University of Waikato Doctoral Scholarship

About the opportunity

The University of Waikato Doctoral Scholarship was established to support excellence in postgraduate research. It provides financial assistance to high-achieving candidates who have received an Offer of Place in an approved higher research degree qualification at the University of Waikato, including PhD, DHSc, DMA, and SJD programmes. Selection is based on academic merit (minimum GPA of A-) and factors such as research experience, references, publications, alignment with strategic priorities, and the capacity of the supervision panel. Applications are considered in four rounds annually.

Funding and benefits

• A living allowance of $33,000 in total every 12 months, payable in monthly instalments for up to 36 months (three years) in total (paid on a pro-rata basis for approved part-time students).
• Domestic tuition fees for enrolment in the doctoral qualification during the tenure of the scholarship.
• The Student Services Fee.
• Fees-only scholarship option available upon request or executive decision, covering domestic tuition fees and the Student Services Fee.

Who can apply?

• Be a New Zealand citizen, New Zealand permanent resident, New Zealand resident class visa holder, Australian citizen/permanent resident domiciled in New Zealand, or an international student.
• Have submitted a complete application to enrol and have received an Offer of Place into a doctoral qualification at the University of Waikato (PhD, DHSc, DMA, SJD) but not yet commenced enrolment at the closing date of the scholarship round.
• Normally be intending to study full-time at the University of Waikato.
• Not be employed by the University of Waikato (though fixed-term sessional assistant or similar employment may be permitted if hours do not exceed limits).
• Not already hold a doctoral qualification or equivalent.
• Not have been considered twice previously for this scholarship (students may apply only twice; unsuccessful applicants may reapply to one further round).
• Achieve a minimum grade point average (GPA) of A- calculated based on the qualification used for entry to the doctoral programme.

Required documents

• Application to enrol / Offer of Place
• Confirmation of the proposed thesis title
• Confirmation of the approved Chief Supervisor
• Commentary / statements in support of the scholarship application covering academic background, research/professional experience, research impact and project significance, connections to Mātauranga Māori or Pacific knowledges, and career aspirations
• Updated academic transcript if any details have changed since application to enrol
• Up to two references, including one mandatory academic reference from prior study or research experience, and one optional professional reference

When to apply

• Round 1 closing date: 31 January (selection panel in early March)
• Round 2 closing date: 30 April (selection panel in early June)
• Round 3 closing date: 31 July (selection panel in early September)
• Round 4 closing date: 31 October (selection panel in early December)

How to apply

• Read the scholarship regulations and guidelines thoroughly.
• If new, complete and submit an application to enrol to obtain a University of Waikato account and an Offer of Place.
• Log into MyWaikato and navigate to the 'Scholarships' tab.
• Select the University of Waikato Doctoral Scholarship from the list and complete the online application form, including supporting statements, thesis title, supervisor details, and referee contacts.

Additional information

• The scholarship tenure will not exceed 36 months of full-time doctoral enrolment or equivalent part-time study.
• Full-time recipients are expected to study 37.5 hours per week and are restricted from undertaking paid employment exceeding an annual total of 500 hours.
• Successful applicants are advised of outcomes up to 8 weeks after the closing date of the round and must accept the offer within 28 days.