The 2014/2015 New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarship for Developing Countries- (Scholarships for Master’s and PHD Study)

Application Deadline: July 31st 2013

The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) is an international programme under which member governments offer scholarships and fellowships to citizens of other Commonwealth countries. The CSFP was established at the first Commonwealth education conference in 1959 and is reviewed by education ministers at their triennial meetings – the only scholarship scheme in the world to receive such high-level recognition.

As part of the programme New Zealand offers Commonwealth Scholarships for Master’s and PhD study.

Commonwealth Scholarships awardees can only study at these New Zealand universities:

• Auckland University of Technology
• Lincoln University
• Massey University
• University of Auckland
• University of Canterbury
• University of Otago
• Victoria University of Wellington
• University of Waikato

Each Commonwealth government has designated a national agency for the operation of Commonwealth Scholarships.

Please contact the national agency in your home country for more information about applying for a Commonwealth Scholarship in another Commonwealth country. Please note, however, that not all national agencies will be invited to nominate candidates for all Commonwealth Scholarships offered.

Eligible Africa Countries

Students of participating developing Commonwealth country can apply for this scholarship:

Africa: Botswana, Cameroon, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia.

Scholarship value/inclusions:

The New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarships scheme funds tuition and enrolment fees, an establishment allowance, a basic stipend, approved scholarship-related travel, some course-related costs, and medical and travel insurance. Each Scholarship provides:

• Travel:  International, and New Zealand domestic, air travel at the start and end of the scholarship for awardee, and reimbursement of awardee’s visa costs. In addition, a reunion travel entitlement may be available to awardees who have left dependants in their home country.
• Tuition Fees and other compulsory institutional course costs.
• Postgraduate research and thesis allowance: An allowance of NZ$1,500, and a return economy airfare to awardee’s home country for overseas fieldwork, if research component is 50% or greater.
• Medical and Travel Insurancee. Establishment allowance: NZ$3,000 paid on arrival in New Zealand to meet text book costs and to assist with other set up costs in New Zealand. At the beginning of each additional study year NZ$1,000 will be paid to cover the full year.
• Living Allowance: The annual rate of NZ$21,580 (NZ$415 per week) is paid fortnightly and is a contribution to living costs for day-to-day expenses, including accommodation (rent or board), food costs,  utility expenses (telephone, electricity  etc.), transport, personal items, and course-related costs (stationery, field trips, workshops etc.).

Eligibility:

To be eligible to be considered for a Commonwealth Scholarship an applicant must:

• Have citizenship of a participating developing Commonwealth country; permanent residents of a participating country are not eligible to apply;
• Be residing in their country of citizenship, preferably for at least two years prior to application;
• Not have citizenship or permanent residence status of New Zealand or Australia, or another  developed country, except where their country does not issue passports and they hold a New Zealand passport (i.e. the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau);
• Not be married or engaged to be married to a person who holds, or who is eligible to hold, citizenship or permanent residence status of New Zealand, Australia or another developed country, except where their country does not issue passports and they hold a New Zealand passport (i.e. the Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau);
• Be applying to commence a new qualification and not be seeking funding for one already commenced at PhD or Masters level;
• Satisfy the admission requirements of the New Zealand  university at which the qualification is to be undertaken, including English language criteria;
• Have been working in their country of citizenship, preferably for at least two years prior to application;
• Hold a first degree of upper second class Honours (or above); or a second class degree  and a relevant postgraduate qualification, which will normally be a Master’s degree;
• Be available to commence their academic studies in New Zealand at the start of the New Zealand academic year in February 2014;
• Have already secured  admission to their preferred New Zealand university; evidence of admission (eg. a letter of offer) is required with the application form; a conditional letter of offer from a New Zealand university is sufficient to allow an application to be accepted;
• Have a planned programme start date (in the letter of offer) at the start of the New Zealand Academic year in February 2014; offers for a planned start date for Semester 2, 2014 cannot be accepted.