Frequently Asked Questions

No. There are no exceptions to the country list. If your country is not listed as eligible, you cannot apply for the Manaaki scholarship regardless of your qualifications. This is not a rule that gets waived on a case-by-case basis. The eligible countries are set by the New Zealand government based on their foreign aid priorities, and they can change between cycles. Check the eligibility page for the current list.

No hard upper limit, but preference is given to applicants under 40. Being over 40 does not automatically disqualify you, but it does reduce your chances because younger applicants are prioritized. The reasoning behind this is straightforward: the scholarship is a development investment, and younger graduates have more working years ahead to apply what they learned back home.

Only for PhD. The progression rule requires your chosen course to be a step above your highest existing qualification. If you already hold a Master's degree, applying for another Master's at the same level will not be accepted. You would need to apply for a doctoral programme. This is one of the more commonly misunderstood rules, so read the eligibility criteria carefully before submitting.

No. School leavers and first-year undergraduate applicants are exempt from the work experience requirement. The work experience rule only kicks in for postgraduate applicants, who need at least 1 year of full-time employment or 2 years of part-time work in a relevant field. If you are applying straight out of secondary school or during your first year of university, you do not need any professional experience.

Potentially, but you must have resided in your home country for at least 2 years before applying. Exceptions exist for people on diplomatic postings or those already enrolled in overseas study programmes. If you have been living and working abroad on your own initiative for more than 2 years, you will likely be ineligible regardless of your citizenship.

No. This is one of the biggest misconceptions about the Manaaki scholarship. You apply to the scholarship first. You do not need an offer from a New Zealand university at the time of application. University enrollment happens after you are selected as a preferred candidate. Education New Zealand will then help you secure a place. Do not waste time or money getting an offer letter before you have even been shortlisted.

No. The form questions are only visible during the March 1 – April 10 application window. You cannot access them ahead of time. The best way to prepare is to read the guidance published on the official Manaaki site before the window opens, and to start drafting your responses based on what past applicants have reported. Our how to apply page covers what to expect.

Applications from high-volume countries like Indonesia and the Philippines can close before April 10 once the cap is reached. There are no extensions and no exceptions. If you are from one of these countries, do not wait until the last week. Apply as early in the window as possible. Once the portal shows your country's intake is closed, that is final for the cycle.

Each application is for one specific programme. You cannot submit multiple applications for different programmes within the same cycle. If you want to apply for a different programme, that would be a separate application in a future cycle. Choose the programme that best aligns with your country's development needs and your professional background. Trying to game the system by applying for whatever seems easiest to get into usually backfires during the interview.

This is a known issue with the portal. Not every programme offered by every university appears in the dropdown list. The workaround is to select the closest similar qualification at the same university and then request a course change after you are selected. AUT specifically advises this approach on their own website. It is frustrating, but it does not hurt your application as long as you explain the intended programme clearly in your written responses.

It covers the basics but is tight, especially if you are studying in Auckland or Wellington. The NZ$615 per week needs to cover everything: rent, food, transport, utilities, and personal expenses. Here is a rough breakdown of weekly costs:

Dunedin and Palmerston North give the most financial breathing room. Auckland is the most expensive city in the country, and you will feel the squeeze there. Check the benefits page for a full breakdown.

Yes, but the scholarship provides zero financial support for dependents. All family costs — including travel, visa fees, insurance, accommodation, and living expenses — come entirely from your own resources. The living allowance is calculated for one person. If you bring a spouse and children, you will need significant savings or a working partner to make it work. Many scholars choose to come alone for exactly this reason.

Your student visa allows up to 25 hours per week during term time and full-time work during scheduled holidays. However, Manaaki scholars may need written approval from MFAT before taking on any employment. This is an extra step that regular international students do not have to deal with. Also, if you are on a short-term training scholarship rather than a full degree programme, you cannot work at all. Check with your scholarship coordinator before accepting any job.

