Scholarships

You can apply for the Bonded Merit Scholarship and Step Up Scholarship even if you have already organised a Student Loan to pay your course fees. If you are awarded a scholarship your education provider will refund any overpayment of course fees to your Student Loan account.

Bonded Merit Scholarship

The Bonded Merit Scholarship recognises academic achievement for students in the second year of study of their first bachelor degree.

It can help with your course fees and pays a maximum of $3,000 per year for up to four years, or a maximum of $12,000 (over unlimited years) if you're approved as limited full-time due to illness or disability.

If you think you'll get a B grade average across all your papers in your first year you should consider applying.

Applications for the 2009 Bonded Merit Scholarship season open on 1 September 2008.

Bonded Merit Scholarship applications for the 2009 scholarship season close on 27 February 2009.

Bonded Merit Scholarship applications are accepted from September to February each year to ensure all applicants are considered together on the basis of academic merit. Here are some examples of study dates and when you will need to apply:

Step Up Scholarship

If you are under 24 years, entitled to a Student Allowance and you are starting your first ever bachelor degree, at the start of first semester (between January -March), you may also be able to receive a Step Up Scholarship. This is a scholarship can help fund your compulsory course fees.

Applications for the 2009 Step Up Scholarship season open on 1 September 2008.

Step Up Scholarship applications close on 27 February 2009.

Other scholarships you might be able to get

Scholarships are a great way to fund your study and they are open to a wide range of students. They can range from a few hundred dollars to thousands of dollars.

Not all scholarships depend on your previous academic achievement - there are scholarships that take into account your region, needs, academic abilities, historical events, future plans and subject areas.

Before you start tertiary study, or even if you've already started, have a look around as there could be a scholarship that suits you.

We recommend you look at scholarships offered by your education provider, ask your school careers advisor, visit the Career Services website www.careers.govt.nz and search the internet.

If you are studying teaching, look at the scholarships TeachNZ offer at www.teachnz.govt.nz

You should also check out Breakout which is a searchable database of New Zealand scholarships, awards and grants. You can visit the Funding Information Service website www.fis.org.nz for a list of places where you can use this service for free or ask your local library if they offer the service.

Scholarship funds and rules can change from time to time so make sure you get the most up-to-date information before you apply.