High Commission of New Zealand Scholarships 2027: Fully Funded

New Zealand's flagship government scholarship receives more than 15,000 applications a year across its full programme, while the tertiary track specifically took in 358 scholars in 2024, up from 151 in 2022. Winners get full tuition, a living allowance of NZ$ 615 a week (about NZ$ 32,000 a year, a NZ$3,000 establishment allowance, medical insurance, and return flights. They can study at 8 universities or 2 institutes of technology. Selection takes 6–10 months, and every scholar commits to at least 2 years of service back home.

For students tracking High Commission of New Zealand scholarships 2027, the programme is the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship, run by Education New Zealand for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT). Here is everything you need to know.

Why Is the Manaaki Scholarship Worth Considering?

It is one of the few awards that pays tuition, living costs and travel together, and it is built to produce employable development professionals rather than only graduates. If you are weighing study in New Zealand against pricier destinations, this scholarship removes the main barrier - a standard postgraduate programme costs roughly NZ$20,000 a year in living costs alone, the benchmark Immigration New Zealand (INZ) applies to fee-paying students.

The destination itself is growing fast. New Zealand recorded 92,580 international enrolments in 2025, up 11% year on year, with China and India the two largest source markets at 34% and 14%. Export earnings from international education reached nearly NZ$ 5 billion in the year to June 2026,abovethe2019pre-CovidlevelofNZ4.4 billion. Government policy is driving the growth: the International Education Going for Growth plan targets 105,000 enrolments by 2027 and NZ$7.2 billion in export earnings by 2034, and part-time work rights for students rose from 20 to 25 hours a week from 3 November 2025.

Who Can Apply, and Where Do High Commissions Fit In?

Only citizens of eligible countries can apply. Eligible Pacific countries and territories are Fiji (postgraduate only), French Pacific, Kiribati, Nauru, Niue, the North Pacific states, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. The eligible Asian countries are Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam. 

Applications go through one online portal, not through a High Commission. The High Commissions are a local information point only; interviews happen by online video conference, typically between May and July. Treat any page that tells you to submit documents at a High Commission as outdated. Eligibility conditions from ENZ: you must be at least 18 when you sign the offer letter (selection guidelines favour applicants 39 or under at the scholarship's start); postgraduate applicants need 1 year of full-time work or 2 years of part-time work, paid or voluntary; you must have lived in your home country for 2 years before applying; and you must commit to at least 2 years back home after finishing, contributing to your country's development.

If your country is not on the list above - including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and African countries - you cannot apply for Manaaki. Skip to the scholarship list below for options open to you.

Where Do the Participating Institutions Rank?

Scholars can study at eight universities or two institutes of technology, and Universities New Zealand says all eight universities sit among the global top 3% of higher education institutions worldwide. Current QS World University Rankings 2027 positions: University of Auckland 67 (New Zealand's only top-100 entry), University of Otago 198, Massey University 215, Victoria University of Wellington 241, University of Canterbury 257, University of Waikato 293, Lincoln University 419, and Auckland University of Technology (AUT) 431.

• University of Auckland - engineering, medicine and health sciences, law, business, computer science.
• University of Otago - Dunedin; New Zealand's oldest university, founded in 1869; health sciences, dentistry, pharmacy, food science, humanities.
• Victoria University of Wellington - public policy, law, humanities, creative arts, earth sciences.
• University of Canterbury - Christchurch; engineering, forestry, geology and natural hazards, Antarctic studies.
• Massey University - Palmerston North, Auckland and Wellington; agriculture, veterinary science, food technology, aviation, business.
• University of Waikato - Hamilton; law, management, education, environmental sciences, computer science.
• Lincoln University - near Christchurch; agriculture, horticulture, viticulture, land and environment.
• Auckland University of Technology (AUT) - Auckland; IT, communication, health, sport and recreation, hospitality.

The two institutes of technology are Southern Institute of Technology (Invercargill) and Unitec (Auckland), both offering hands-on, applied programmes.

What Can You Study?

Your course must align with the priority subjects ENZ publishes for your country; applications that do not strongly match the recommended subjects are highly unlikely to be considered.

For the nine eligible Asian countries, subjects group into:

Climate and Environment: agriculture, environmental studies, earth sciences and horticulture - Lincoln, Canterbury, Massey and Waikato.

Economic Resilience and Business: accountancy, finance, business and management, plus tourism and creative arts for Malaysia, Nepal, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam - Auckland, Victoria and AUT.

Food Safety and Agriculture: biological sciences, forestry and veterinary studies - Massey.

Infrastructure and Engineering: civil, mechanical and resources engineering, architecture and geomatics - Canterbury and Auckland lead, though Canterbury's Engineering Honours isn't currently funded for Timor-Leste applicants.

ICT: computer science, information systems and electrical engineering — open to Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Nepal, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam.

Governance, Law and Society: political science, policy and law - Victoria in Wellington.

For most Asian countries, Manaaki funds postgraduate study only; Timor-Leste is the one Asian country where undergraduate study is also funded. Thailand's allocation includes just one PhD a year, and English-language training isn't available to PhD applicants, so they must already meet direct-entry requirements.

What Does It Cost?

Without a scholarship, international tuition in New Zealand runs roughly NZ$ 18,000 for a diploma to NZ$ 75,000 for medicine and dentistry. Typical ranges include:

• Bachelor's: NZ$22,000–40,000 a year
• Master's: NZ$25,000–50,000 a year
• Medicine and Dentistry: up to NZ$75,000 a year
• PhD: roughly NZ$6,500–9,000 a year, since international doctoral students pay domestic rates

Manaaki pays tuition in full for the approved programme.

Self-funded students should budget roughly NZ35,000 75,000ayearintotalfortuitionpluslivingcosts;INZasksfee-payingtertiarystudentstoshowNZ20,000 a year, or NZ$1,667 a month, for shorter courses.

By city, cheapest to priciest: Palmerston North and Hamilton have the lowest rents of the university cities; Dunedin is often the most affordable student city, 30–40% below Auckland; Christchurch is mid-range; Wellington is premium, with shared flatting around NZ1,900–2,300amonth; and Auckland is the highest in the country. Off-campus rooms typically run NZ$ 130–300 a week.

Scholars receive the NZ$ 615-a-week allowance,theNZ3,000 establishment allowance, medical insurance, return travel and a NZ$1,000 reintegration allowance on finishing. ENZ also reimburses the visa fee, the immigration levy, and one immigration medical check, and reviews stipend rates periodically.

What Scholarships Are Available?

Manaaki is the headline award: full tuition plus living and travel support for citizens of eligible Pacific and Asian countries. For students outside those countries, the most accessible options are the India-focused New Zealand Excellence Awards and merit scholarships from individual universities, which cover part of tuition rather than all of it.

• Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship: full tuition, NZ615/week, NZ$ 3,000 establishment allowance, NZ$1,000 reintegration allowance, medical insurance and return travel - for citizens of eligible Pacific and Asian countries studying subjects listed for their country.
• New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA): roughly NZ10,000towardstuition(somesourcesciteNZ7,500–15,000) for Indian students entering undergraduate or postgraduate study.
• University of Auckland International Student Excellence Scholarship: up to NZ$10,000 in tuition for new international undergraduate and taught-postgraduate students; also runs ASEAN and India High Achievers awards of similar value.
• Victoria University of Wellington Scholarship: NZ$5,000–10,000 for international students with leadership and academic merit.
• University of Waikato International Excellence Scholarship: up to NZ$ 15,000 for undergraduates and NZ$ 10,000 for postgraduates.
• Lincoln University International Taught Master Merit Scholarships: NZ$ 7,000 or NZ$ 10,000 for international students on taught Master's programmes.

Manaaki is the most generous award here but also the most competitive, with 15,000-plus applications a year across the full programme. Selection can take six to ten months after applications close, and the portal can close early for high-demand countries. The 2026 round opened 1 March and closed 31 March; the 2027 round is expected to follow a similar window - check the official ENZ Manaaki site for exact dates before you plan.

What Is the Career Picture, and What Are Your Work Rights?

Manaaki is aid-funded, so the career outcome differs from a normal study-abroad degree: you return home to apply your skills in government, civil society or private-sector roles that match your course.

MFAT's tertiary intake data shows growth from 151 scholars in 2022 to 331 in 2023 and 358 in 2024, led by Samoa (124 over the three years), Papua New Guinea (65) and Solomon Islands (59); Viet Nam rose from 4 to 25 a year and the Philippines from 1 to 15.

Priority sectors - climate resilience, food safety and agriculture, infrastructure, ICT, governance, education, economic resilience, and peace and justice - are where the careers sit, and the 2-year return commitment is built around putting those exact skills to work at home.

Indonesia specifically runs a renewable-energy pathway through geology and civil and environmental engineering, with geographic preference for applicants from Maluku, North Maluku, and the Nusa Tenggara, Papua, and Sulawesi regions - worth knowing since few applicants check for it.

During study, Manaaki scholars hold the NZ Government Scholarship Student Visa, valid up to four years, with a partner potentially eligible for a work visa for the scholarship's length and dependent children eligible for student visas.