Budget carefully, choose an affordable city if you have the option, cook at home instead of eating out, and consider part-time work within the rules. The establishment allowance of NZ$3,000 helps with initial setup costs like bedding, kitchenware, and winter clothing when you first arrive. After that, you are on the weekly allowance. Some scholars also bring savings from home to cover the gap, especially if they are in Auckland.

Very competitive. Around 15,000 people apply each year for approximately 1,100 spots. That works out to roughly a 7% acceptance rate, which puts it in the same league as some of the most selective scholarships globally. The process is multi-stage: initial screening, psychometric testing, detailed assessment of your written responses, and then a 40-minute video interview. Each stage eliminates a significant portion of applicants.

The programme does not provide individual feedback on rejected applications. The volume is simply too high. Based on what past applicants and assessors have shared, the most common reasons include: choosing a subject that is not a priority area for your country, failing to make a convincing case for development impact, low abstract reasoning scores on the psychometric test, and poor alignment between your chosen course and your country's actual needs. Read our common mistakes page for a deeper look.

Yes, you can reapply in the next application cycle. There is no limit on the number of times you can apply. However, unless your profile has substantially improved — more relevant work experience, a stronger development case, a different and better-aligned programme — simply resubmitting the same application is unlikely to change the outcome. Use the gap year to strengthen the areas that likely let you down.

An online assessment with two components: abstract reasoning (pattern recognition and logical thinking) and a personality questionnaire. It is sent to shortlisted applicants and you have 10 days to complete it once the invitation arrives. The abstract reasoning section is timed and scored. Low scores on that section are a common reason for elimination at this stage. The personality assessment does not have right or wrong answers but contributes to your overall profile. See our psychometric test guide for more details.

Yes. The 2-year return obligation is a binding condition of the scholarship. This is not a suggestion. Immigration New Zealand will not grant you any visa to remain in or return to New Zealand during that 2-year period without written approval from MFAT. You sign up for this when you accept the scholarship, and the New Zealand government enforces it. If your plan is to use the scholarship as a pathway to residency, this is not the right programme for you. See the after graduation page for the full details.

Immigration controls will prevent you from obtaining another New Zealand visa for 2 years without MFAT approval. If your scholarship is terminated because you made unauthorized visa changes or overstayed, you may be required to repay the full cost of the scholarship. That includes tuition, allowances, flights, and everything else the programme covered. The New Zealand government treats this seriously, and there are documented cases of scholars being pursued for repayment.

After completing your 2-year return obligation in full, you are free to apply for whatever visa or residency pathway you wish. The restriction only applies during the 2-year period. Once that obligation is fulfilled, you are treated the same as any other applicant. But during those 2 years, you cannot apply for any New Zealand visa — work, residency, or otherwise — without MFAT explicitly signing off on it.

You receive a NZ$1,000 reintegration allowance and access to the global Manaaki alumni network. Honestly, the reintegration amount is minimal and will not go far. The alumni network is more valuable in the long run — it connects you with other graduates across the Pacific and Asia who have been through the same programme. But in practical terms, you should plan your return finances independently. The scholarship's financial support effectively ends when you board your flight home.

It is the successor to the NZAID Development Scholarships, yes. The programme was rebranded as the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships, and the name change came with changes to the criteria, processes, and eligible countries. If you are reading advice from someone who went through the old NZAID process before 2019, be cautious. Some of that information is no longer accurate. Always verify current rules against the official website.

About 6 to 10 months from application close to final decision. Here is the typical timeline:

There will be long periods of silence in between. If you have not heard anything by August or September, that does not mean you are rejected. Check the deadline page for more on the timeline.

The only official source is nzscholarships.govt.nz. Be cautious of third-party scholarship aggregator sites that publish outdated or incorrect eligibility information. Many of those sites still list countries that were removed from the eligible list years ago. If you read something on a blog, forum, or Facebook group that contradicts what the official site says, go with the official site every time.