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Introduction
A bachelor’s or master’s degree in New Zealand usually costs an Indian family tuition plus the NZD 20,000 a year that Immigration New Zealand expects you to show for living costs (INZ). Scholarships do not remove all of that. What they do is shave the first-year bill. At PhD level they can pay for almost everything.
Demand is rising. Education New Zealand data shows 92,580 international students in 2025, up from 83,425 a year earlier. India supplied 14% of them, second only to China (ICEF Monitor). More applicants means panels for scholarships in New Zealand for international students can be choosy, so timing matters more than it used to.
Here is the honest picture of New Zealand scholarships for Indian students that we give families who visit our Vasai office:
- Undergraduate and taught master’s: expect partial awards worth NZD 5,000 to NZD 15,000, usually paid as a fee credit in year one.
- PhD: fully funded scholarships in New Zealand exist at most universities and are the realistic route to a zero-cost degree.
- Government awards: the India-only New Zealand Excellence Awards are partial. The Manaaki scheme is fully funded but India is not on its current eligible list.
Types of fully funded scholarships in New Zealand
A fully funded award in New Zealand means tuition plus a living stipend. Only three kinds meet that test. Only two are open to Indian citizens today.
- University doctoral scholarships. Every major university runs a central doctoral scheme. These pay a tax-free stipend of roughly NZD 32,000 to NZD 35,500 a year plus tuition at the domestic rate. They are the main source of PhD scholarships in New Zealand and are open to Indian applicants.
- Project-funded PhD positions. A supervisor with a research grant advertises a funded place on a defined project. Pay usually mirrors the university scheme. You find these on university job boards and faculty pages, not in scholarship databases.
- Government development scholarships (Manaaki). The Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships cover tuition, living costs and travel for citizens of selected Pacific and Asian countries. The current Asian list is Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Nepal, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste and Viet Nam (Manaaki eligible countries). India is not included, even though many older blogs still say it is.
A cost advantage sits behind all PhD funding here. International PhD students pay the same tuition as New Zealand students, which Education New Zealand puts at NZD 6,500 to NZD 9,000 a year for most subjects (Study with New Zealand). Because the base fee is low, universities can afford to cover it inside the scholarship.
Find Scholarships That Match Your Profile
Top fully funded scholarships in New Zealand
The first three awards below are fully funded scholarships in New Zealand and all three are PhD scholarships in New Zealand. The last three are partial but are the ones most Indian bachelor’s and master’s applicants should target.
1. University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship
- Coverage: a tax-free stipend of NZD 35,468 a year in 2026, tuition fees for up to 42 months and the compulsory student health insurance charge for international students (University of Auckland).
- How to apply: no separate form. You tick the scholarship box when you apply for the doctoral programme.
- Rounds: four awarding rounds a year. The next closing date is 1 November 2026, with later rounds on 1 February, 1 May and 1 August.
2. University of Otago Doctoral Scholarship
- Coverage: NZD 34,128 a year plus a domestic tuition fee waiver for 36 months; up to 153 awards a year (University of Otago).
- How to apply: through the eVision portal once your admission application is in.
- Rounds: quarterly, in March, June, September and November. Otago has said it is reviewing its doctoral scholarship programme, so check the page before you plan around a round.
3. Wellington Doctoral Scholarship (Victoria University of Wellington)
- Coverage: NZD 32,000 a year plus domestic tuition fees for up to three years; about 110 awards a year (StudySpy listing and Te Herenga Waka).
- Eligibility: graduates of any university who will enrol full time in a PhD at Wellington.
4. New Zealand Excellence Awards (NZEA)
- What it is: the only government scholarship designed only for Indian students, run by Education New Zealand with all eight universities.
- Value: the 2025 round offered 29 partial scholarships worth NZD 260,000 in total (Study with New Zealand). Individual awards vary by university; Waikato lists its NZEA at NZD 10,000 (University of Waikato).
- Eligibility: Indian citizen aged 18 or over, living in India, with an unconditional offer for an eligible course.
- Status: the last round has closed. Register on the ENZ page to be told when the next round of these New Zealand scholarships for Indian students opens.
5. University of Auckland International Student Excellence Scholarship
- Value: up to NZD 10,000 off first-year tuition for new international undergraduate, PGDip or master’s students (University of Auckland).
- Deadline: 21 October 2026 for Semester One 2027 and 1 April for the July intake.
6. Vice-Chancellor's International Excellence Scholarship (University of Waikato)
- Value: a tuition credit of up to NZD 15,000 for new international students (University of Waikato). Waikato publishes a separate version of the rules for Indian applicants with values from NZD 2,500 (regulations PDF).
- Deadline: reviewed monthly, with cut-offs of 30 November for the A trimester and 31 May for the B trimester.
A worked example of how New Zealand scholarships for Indian students fit into an application. A Mumbai engineering graduate with a 7.9 CGPA and IELTS 7.0 wants a Master of Engineering at Auckland for March 2027. She applies for admission in September, receives a conditional offer in early October and submits the Excellence Scholarship form before 21 October. If she wins NZD 10,000, her first-year fee falls by that amount and her visa fund statement shrinks to match. Waiting until November would have cost her the chance.
Eligibility Criteria
Scholarships in New Zealand for international students are merit-led, so your record does most of the talking. Each award sets its own rules, but most scholarships in New Zealand for international students check the same five things:
- Academic record: a strong first degree for postgraduate awards. NZEA, for example, asked postgraduate applicants for a B to B+ average equivalent (StudySpy NZEA listing).
- English: usually IELTS Academic 6.0 with no band below 5.5 for undergraduate study and 6.5 with no band below 6.0 for postgraduate (University of Otago).
- An offer of place: almost every award needs a conditional or unconditional offer first.
- New student status: most fee-based scholarships in New Zealand for international students are for people starting a new programme, not those already enrolled.
- Research fit (PhD only): a supervisor who supports your proposal. Without one, a doctoral application rarely moves.
Documents Required
- Passport bio page
- Class 10 and 12 marksheets, degree certificate and full transcripts
- IELTS, PTE or TOEFL score report
- Offer of place from the university
- Personal statement (Wellington's Tongarewa Scholarship, for example, asks for up to 500 words)
- CV listing projects, internships and work experience
- Two referee contacts or letters
- Research proposal and supervisor email trail (PhD only)
- Proof of Indian citizenship and residence in India (NZEA)
Application Process
- Shortlist by level: PhD applicants target doctoral schemes and project-funded PhD scholarships in New Zealand. Bachelor's and master's applicants target fee awards and NZEA.
- Apply for admission early: Most awards need an offer. Offers take two to six weeks.
- Contact supervisors (PhD): Send a short proposal and CV before applying formally.
- Prepare a scholarship statement: Tie your past study to the course and to a clear job goal. PhD scholarships in New Zealand also weigh your publications and research experience.
- Submit through the right portal: Auckland uses its own scholarship form, Otago uses eVision and Waikato uses MyWaikato.
- Track the outcome: Award letters often arrive four to eight weeks after the round closes.
- Use the award in your visa file: A scholarship letter is accepted evidence of funds for the Fee Paying Student Visa (INZ).
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Scholarship Deadlines
| Scholarship | Level | Next deadline | Intake |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Auckland International Student Excellence Scholarship
|
UG, PGDip, master’s
|
21 October 2026
|
Semester One 2027
|
|
Auckland Doctoral Scholarship
|
PhD
|
1 November 2026
|
Rolling, 4 rounds
|
|
Otago Doctoral Scholarship
|
PhD
|
November 2026 round
|
Rolling, quarterly
|
|
Waikato VCIES
|
UG, PG taught
|
30 November 2026
|
A trimester 2027
|
|
Auckland International Student Excellence Scholarship
|
UG, PGDip, master’s
|
1 April 2027 (expected)
|
Semester Two 2027
|
|
NZEA
|
UG, PG
|
Next round not yet announced
|
2027 or 2028
|
Get expert help with New Zealand scholarships for Indian students
FAQs
Can Indian students get fully funded scholarships in New Zealand?
Yes, mainly at PhD level. Doctoral schemes at Auckland, Otago and Wellington pay a stipend of NZD 32,000 to NZD 35,468 plus tuition. They are among the most valuable scholarships in New Zealand for Indian students. Bachelor’s and master’s awards are usually partial.
Is the Manaaki scholarship open to Indian students?
Not at present. The current Manaaki list covers Pacific nations and nine Asian countries and India is not one of them. Among scholarships in New Zealand for Indian students, the New Zealand Excellence Awards are the closest government-backed alternative.
How much is the New Zealand Excellence Award worth?
The 2025 round offered 29 awards worth NZD 260,000 in total, with each university setting its own amount. Waikato, for example, listed NZD 10,000. NZEA remains the only government programme among scholarships in New Zealand for Indian students that is built only for India.
When should I apply for a New Zealand scholarship for the February 2027 intake?
Start now. Auckland’s Excellence Scholarship closes on 21 October 2026 and Waikato’s A trimester cut-off is 30 November 2026. Most scholarships in New Zealand for Indian students need an offer first, so apply for admission before you apply for funding.
Do I need a separate application for a PhD scholarship?
At Auckland and Wellington you are considered when you apply for the doctorate. Otago asks you to apply through eVision. Either way, a supervisor’s support matters more than anything else for PhD scholarships in New Zealand for Indian students.
