How to find scholarships, Me pēhea te rapu karahipi
Updated 02 Sep 2026
A scholarship is money given to students to help them pay for tertiary study. Find out what you could apply for and put yourself forward – you could get hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
Who can get a scholarship?Ko wai e āhei ki te karahipi?,
Scholarships for New Zealand studentsNgā karahipi mā ngā ākonga o Aotearoa,
Scholarships are given for all sorts of reasons. If you live in Aotearoa New Zealand you could look for a scholarship to apply for because you:
- want to study in a particular area
- have achieved at a high level
- have shown leadership skills or community involvement
- are from a particular place in New Zealand
- are from a particular ethnic group
- have particular whakapapa Māori
- are experiencing financial hardship
- want to study overseas.
Every scholarship has rules about who can get it. You can find the rules – usually called the regulations – on each scholarship’s webpage. You should only apply for a scholarship if you fit what it says in the regulations.
Scholarships for international studentsNgā karahipi mā ngā ākonga nō tāwāhi,
Many New Zealand education providers offer scholarships to international students. Check your provider’s website to see what scholarships are available for your course of study.
Find scholarshipsRapu karahipi,
New Zealand ScholarshipKarahipi o Aotearoa,
Top secondary school students who pass New Zealand Scholarship assessments are given up to $10,000 a year, depending on their subjects and performance. New Zealand Scholarship assessments are not part of the NCEA system.
Education provider websitesNgā paetukutuku kaiwhakarato mātauranga,
Search the websites of education providers, like polytechnics, wānanga, universities and private training establishments, to find out what you can apply for.
StudySpy
Use StudySpy’s free scholarship database to search for New Zealand and international scholarships by location, study level, provider and ethnicity.
MoneyHub
A list of all scholarships available to Year 13 students intending to study at university the next year.
Generosity New Zealand
Search the givME database for scholarships and awards for individuals. Organisations that subscribe to the database can give you access – ask at a public library, Citizens Advice Bureau, community centre, tertiary education provider or secondary school.
Ask for adviceTono tohutohu,
You can find out about scholarships from:
- your school career adviser
- student support and liaison officers at education providers where you want to study.