The Wellington Doctoral Scholarship at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington provides a major funding opportunity for high-achieving domestic and international students seeking to pursue a PhD in New Zealand. The scholarship supports doctoral research across a broad range of academic disciplines and offers approximately 110 awards annually. Successful recipients receive an annual NZ$32,000 stipend plus domestic tuition fees for up to three years, subject to the scholarship’s terms and conditions. The programme is designed to attract talented researchers with strong academic records, research potential, and the ability to contribute to the university’s research community. Areas of Study The Wellington Doctoral Scholarship is available across virtually all major academic fields at the university, including: Architecture Business and Government Design Innovation Education Engineering Health Humanities and Social Sciences Law Music Technology Science This broad disciplinary coverage makes the scholarship suitable for applicants from diverse academic and research backgrounds. Scholarship Benefits The scholarship provides substantial financial support throughout the doctoral programme. Each successful recipient is eligible for: NZ$32,000 annual stipend Domestic tuition fees for up to three years Full-time support for doctoral research Access to Victoria University of Wellington’s research environment and academic resources Opportunities to work with experienced researchers and supervisors The scholarship is normally tenable for three years. However, the duration may be reduced for candidates who have already been enrolled in a PhD at the university for more than six months when the scholarship is awarded. Who Can Apply? The scholarship is open to New Zealand and international applicants who intend to undertake a full-time doctoral programme at Victoria University of Wellington. Graduates of universities inside or outside New Zealand are eligible to apply. Applicants may either be preparing to begin their doctoral studies or, under the applicable conditions, may already have commenced doctoral study at Victoria University of Wellington. The scholarship is specifically intended for candidates pursuing their first doctoral qualification. Individuals who already hold a doctorate are not eligible. Academic Requirements Selection is highly competitive and based primarily on academic merit and research potential. Successful candidates are generally expected to have completed a bachelor’s or master’s degree with academic distinction equivalent to a First Class Honours degree at a New Zealand university. Strong applicants are expected to demonstrate one or more of the following: Excellent academic performance Strong academic references Demonstrated potential for high-quality research A record of publication in high-quality academic journals appropriate to their level of experience Strong alignment between their proposed research and the university’s research priorities The selection process may also consider the strategic alignment of a candidate’s research interests with the relevant school, institute, centre, or potential research partnerships. Application Deadlines The Wellington Doctoral Scholarship has three application rounds each year. Current closing dates are: 1 March 1 July 1 November Completed online applications must be submitted by 4:30 pm on the relevant closing date. Late or incomplete applications are not accepted, and all required supporting documents, including references, must be received by the deadline. Applicants are normally notified of the outcome within approximately six to eight weeks after the closing date. Application Process Candidates interested in the scholarship must follow the university’s doctoral admission and scholarship application procedures. Applicants should carefully review the doctoral admission requirements and scholarship conditions before submitting their applications. Applicants who completed their previous studies at another institution are required to provide academic records from those institutions. A strong application should clearly demonstrate the candidate’s academic achievements, research capabilities, proposed research direction, and suitability for doctoral study at Victoria University of Wellington. Scholarship Conditions Recipients must remain enrolled full time and devote themselves full time to their doctoral research throughout the scholarship period. Scholarship holders are generally not permitted to hold another position of employment, although approval may be granted for paid employment of up to 600 hours in a calendar year under specified conditions. Recipients must also submit progress reports every six months and maintain satisfactory academic progress. The scholarship may be suspended or terminated if a recipient fails to meet the conditions of the award or does not make satisfactory progress. Scholarship recipients are also expected to represent Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington as ambassadors and may be invited to participate in appropriate university events or promotional activities. Start Date and Enrolment Scholarship recipients must become fully enrolled in the relevant doctoral programme within the stipulated timeframe. The scholarship normally begins no later than six months after acceptance for domestic students and nine months for international students. Scholarships generally cannot be deferred to a later year. Exceptional circumstances may, however, allow the Research Scholarships Committee to approve a longer deferral where this would benefit the recipient’s research programme or the university. Why Consider the Wellington Doctoral Scholarship? The Wellington Doctoral Scholarship offers high-achieving researchers an opportunity to pursue advanced research in a globally connected academic environment while receiving significant financial support. With approximately 110 scholarships available each year, the programme provides opportunities across science, engineering, technology, social sciences, humanities, law, business, health, education, architecture, and other disciplines. For international students seeking a funded PhD in New Zealand, the combination of a NZ$32,000 annual stipend and domestic tuition fee coverage for up to three years makes this an attractive doctoral funding opportunity. How to Apply Interested candidates should review the official doctoral admission and scholarship requirements, identify an appropriate research area and supervisor, prepare the required academic documentation, and submit a complete online application before the applicable deadline. The next listed closing date is 1 November 2026. VISIT OFFICIAL WEBSITE TO APPLY For more opportunities such as these please follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn and WPChannel Disclaimer: Global South Opportunities (GSO) does not take ownership or credit for the opportunities shared on this platform. All opportunities are sourced from official announcements and external sources for informational purposes only. Applicants are encouraged to verify all details, deadlines, and eligibility requirements from the official source before applying. Opportunities may be updated or changed by the providing organisations.