Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship Documents 2027

Less Paperwork Than You Think (At First)

The Manaaki application is less document-heavy at the initial stage than most scholarships. You don’t need certified copies of everything upfront. Most documents are only requested after you’re shortlisted. But you should still have things ready because the timelines are tight once they ask for them.

Think of it in three phases: the online application (straightforward, mostly typed information), the shortlisting stage (where they want proof of what you claimed), and the visa stage (where Immigration New Zealand has its own separate checklist). Each phase has different requirements, and knowing what comes when saves you from scrambling at the worst possible moment.

Stage 1: At Application

The initial application is an online form. You are not uploading stacks of documents at this point. You are filling in information and writing essay responses. Here is what you need ready.

1. 1
   Personal details

   Your full name, date of birth, nationality, contact information, and current address. Make sure everything matches your passport exactly. Inconsistencies cause delays.

2. 2
   Academic transcripts with grading scale explanation

   You will enter your academic history and must upload a copy of the academic transcript for your qualification, including the grading scale (Samoa Foundation applicants are exempt). Crucially, explain your grading system. A GPA of 3.5 means nothing without context — what is the maximum? What grade is a pass? What does “distinction” mean in your system?

3. 3
   Work experience details

   For each role: employer name, your job title, duration of employment, and approximate hours per week. This is a development scholarship, so work experience is taken seriously. Be thorough here even if you think a role was minor.

4. 4
   Essay responses (six topics)

   The application includes written responses covering your motivation for studying in New Zealand, your study plan and how it connects to your career, the development impact you expect to have when you return home, a situation demonstrating resilience, and more. These are the most important part of the application. Write them yourself.

5. 5
   Referee contact information

   You provide the names and contact details of your referees. They may be contacted later in the process. You do not need to upload reference letters at this stage, but your referees should know they might hear from the selection panel.

Stage 2: After Shortlisting

If your application makes it past the initial review, you will be asked to provide supporting documentation. This is where things get more formal. The turnaround time is usually tight, so having these ready in advance is not just helpful — it is essential.

English language test scores

You need one of the following (postgraduate levels shown; see eligibility for undergraduate levels):

IELTS needs a valid passport, and the application must include a digital colour copy of it.

Verified copies of academic transcripts and degree certificates

These need to be verified, English-translated copies, not just scans of originals. If your documents are not in English, you will need certified translations. Check with your university registrar how long this process takes — it varies wildly.

Valid passport

Must have at least three months’ validity beyond your planned departure date from New Zealand. If your passport is expiring within the next two years, renew it now. Do not wait until you have the scholarship offer.

PhD applicants: evidence of supervisor contact or agreement

If you are applying for a doctoral programme, you need to show at the interview stage that you have secured a supervisor at a New Zealand university or are in active discussions with one. This is not optional — a PhD application without a supervisor connection is unlikely to progress.

Once you are a preferred candidate, your institution may also ask for verified copies of official documents such as your passport, birth certificate, government ID, academic records and English test results during admission.

Stage 3: For the Visa Application

Once you accept your scholarship offer, you need to apply for a New Zealand student visa straight away. This is a separate process handled by Immigration New Zealand, and it has its own document requirements. Your institution will tell you when it is time to apply; here is what to expect.

1. 1
   Course offer letter with signed declaration

   An official letter from your New Zealand education provider confirming your enrolment, including a signed declaration from them. This is usually arranged through the scholarship programme.

2. 2
   MFAT funding confirmation letter

   A letter from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade confirming your scholarship funding. This serves as proof that your tuition and living costs are covered. You will receive this from the scholarship programme.

3. 3
   Medical and chest X-ray results

   The official Manaaki site says the visa process involves medical tests, and the scholarship pays for one standard immigration medical check. Immigration New Zealand also asks for a chest X-ray if you will stay more than 6 months and come from a country with a higher tuberculosis risk. Exams must be done by an approved panel physician. Find one near you early — appointments fill up, and results take time.

4. 4
   Police certificates

   Required if you are staying for 24 months or more. You need police clearance from every country you have lived in for 5 or more years since turning 17. In some countries, this takes months. Start early.

5. 5
   Passport photos

   Recent passport-sized photos meeting New Zealand immigration specifications. Simple, but easy to forget until the last moment.

Your visa application fee, immigration levy and one immigration medical check are reimbursed by your institution if you keep the receipts. Police clearance fees, courier fees, passport fees, travel to medical or visa appointments and visas for dependants are not.

Referee Requirements

Your referees matter more than you might think. The selection panel may contact them directly. Here is what you should know when choosing who to list.

Good referee choices

• Someone who has directly supervised your work or studies
• A manager or team leader who can speak to your professional abilities
• An academic supervisor who knows your research interests

Weak referee choices

• A family member or personal friend
• Someone with an impressive title who barely knows you
• A lecturer from a large class who cannot speak to your individual qualities

Give your referees plenty of notice and share information about the scholarship with them. Tell them what the programme values: development impact, leadership potential, resilience, and a clear plan to return home and contribute. A referee who understands the scholarship can speak to the right things when asked.

For postgraduate applicants, professional references often carry more weight than purely academic ones. The selection panel wants to know what you have done with your education, not just what grades you got. If you have work experience in a development-relevant field, a supervisor from that role is an excellent choice.

Referees may be contacted directly by the selection panel, so make sure they know this could happen and that they respond promptly. An unreachable referee is not a good look.

Common Document Mistakes

These are the errors that slow down applications or get them disqualified. All of them are preventable if you plan ahead.

Submitting transcripts without explaining the grading system

New Zealand reviewers are not familiar with every country’s grading system. If your transcript says “Second Class Upper” or “75/100,” they need context. Always include a grading scale explanation, even if your university does not provide one by default — create a simple one yourself.

Letting English test scores expire before enrolment

IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE scores are valid for two years from the test date, and the scholarship’s own guidance refers to scores from the last 12 months. If you took the test early and there are delays, your score might be too old by the time you actually enrol. Check the dates carefully and retake if needed.

Not having a passport ready for the visa stage

You do not technically need a passport to apply for the scholarship. But if you get the offer and then discover your passport is expired or does not have enough validity, you are in trouble. Passport renewals in some countries take weeks or months. Get it sorted early.

Waiting too long to get police clearance

Some countries process police clearance certificates in days. Others take three to four months, or longer if you need to go through embassies for countries you previously lived in. Start the process as soon as you are shortlisted — or even before.

Not getting the medical exam early enough

The medical exam must be done by an Immigration New Zealand-approved panel physician. Depending on where you live, there may be only one or two approved doctors in your entire country. Appointment slots fill up quickly around scholarship season. Book as early as you can once you know you will need one.

A Note on Application Integrity

Your application must be your own work.

Do not have an agent, consultant or friend write your essays, and do not use AI tools to generate your responses wholesale. The official selection guidelines look for integrity and honesty, and the interview will show whether the written voice is really yours.

Get proofreading help, yes. Ask someone to check your grammar and flag unclear sentences, absolutely. But the content, the ideas, the experiences, and the reasoning must be yours. The selection panel reads thousands of applications every year. They can tell when the voice does not match the person. They can tell when the language is too polished for someone who later struggles in an interview.

Beyond the ethical issue, there is a practical one: your essays set expectations for the interview. If your written application promises one thing and you deliver something entirely different when speaking, that inconsistency will be noticed. Write honestly, in your own voice, about your actual experiences and plans. When you are ready, follow the step-by-step application process.