Manaaki New Zealand Fully Funded Government Scholarship 2026

Eligibilities

To apply for a Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship:

• Age Requirement: Applicants must be 18 years old or older when they start their scholarship.
• Citizenship: Applicants must be citizens of an eligible country in the scholarship program.
• Residency Requirement: Applicants must have resided in their home country for at least two years before applying. Exceptions to this requirement are applicants who have been working for their home country on a diplomatic assignment (including their dependents) or those who have been enrolled in a course of study overseas.
• Commitment to home country’s development: Scholars must be willing to contribute to their home country’s social or economic development for at least two years after completing their scholarship studies.
• Work experience requirement: Postgraduate applicants must have relevant work experience. Work experience can be paid, unpaid, or voluntary, and must meet the following criteria:
  • One year of full-time work experience (i.e., 30 hours or more per week), OR
  • Two years of part-time work experience (i.e., up to 29 hours per week).

But Work experience is not required for:

• Applicants who are in their final year of high school when they apply.
• Applicants who apply in the academic year immediately after completing high school
• Applicants who are in paid or unpaid employment.
• Academic and English Requirements: All applicants must meet both the academic entry requirements and the English language requirements determined by the applicant’s preferred education institutions.General level of English expected for postgraduate and undergraduate study:Generally, to study for a postgraduate qualification, you must have at least:
  • An overall IELTS score of 6.5 and no band less than 6.0
  • a TOEFL score of 90 on the internet-based test with a writing score of 21
  • An overall PTE Academic score of 58, with no communicative skills score less than 50
  • a Cambridge Academic English (advanced) overall score of 176 with no bands less than 169.

  Generally, to study for an undergraduate qualification, you must have at least:

  • An overall IELTS score of 6.0 and no band less than 5.5
  • a TOEFL score of 80 on the internet-based test with a writing score of 21
  • an overall PTE Academic score of 50, with no communication skills score less than 42
  • a Cambridge Academic English (advanced) overall score of 169 with no bands less than 162.
    Only shortlisted applicants need English language test scores.
• Scholarship History: Former Manaaki Scholars terminated for inappropriate conduct are permanently barred from reapplying for the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships.