Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships
New Zealand Government · New Zealand
Development scholarships for students from partner countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific to study at New Zealand institutions.
Application deadline
28 Feb 2027
207 days remaining
- Intake
- 2028 academic year
- Open to
- Partner countries in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Pacific
- Study level
- Masters, PhD
We never charge for applications
What the scholarship covers
- Full tuition fees
- Living allowance and establishment grant
- Medical and travel insurance
- Return airfare
- Support with research and thesis costs
Eligibility requirements
- Citizen of an eligible partner country
- At least two years of relevant work experience for most categories
- Meet the New Zealand institution's admission requirements
- Commit to returning home for two years after study
Documents you will need
- Online application on the Manaaki portal
- Academic transcripts and certificates
- Employment evidence
- Development impact statement
- Referee reports
How to apply, step by step
- 1
Confirm your country is eligible
The partner list changes between cycles, and eligible fields differ by country.
- 2
Check your country's priority sectors
Applications outside the listed development sectors for your country are not funded.
- 3
Register on the Manaaki portal
The application opens for a defined window, usually in February.
- 4
Write the development impact statement
Explain concretely what you will do differently at home with the qualification.
- 5
Provide work experience evidence
Most categories require at least two years of relevant employment, documented by your employer.
When to do what
Counting backwards from the deadline. Applications rushed in the final fortnight are the ones that fail.
20 weeks before
Confirm eligibility and read your country's priority sectors.
16 weeks before
Shortlist New Zealand institutions and programmes.
12 weeks before
Request employment evidence from your employer.
9 weeks before
Draft the development impact statement.
6 weeks before
Arrange referee reports and transcripts.
2 weeks before
Submit on the Manaaki portal.
What the panel is actually looking for
- Development impact in your home country
- Relevance to your country's priority sectors
- Academic and professional readiness
- Commitment to the two-year return requirement
Common mistakes to avoid
- Choosing a field outside your country's listed priority sectors.
- Missing the short annual application window.
- Insufficient documentation of work experience.
- A development impact statement written in generic terms.
Fields of study
Don't miss this deadline
We'll email you before applications for Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships close.
Apply to more than one
Even outstanding applicants are rejected for reasons outside their control, quotas, country allocations, a stronger field that year. Shortlist three or four awards you genuinely qualify for and apply to all of them.