Information for secondary students and school leavers

Scholarships, grants and awards

Scholarships, grants and awards are a great way of funding your tertiary education. Here’s some information about what’s out there and how to get it, along with some links to get you started.

What types of scholarships, grants and awards are there?

: Could you study for free? It's worth finding out

In general, scholarships, grants and awards cover one or more of the following categories:

area of study
academic merit
business area
community service
ethnicity
financial hardship
industry or trade
impairments
leadership.

They can apply at different levels, whether certificate, diploma, degree, Masters or beyond. They also cover different things, from tuition fees only, to all course costs and some of your living expenses.

There are also scholarships, grants and awards available to students from particular regions or to study in a particular region of New Zealand.

It pays to look at scholarships, grants and awards as there are thousands of them around. There may be more opportunities than you think.

Adam Goldwater, scholarship winner

Adam Goldwater won so many scholarships during his university horticulture studies that he has trouble remembering them all. Find out how Adam learned about these scholarships, and how they helped his study.

Adam Goldwater, Horticulture Student

Where can I go to find out more?

There are heaps of places to go for scholarship, grant and award information. Here are six ways to get started:

1. StudyLink

StudyLink administers student allowances and student loans. It also administers student hardship grants.

StudyLink website - find out what financial help you can get from StudyLink

2. Check out our scholarships list

Many organisations have scholarship, grant and award information online. Here are some of the many options out there:

3. Talk to your careers adviser if you are still at school

Your careers adviser can tell you what scholarships, grants and awards you might be eligible for. They can also help you with application forms.

4. Ask around

Use your networks to find options that might apply to you:

ask your parents, friends and family/whānau
check in with sports, community, religious and other interest groups that you’re involved in, or that are active in your area
talk to education providers, course co-ordinators and lecturers about options if you are already studying.

5. Use the BreakOut database

BreakOut is provided by the Funding Information Service. It holds information on over 2,200 funding schemes that cover study, professional development, research, travel, arts, sport, and community projects.

You can use BreakOut for free at Career Services regional offices, public libraries and many more locations.

6. Call Career Services for free on 0800 222 733

Our career advisers have a lot of information about the different scholarships, grants and awards available. They can put you in touch with a scholarship, grant or award provider that might be able to help.