If you seek financial assistance to study in New Zealand, the Otago Scholarships are among the top opportunities for international students, supporting undergraduate, master’s, and PhD programs across many disciplines.

For the 2026–2027 academic year, the University of Otago will award up to 200 scholarships annually, with values ranging from NZ10,000 to NZ30,000 for undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral studies.

Here is the official website link for the Otago Scholarships

 

 

 

Otago Scholarships

 

1. Benefits of Otago Scholarships 

2. Eligibility criteria for Otago Scholarships 

3. Documents required for Otago Scholarships 

4. How to Apply for Otago Scholarships 

6. Deadlines for Otago Scholarships 

8. Frequently Asked Questions

 

 

1. Benefits of Otago Scholarships

 

  Otago Scholarships include the following provisions:

• Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship for International Students
• This scholarship provides NZ$10,000 toward tuition fees for an eligible program.
• University of Otago International Master’s Research Scholarship
• Recipients receive an annual stipend of NZ
• For master’s degree studies, recipients receive an annual stipend of NZ $18,204 plus a one-year tuition fee waiver of up to NZ $35,000. for master’s degree studies. Student services fees and insurance are not included.
• Number of scholarships available: 4

  University of Otago Doctoral Scholarship:

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD): Provides an annual stipend of NZ$33,624 and a domestic tuition fee waiver for 36 months, excluding student services fees and insurance.
• Professional Doctorates (DClinDent, DMA, DBA, EdD): Offer an annual stipend of NZ$33,624 and a tuition fee waiver for up to 36 months at the domestic rate, excluding student services fees and insurance.
• Number of scholarships awarded: Up to 164 per year

 

 

 

2. Eligibility criteria for Otago Scholarships 

 

 To qualify for Otago scholarships, applicants must meet the   following requirements:

• Language required: English
• Eligible applicants: Students from any country

  Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship for International Students:

  Applicants must:

• Be international students (not citizens, permanent residents, or resident visa holders of New Zealand or Australia).

  Have gained university admission through one of the following:

• Completion of Year 12 and/or Year 13 at a New Zealand school or an equivalent foundation program at a New Zealand tertiary institution.
• Completion of an internationally recognized qualification (e.g., A Levels, IB, or ATAR) in New Zealand or overseas.
• Meet all additional international admission requirements listed on the Otago website.
• Not have previously completed studies at a New Zealand university (typically).
• Be required to pay international tuition fees.
• Be eligible for and intend to enroll full-time in their first year of study.

Otago International Master’s Research Scholarship:

Applicants must:

• Be pursuing their first master’s degree.
• Be international students.
• Be enrolled in a thesis-based master’s program.
• Applicants may consult the scholarship regulations and notes for further details.
• University of Otago Doctoral Scholarship

Applicants are generally expected to:

• Be pursuing their first doctoral qualification.
• Further regulations and notes are available for doctoral scholarships.
• Students may also consider applying for scholarships at Lincoln University.

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3. Documents required for Waikato Scholarships

 

3.1. Academic Documents

3.2. Passport & National ID card

3.3. English Proficiency Proof (IELTS/TOEFL)

3.4. Recommendation letter

3.5. CV/Resume

3.6. Research proposal/plan (Optional)

3.7. Statement of Purpose or Motivational Letter

 

 

3.1. Academic documents

This includes all your certificates & academic record like

A: Bachelor’s transcript & certificate

B: Master’s transcript & certificate (if the student is applying for 2nd Master’s or fellowship)

C: Metric & FSC transcripts (10-12th Grade) (A level) (DMCs) and certificates (Supporting academic documents)

D: Course summary (to explain your courses & how your previous courses & studies resemble your future studies to which you are applying)

 

NOTE:

All of the above documents should be attested by respective boards.

Also, attest them from issuing authority of home countries. The respective university must attest university documents.

In the case of Pakistan, The above-mentioned documents must be attested by IBCC, HEC, and MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

IBCC authority is only responsible for the attestation of metric and inter documents.

Dear offices are present in Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and also in other cities of Pakistan.

HEC office attests to bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. documents.

 

 

3.2. Valid passport, Birth certificate & NIC

The passport of the applicant must contain at least one full blank page on both sides.
The passport must be valid at the time of visa application and on arrival to New Zealand.

A birth certificate or national ID card is also important to attach.

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3.3. English Proficiency (IELTS/TOEFL)

Meeting the English language requirements set by the University is an important step toward achieving your bigger goal.

Generally speaking, Students with IELTS 6.5 overall or TOEFL above 80 are considered good.

