University of Otago Performance Entrance Scholarship special awards

Information

Established to encourage excellence in areas of performance including sport, culture, music and the arts. These scholarships are available to academically-able students with demonstrated high-level ability in their chosen area of performance.

General eligibility criteria

All Entrance Scholarships are normally open to students who meet the requirements of 1.1 OR 1.2, AND 2. Those who fit within 3 are normally ineligible.

1.1 Are New Zealand citizens, New Zealand Residence Class Visa Holders, Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents with domestic fee status;

Or

1.2 International students who have studied in Year 12 and/or have completed or are in the process of completing Year 13 at a New Zealand school, or an equivalent foundation level course at a New Zealand tertiary institution.

And

2 Are intending to enrol or have enrolled for the first time for first-year (100-level papers), full-time degree-level, undergraduate study at the University of Otago.

But

3 Those who have studied more than 0.4 EFTs at any University or tertiary institution at degree-level or higher are not normally eligible.

Special awards

For those intending to commence study at the University of Otago after completing secondary school, recipients of specific sporting or cultural awards have an entitlement to this scholarship, subject to their meeting the general eligibility requirements and obtaining entrance to the University. The standard value and tenure conditions will apply.

The qualifying awards that permit automatic award of the Performance Entrance Scholarship are as follows:

• Acting – SGCNZ National University of Otago Sheilah Winn Shakespeare Festival Award Ceremony – Best Actor
  Verification Form for Acting (PDF)
• Athletics – Otago Secondary School Athlete of the Year – Male / Female
  Verification Form for Athletics (PDF)
• Basketball – New Zealand Under 17 Basketball National Championships – Most Valuable Player (or equivalent) – Male / Female
  Verification Form for Basketball (PDF)
• Debating – New Zealand Schools' Debating Championships – Best Speaker or New Zealand Debating Team Captain
  Verification Form for Debating (PDF)
• Hockey – New Zealand Hockey Under 18 National Regional Tournament – Most Valuable Player (or equivalent) – Male / Female
  Verification Form for Hockey (PDF)
• Netball – New Zealand Under 17 Netball National Championships – Most Valuable Player (or equivalent) – Male / Female
  Verification Form for Netball (PDF)
• Rowing – Annual Maadi Cup Regatta – Winner of the Under 18 Pairs – Male / Female
  Verification Form for Rowing (PDF)
• Volleyball – New Zealand Secondary Schools Volleyball Championships – Most Valuable Player (or equivalent) – Male / Female
  Verification Form for Volleyball (PDF)
• Winner of any age group or senior World Championship sports event will have an entitlement to this scholarship, subject to the approval of the Chair of the Performance Entrance Scholarship Selection Panel, email the Entrance Scholarships team for more information
  Email entrance.scholarships@otago.ac.nz

Application / offer process

The national or regional organisation associated with the activities and awards listed above should have notified the Entrance Scholarships Team at the University of Otago of the name and contact details of recipients. However, a formal offer of the scholarship to the recipient is only possible after this formal notification has been received, the recipient has enrolled for study at the University, and eligibility checks have been undertaken. The timing of the award will also have an impact on the processing of this formal offer.

Where possible, recipients of automatically awarded scholarships listed in the section above are still encouraged to apply for the University of Otago Entrance Scholarships when they enrol at the University of Otago, even if they have already secured this one. This is so they can potentially be considered for a scholarship of a higher value.

However, recipients will only be awarded one University of Otago Entrance Scholarship (subject to the Dux Entrance Scholarship provisions), with a guarantee of the award of the University of Otago Performance Entrance Scholarship valued at $7,000 as a minimum.

All applications for Entrance Scholarships are done through eVision, the University's student management system. In order to apply for a scholarship, you will be required to go through the first stages of enrolment at the University of Otago to access the Entrance Scholarship online application.

For more information on the application process, as well as step-by-step instructions, please visit the “Apply for a scholarship” webpage:

Apply for a scholarship

Before going through the application process, it is important to ensure that you are adequately prepared to begin the application. What you will need to prepare for your application is listed on the scholarship preparation application webpage:

Scholarship application preparation

Scholarship detail

This Scholarship is subject to the general Scholarship Terms and Conditions:

Scholarship Terms and Conditions

In addition, the following information applies to this Scholarship, subject to the specific provisions of the offer letter for the recipient:

• Standard value of $7,000.
• Standard tenure is one year.
• For exceptional applicants, this scholarship will be awarded at a higher value and a longer tenure.
• For awards of more than one year, tenure in years two and three normally requires a GPA of 5.0 or better for the previous year.
• Recipients may request continuation of their scholarship if their GPA is not at the required level by writing to the Manager, Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships (email entrance.scholarships@otago.ac.nz) asking that the Deputy Vice-Chancellor External Engagement approve continuation of the scholarship into year two or three. The Deputy Vice-Chancellor External Engagement will consider the following factors when making their decision (and may consider other things):    
  1. A written request received from the student, outlining why they would like some leniency in the GPA requirement. It is recommended that this request is received by 31 January.
  2. Evidence of sport or cultural activity performance and associated commitments, if relevant.
  3. Evidence of medical impairment, if relevant.
• If applicable and called on to do so, recipients of the University of Otago Performance Entrance Scholarships shall engage with the relevant University of Otago sporting club and give due consideration to playing for that club in preference to any other. Recipients will also normally represent Otago or its equivalent, in preference to any other region.
• Please note that, unless an exception is specified, other University of Otago Entrance Scholarships cannot normally be held concurrently with other Entrance Scholarships. The exception to this is the Dux Scholarship, which may be held concurrently at the value specified in its regulations.
  University of Otago Dux Scholarship

Further information

You are likely to find the Frequently Asked Questions helpful and we recommend that you read them.

To find out more about Entrance Scholarships, please contact us:

Email entrance.scholarships@otago.ac.nz
Tel 0800 80 80 98 (callers within New Zealand only); or
Tel +64 3 479 7000 (callers outside New Zealand)
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If you have a University of Otago student identification number, please include this in your email.