Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships

Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships are fully funded awards from the New Zealand government for international students from eligible countries. The programme covers Bachelors and Masters study at New Zealand universities, plus short professional training courses delivered by reputable New Zealand education institutions. It is run through Education New Zealand.

These short courses are for mid and senior level professionals from eligible Pacific and other countries, and cover fields such as governance, public health, trade policy and climate resilience. Training runs two to four weeks, in New Zealand or online, and includes tuition and related costs. Dates and application steps are on the official page, and the sections below explain eligibility and how to apply.

• Funded short professional training course delivered by a reputable New Zealand education institution.
• Courses run for two to four weeks.
• Training is delivered either in New Zealand or online.
• Courses are developed for the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Programme to address common skills gaps across eligible countries and regions.
• Training is aimed at building the knowledge and skills of mid and senior level professionals in their sector.
• Participants learn from New Zealand's experience and expertise in the relevant field.
• Available as an individual or cohort scholarship.

These are short professional training scholarships, not full degree programmes. Courses run for two to four weeks and are delivered in New Zealand or online. Full tertiary scholarships for undergraduate and postgraduate study are a separate Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship type.

Themes and sectors include Governance, Public Sector Leadership, Public Health Management, Trade Policy, Good Governance, Diplomatic Training, Climate Change and Resilience, Renewable Energy Project Management, Geothermal Energy Project Management, and Food and Agribusiness Value Chains.

Open to citizens of eligible countries in the Pacific, ASEAN, Africa, and Latin America and the Caribbean. Citizens and permanent residents of New Zealand, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, EU countries, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, the UAE, the UK and the USA are not eligible, except people from Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau.

• You must be a citizen of an eligible country. Pacific: Cook Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, French Pacific Territories (French Polynesia, New Caledonia, Wallis and Futuna), Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Naoero, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Timor-Leste, Tokelau, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.
• ASEAN: Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Viet Nam.
• Africa: Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Egypt, Tunisia, Algeria, Botswana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
• Latin America and Caribbean: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Venezuela.
• You must have lived in your country of citizenship for the last two years or more. Exception: members of the diplomatic corps and their family living outside their country can apply.
• You must not be a citizen or permanent resident of New Zealand, Australia, Bahrain, Canada, any European Union country, Iceland, Israel, Japan, Kuwait, Norway, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, or the United States of America. Exception: people from Cook Islands, Niue and Tokelau are eligible even though they are New Zealand citizens.
• You must be at least 18 years old at the time you will start the scholarship.
• You must not currently be serving in the military.
• You must not have had a Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship terminated in the last 5 years.
• You must have endorsement from your employer to attend the training course.
• You must expect to meet the academic entry requirements, including the English language requirement, for your planned training course.

1. Check that you are a citizen of an eligible country and that you meet the other eligibility criteria, including the two-year residency rule, the age requirement, and the military and termination conditions.
2. Confirm with your employer that they will endorse you to attend the training course.
3. Choose a course in one of the available themes and sectors, noting that not all courses are available in all regions.
4. Check that you expect to meet the academic entry requirements, including the English language requirement, for your chosen course.
5. Apply for the scholarship as an individual or cohort applicant, depending on the course.
6. If you are shortlisted, prepare copies of the supporting documents requested before taking up your scholarship.