Standard fee-paying students can work up to 25 hours a week in term and full-time in holidays, confirmed from 3 November 2025 (up from 20 hours). After graduation, you must return home for at least 2 years (one year for some short-term training awards), which means New Zealand's standard Post-Study Work Visa, offering up to 3 years of open work rights to most bachelor's and master's graduates, isn't realistically the pathway for Manaaki scholars given that return commitment. If you want to work in New Zealand later, plan for that after the return period.

What Are the Best Student Cities in New Zealand?

Auckland is the largest city and home to the University of Auckland, AUT and Unitec, with the biggest job market and the highest living costs.

Wellington, the capital, suits public policy, law and public-sector study at Victoria, at a premium cost.

Christchurch hosts Canterbury and sits near Lincoln, strong for engineering, forestry and agriculture at mid-range cost.

Dunedin is the cheapest of the big student cities, dominated by Otago and strong in health sciences.

Hamilton hosts Waikato with lower rents than Auckland.

Palmerston North, Massey's main campus, offers veterinary, agricultural and food programmes in an affordable, quiet setting.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't apply for Manaaki if your country isn't on the eligible list - India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and most African countries are excluded from the tertiary track, however, this scholarship often gets recommended generally.

Don't pick a subject outside your country's priority list - ENZ is explicit that off-list applications are highly unlikely to succeed.

Don't assume you can stay and work in New Zealand straight after graduating on a Manaaki scholarship - the 2-year return-home commitment affects this pathway.

Don't leave your application to the last week - the portal can close early for high-demand countries even before the official deadline.

And don't submit English test scores upfront unless asked - these are only required once you're shortlisted.

Who Is the Manaaki Scholarship Best Suited For?

• Mid-career professionals from eligible Asian or Pacific countries with 1–2 years of relevant work and a clear plan to return to the same sector.
• Civil, environmental and mechanical engineers aiming for a Master's at Canterbury or Auckland in the infrastructure category.
• Agriculture, forestry and veterinary graduates looking at Massey, Lincoln or Waikato.
• Policy, law and governance candidates aiming for Victoria's Wellington programmes.
• Timor-Leste citizens, the only eligible Asian applicants who can study at undergraduate level.

Consider alternatives if your country isn't eligible, such as NZEA, university scholarships, Australia Awards or Chevening; if you want to work in New Zealand immediately after graduating, the 2-year return rule affects that option; or if you need a fast timeline, selection takes 6–10 months, with study typically starting around 11 months after you apply.

How Can We Help?

Planning a fully funded study-abroad application involves several important decisions, from checking eligibility and choosing the right university to preparing documents, interviews, and your student visa. Since many scholarships open only once a year, getting the process right can make a significant difference to your plans.

My Study Offers, a global education platform for students, helps you compare study destinations and manage your application journey in one place. For scholarships such as the New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA), we can help you check eligibility, shortlist suitable universities and programmes, prepare application and interview responses, organise visa documents, and plan your academic and career goals.

FAQs

Q1. Is New Zealand a good study destination for international students?

Yes. New Zealand recorded 92,580 international enrolments in 2025, all eight universities rank among the global top 3% of institutions by Universities New Zealand's measure, and the University of Otago sits inside the QS top 200. International education export earnings reached nearly NZ$5 billion in the year to June 2026.

Q2. How much does it cost to study in New Zealand?

Tuition runs roughly NZ22,000–40,000ayearforbachelor'sdegreesandNZ25,000–50,000 for master's, with medicine up to NZ75,000.INZasksfee-payingstudentstoshowNZ20,000 a year for living costs; total self-funded budgets run roughly NZ$35,000–75,000 a year.

Q3. What scholarships are available for international students in New Zealand?

Manaaki gives full tuition, NZ$ 615 a week and a NZ$ 3,000 establishment allowance to eligible Pacific and Asian citizens. NZEA offers roughly NZ10,000forIndianstudents,anduniversityawardstypicallycoverNZ5,000–15,000.

Q4. Can I work while studying in New Zealand?

Standard student visas allow 25 hours a week in term time (up from 20, since 3 November 2025) and full-time in holidays. Manaaki scholars hold a different visa, so confirm conditions with INZ; scholars' partners may be eligible for a work visa for the scholarship's duration.

Q5. Which fields does Manaaki prioritise?

Climate resilience, agriculture and food safety, infrastructure, ICT, governance, education, economic resilience and justice. ENZ states that applications not aligned to these subjects for your country are highly unlikely to be considered; Indonesia has a dedicated renewable-energy route.

Q6. What are the career options after graduating on a Manaaki scholarship?

You must return home for at least 2 years to apply your skills in government, civil society or private business. After that return period, you can consider New Zealand work visas separately - the standard Post-Study Work Visa isn't realistically available to you beforehand given the return commitment.