| Eligible students | International students commencing selected postgraduate programmes at the University of Otago, studying full-time either on campus or by distance learning in 2024, 2025 or 2026. |
|---|---|
| Value | NZ$10,000 for tuition fees for full-time study. |
| For how long | 12 months. |
| Awards per student | One – students can only be awarded this scholarship once. |
| Number offered | Varies. |
| For study beginning in | Semester 1 (February) or semester 2 (July). Note: not all programmes offer a semester 2 intake. |
| Application dates | Opening date: 1 May for semester 1 and 2. Closing date: 15 November for semester 1, and 30 April for semester 2. |
Information
The Vice-Chancellor's International Postgraduate Scholarships welcome, support and recognise talented international students commencing selected full-time postgraduate programmes at the University of Otago.
These merit-based scholarships recognise academic achievement, diversity, and leadership potential and are designed to support international students in their studies.
Eligible students
To be considered for a scholarship, students must:
- Be international students who are not citizens, permanent residents or resident visa holders of New Zealand or Australia*; and
- Have met the entry requirements for an eligible programme; and
- Have normally achieved a grade average equivalent to at least a New Zealand B+; and
- Be subject to paying international tuition fees; and
- Be intending to commence full-time study in that programme.
* Australian citizens, permanent residents and resident visa holders may be eligible for this scholarship if they are residing outside of New Zealand at the time of study, as they would then be subject to paying international fees.
Eligible programmes
Business, Humanities, Sciences and Health Sciences
Students must be applying to study a programme in one of the following eligible programme categories and be studying full-time:
- Masters (coursework) degrees
- Postgraduate diplomas (duration at least 2 semesters)
Offshore students
For international students outside of New Zealand, the programme must be available as a full-time option via Distance learning.
Selection process
A scholarship application is not required. Students will be assessed for a scholarship on application for their programme and recipients will be advised of their scholarship in the Offer of Place.
Selection of scholarship recipients is at the discretion of the University of Otago.
Conditions
- This scholarship is redeemable only as a credit towards tuition fees.
- Eligible students must have an Offer of Place for full-time study in an eligible postgraduate programme.
- International students currently studying at the University of Otago and due to complete an undergraduate degree are eligible.
- Deferral of the scholarship is not normally possible.
- The scholarship applies for one year of study only, for a student's first enrolment in that programme.
- The scholarship can only be awarded to a student once, even if they were to enrol in a second eligible postgraduate programme.
- This scholarship will not appear on the recipient's academic transcript.
- Payment of the scholarship for recipients who commence their full-time study at the University of Otago in semester 2 and intend to enrol in full-time study at the University of Otago in semester 1 in the following year, will normally receive half the scholarship amount when they commence their study in semester 2 and the remaining amount when they recommence in semester 1 the following year.
- The Scholarship cannot be held in conjunction with a University of Otago Coursework Master's Scholarship or Master's Research Scholarship.
- The Scholarship may be held with another scholarship as long as this is permitted within the regulations of the other scholarship(s). It is the responsibility of the recipient to declare multiple scholarships to the University of Otago.
- Students sponsored by their home Government or the New Zealand Government are not eligible for this scholarship.
- In order for the scholarship to be applied, recipients must be enrolled and studying the degree stated in the Offer of Place.
- If the student is not able to commence their studies by the enrolment date stated in their Offer of Place, the scholarship is no longer valid. If the student's enrolment is moved to a subsequent start date, they will be reassessed for the scholarship to ensure they are still eligible.
- Recipients agree to reasonable requests from the University of Otago to appropriately represent the University and the scholarship.
- The University of Otago may, at any time, suspend or terminate the scholarship, or require the forfeiture of such proportion of the scholarship as the University of Otago may determine, if it is not satisfied that the recipient is enrolled and studying full-time, full-year, and diligently pursuing a full-time, full-year programme, or if the recipient has brought the University of Otago or the scholarship into disrepute.
- Upon the termination of a student's enrolment for any reason, including his or her withdrawal, entitlement to scholarship funding shall be cancelled. In such circumstances, the University may also require repayment (in part or full) of any scholarship payments already made.