session.
The New Zealand Development and Commonwealth Scholarships are offered to African and other developing countries’ students every year. Other scholarships are offered by Universities and organizations in New Zealand. To get these scholarships, you need to present a reputable certificate that shows your English Language proficiency. Some universities may conditionally give its eligible international student without IELTS/TOEFL scores an English preparation program.
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How to Study in New Zealand
There are five basic steps you need to take to study in New Zealand:
Step 1: Choose what to study
Choose your programme, course and institution. There are high-quality educational institutions in every region in New Zealand, so you’ll have lots of places to choose from.
Step 2: Plan your budget
You may be able to support your studies by gaining an international student scholarship or working for up to 20 hours a week. Yes, you can study and work in New Zealand.
Step 3: Apply for your course
Now you’ve chosen what to study, contact your institution to ask about entry requirements and confirm your costs.
Step 4: Apply for your visa
You’ll need a student visa if you’re going to New Zealand to study for more than three months. Visit Immigration NZ to check your eligibility and start your online application.
Step 5: Get ready to go
Organise your travel, get health and travel insurance, and decide whether to stay in a flat, hall of residence or homestay. A New Zealand Government code of practice requires all educational institutions to ensure international students are well informed, safe and properly cared for. Note that for an in-depth analysis of student travel insurance, visit VisaGuide.World.
Cost of Tuition and Study
Bachelor’s degree: Fees range from about $22,000 to $32,000, with higher fees for subjects such as medicine and veterinary science. Many bachelor’s degrees can be completed in three years.
Postgraduate degree: Fees range from about $26,000 to $37,000, with higher fees for subjects such as medicine and veterinary science.
PhD degrees: International PhD students pay the same as New Zealand PhD students, which is about $6,500 to $9,000 per year for most subjects.
Cost of Living in New Zealand
As part of your student visa application, you must provide evidence that you can cover your living expenses while studying in New Zealand. If you’re studying in New Zealand on a scholarship or a sponsor/family member has agreed to accept financial responsibility for you, you may not be required to show proof of funds.
If you will be studying in New Zealand for more than one year, you‘ll need to prove that you have at least $15,000 to support yourself for the first year. If you’re studying for less than a year, you must have at least $1250 for each month of study to contribute to your living expenses.
Living costs will depend on your lifestyle and which part of the country you live in. Some costs vary by region. For example, you may need to travel more in the main centres, and transport costs may be more expensive than in your home country.
As an example of how much to budget for, Victoria University recommends that students allow between $18,000-$27,000 each year, the University of Auckland recommends $20,000-$25,000, the University of Otago recommends $15,000-$17,000 and Massey University recommends $15,000-$18,000.
You may be able to offset some of your costs by working. Most student visas enable you to work up to 20 hours per week, or full-time in the holidays.
With a scholarship, you can offset most or all of these costs.
Scholarships in New Zealand for International Student
We’ve put together a comprehensive list of scholarships in New Zealand for international students. Be sure to bookmark this page, because we will be updating it from time to time.
1. University of Canterbury Undergraduate International Scholarships
The University of Canterbury First Year International Scholarships recognizes and supports top-achieving international students commencing an undergraduate degree programme at the University of Canterbury.
Number of Awardees: Up to twenty-five scholarships may be awarded.
Duration of Scholarship: One (1) year
Value of the Program: The scholarship is currently awarded with values of $10,000, $15,000 or $20,000.
2. University of Waikato International Excellence Scholarship
The Scholarship was established to promote educational opportunities, foster internationalization and support talented international students who are enrolling into foundation, undergraduate, or postgraduate programmes for the first time at the University of Waikato.
Application Deadline: Closing Date 31 Dec 2025
Eligible African Countries: Kenya, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
Number of Awardees: Several
Value of Scholarship: $10000
Duration of Scholarship: The Scholarship is tenable only within the year for which it is awarded.
3. New Zealand Development Scholarships for African and Developing Countries’ Students
New Zealand Development Scholarships (NZDS) give candidates from selected developing countries an opportunity to gain knowledge and skills through study in specific subject areas which will assist in the development of their home country. Awardees are required to return to their home country for at least two years after the completion of their scholarship to apply these new skills and knowledge in government, civil society or private business organizations.
Application Deadline: 1st June and 1st September 2024
Eligible African countries: Algeria, Angola, Botswana, Cameroon, Djibouti, Egypt, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Fields of study: Preference will be given to candidates who apply to study in academic disciplines relating Agriculture development and Renewable energy
Number of Scholarship: Several
Value of the Program: New Zealand has first-rate education institutions that offer world-recognized qualifications. Successful applicants will have access to excellent academic knowledge in quality facilities. The scholarships include financial support for tuition, living costs while in New Zealand, and airfares. The partners of students are eligible for a work visa that allows them to live and work in New Zealand for the duration of their partner’s study.
Duration of Award:
- Postgraduate Certificate (6 months)
- Postgraduate Diploma (1 year)
- Master’s Degree (1 – 2 years)
- PhD (3 – 4 years)
4. New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarships
The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) is one of the top scholarships in New Zealand for international students. It is an international programme under which member governments offer scholarships and fellowships to citizens of other Commonwealth countries. The CSFP was established at the first Commonwealth education conference in 1959 and is reviewed by education ministers at their triennial meetings – the only scholarship scheme in the world to receive such high-level recognition.
Application Deadline: 28th March
Eligible African Countries: Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia.
Number of Awardees: Not specified
Value of Scholarship: The scholarships include financial support for tuition, living costs while in New Zealand, and airfares. The partners of students are eligible for a work visa that allows them to live and work in New Zealand for the duration of their partner’s study.
Duration of Scholarship: New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarships are available for the following postgraduate qualifications:
- Master’s Degree (1 – 2 years)
- PhD (up to 3.5 years)
5. New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships (NZIDRS)
The New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarship (NZIDRS) is a government-funded scholarship, administered by Education New Zealand. The scholarship aims to attract and retain the best international researchers to New Zealand. It is awarded based on academic excellence and the benefit of the candidate’s proposed research to New Zealand.
Application Deadline: The deadline for NZIDRS applications is usually in July.
Number of Awardees: Normally, 8 awards are made
Value of the Program:
- New Zealand University’s annual tuition fees and associated student levies
- An annual living stipend of NZ$25,000 per year (tax free)
- Medical insurance coverage up to NZ$600 annually
Duration of Scholarship: a total of three years (36 months):
See more scholarships in New Zealand on After School Africa
I am from Zimbabwe, I would really appreciate being given this opportunity to attain my degree and make the world a better place.
Hello, i am from Ethiopia and i saw the opportunities here as you all know my developing country Ethiopia there is a lot to be chage in order to do that we the youths needs to be educated , creative in our way, exchange knowledge withthe developed countries, be entrepreneurs …i want to change and make my dream come true and if i get the educational opportunity ot would mean a lot to me thank you very much
Hello, i am from Zimbabwe and honestly speaking life is real hard in our country, so being given an opportunity to study abraod would be an opportunity of a lifetime not only for me and my family but for the whole country at large. It would be a pleasure and great chance we us as Africans to develop our continent if you grant me a chance to attain my degree there.
Am a Kenyan ,my wish is to attain a masters in your country .I hope given a chance I’ll change my life and life’s of many.Thank you.
I’m grateful for the wisdom you share.