Nevertheless, these requirements may vary from course to course and degree to degree.

Note: English-speaking Countries have exemptions for Language Test Scores.

 

 

 

3.4. Recommendation letters / Letters of References

The applicants must provide up to 2 letters of recommendation for Master’s and PhD. from the previous university, (Depending upon courses).

It is advised to provide a letter of recommendation from the HOD (Head of the department or Relevant course head) who should be a PhD.

The referees need to write their contact details (Email, phone number) at the end of the letter.

The letter must include an official letterhead, signature, and official stamp and must be of the current date.

Ask your Referees to write about your academic achievements & discuss their confidence in you that you are fully compatible with the project or course you wish to pursue.

The referees must also mention how long they know the applicant & when was the last time they came in contact with the applicant.

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3.5.  CV

Europass CV can be easily made here.
The Cv must contain all the latest & relevant information about your occupation & interests.
A perfect CV must be hand signed.

 

 

3.6. Research Plan / Proposal (Optional)

Research publications/ Achievements (conference papers, article review, abstract of thesis)

The research proposal is mostly required for postdocs or PhD students. (Depend upon the courses)

It asks you to write about the research project you agree upon completing with the assigned academic advisor.

Your research proposal should be a brief description of your research goals and objectives, the methods with which you wish to process that research, the outcomes you desire, the timeline and budget you have estimated, and the area of study you wish upon exploring.

It shall be a brief document yet explain the entire vision to the reader so that those analyzing your application could know of your objectives and grant you the scholarship if they match the program’s criteria and eligibility.

Taking help from an external party is strictly prohibited and violation in this regard could lead to your disqualification no matter how incredible your proposal is.

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3.7. Statement of Purpose or Letter of Motivation

Technically SOP (Statement of purpose) and  LOM (Letter of Motivation) are the same things.

It’s a Short biography to tell the panelist about yourself:

A letter of motivation or SOP could be a tricky part while applying.

In this letter, you are asked to write about your personal and professional reasons why are you applying for a course & scholarship.

The maximum length of this letter is three pages, But it is advised to make it short & concise to one page.

How to write a perfect letter of Motivation

If you are interested in writing your LOM on one page concisely, then follow this exact method.

LOM consists of three parts.

3.7.1.  Introduction (one paragraph)

3.7.2.  Body (3 paragraphs)

3.7.3. Conclusion (1 paragraph)

Let’s explain these three things one by one.

3.7.1. Introduction:

The introduction is the gateway to the rest of the letter. Try to capture their interest in the first few sentences. Be original & creative.
Make it personal & full of enthusiasm.

TIP: Try to initiate a story about yourself relevant to the University of Otoga Scholarships you are applying for & then expand it to the first paragraph of the body.

3.7.2.  Body:

In the first paragraph of the body, try to tell about your relevant academic & experienced background to the course.
And your professional goals attached to New Zealand and University. Share your expectations of the scholarship.

In the 2nd paragraph be more precise & focus on the specific achievement related to the scholarship & course.

In the 3rd paragraph expand on what you are currently doing & the interesting things you look forward to.

3.7.3. Conclusion:

Tell them why you are the best candidate for it. Don’t sound needy or use pompous language instead focus on why you deserve it.

Tell them how this scholarship will help you or the future of your community.

 

 

 

 

4. How to Apply for Otago Scholarships 

 

Follow the instructions below:

Vice-Chancellor’s Scholarship for International Students:

This is an entrance scholarship. Applicants should review the Entrance Scholarship Terms and Conditions that apply to all entrance scholarships. No separate application is required, but students are encouraged to apply for other entrance scholarships by the deadline, as they may also be eligible.

Otago International Master’s Research Scholarship:

Applications are submitted online via the university website. After completing an admission application for the relevant program, applicants receive an invitation to apply for scholarships. Applications may be submitted at any time and should generally be completed alongside the admission application. For master’s programs requiring coursework before the thesis, students should typically apply after finishing the coursework papers; an invitation is sent once thesis enrollment is confirmed.

Otago Doctoral Scholarship:

Doctoral scholarship applications can be submitted online at any time through the eVision portal. After applying for admission to the intended program, applicants receive a notification in their student portal inviting them to apply.

If you seek financial assistance to study in New Zealand, the University of Otago Scholarships are among the top opportunities for international students, supporting undergraduate, master’s, and PhD programs across many disciplines.

For the 2026–2027 academic year, the University of Otago will award up to 200 scholarships annually, with values ranging from NZ10,000 to NZ30,000 for undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral studies.

 

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6. Deadlines for Otago Scholarships