Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships

About the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships

The Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships is offered by New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Full scholarships (tuition, living allowance, airfare, insurance) for students from eligible developing countries — mainly the Pacific, Asia, Africa and Latin America — to study at New Zealand institutions. Scholarships like this are competitive and rule-bound: meeting every published eligibility criterion is what gets your application read, and missing even one usually means an automatic rejection regardless of how strong the rest of your profile is.

Use the eligibility checker on this page for a quick, personalised read of whether you qualify before you invest hours in the application — then confirm the fine print on the official source, since awarding bodies revise criteria and amounts between cycles.

What the scholarship covers

This award typically covers: Full tuition fees; Living allowance (~NZD 531/week) and establishment allowance; Return airfare and medical insurance; Support to return home after study. Read the value carefully — "full" funding can still leave gaps (visa fees, travel, or a partner/family), while a partial award may need topping up from savings or part-time work to satisfy a visa's proof-of-funds rule.

Who is eligible

The main requirements are strict gates rather than guidelines: Eligibility is limited to the published country list (Pacific and selected Asian, African and Latin American countries); Applicants normally must reside in their country of citizenship when applying. Check each against your own situation honestly before applying — the checker on this page does exactly this and flags where you may fall short.

Deadlines and how to apply well

Key dates: 2027 intake — applications typically open Feb 2027 — 2027-02-28. Always confirm the exact deadline on the official source, as cycles shift year to year and some awards close early once funds are committed.

Strong applications are specific and evidenced: tie your goals to what the scholarship is actually for, supply every requested document in the right format, and give referees plenty of notice. A late or incomplete submission is the most avoidable reason good candidates miss out.