Scholarship information for school leavers
The University of Waikato offers more than 20 scholarships for school leavers. Awards cover tuition fees, accommodation and living costs. Applications open April and close 31 August.
Starting university is a big step and scholarships can make it easier.
The University of Waikato offers more than 20 scholarships for students entering university directly from school. Whether you're academically driven, a community leader, a sportsperson, or connected to Māori or Pacific communities, there's likely a scholarship for you.
Scholarships can help cover tuition fees, accommodation costs and everyday living expenses. They reduce your reliance on student loans and give you more freedom to focus on what matters.
Scholarship links
Contact the Scholarships Office with any questions.
Scholarships for school leavers
University of Waikato Scholarship for Outstanding Academic Achievement.
Up to $30,000 over 3 years
Sir Edmund Hillary Scholarship
For excellence in sport and/or performing arts, academics, and leadership.
Up to $30,000 over 3 years
‘Ko Te Tangata’ School Leaver Scholarship
For academic readiness to study at the University of Waikato, recognising and supporting top-achieving students.
$5,000
For meritorious achievement and excellence in aspects of Te Ao Māori.
Up to $20,000 over 3 years
Pacific Excellence Scholarship
For meritorious achievement and connection to the Pacific community.
Up to $20,000 over 3 years
Edna Money Future Pacific Leaders' Scholarship
For high-achieving leaders of Pacific Island descent.
Up to $18,000 over three years
Vice‑Chancellor’s Access Waikato Scholarship
For students from key regions who apply for the ‘Ko Te Tangata’ School Leaver Scholarship (no application required).
Up to $10,000
D.V Bryant Trust UOW Residential Scholarship
For school leavers with proven academic potential who need financial assistance to attend university, and whose academic progress would benefit from accommodation within a hall of residence environment.
Up to $10,000
UoW Tauranga Campus Residential Scholarship
For new and returning students with proven academic potential and community spirit for whom accommodation within a university residence on the Tauranga Campus would benefit their academic progress.
Up to $8,000
UoW International Entrance Scholarship for School Leavers
For international students completing Year 13 (or equivalent) at a New Zealand high school or learning institution.
Up to $15,000
There is no application for this scholarship, it is by automatic nomination upon application to study at the University of Waikato.
Computer Science Undergraduate Scholarship
For current New Zealand secondary school students intending to study Computer Science or Software Engineering at the University of Waikato.
$5,000
Bartlett and Buckley Scholarship
For well-rounded accounting students beginning a degree programme offered by the Waikato Management School.
$1,500
Brian Smith Memorial Entrance Scholarship
For well-rounded accounting students beginning a degree programme offered by the Waikato Management School.
$1,000
Tupu Rangatahi Tupu Ahuwhenua Scholarship
For students studying a Bachelor of Business with a major in Agribusiness.
$3,000–$6,000
Te Piringa – Faculty of Law School Leaver Scholarship
For academically excellent and/or financially constrained first-year school leaver students studying at Te Piringa – Faculty of Law.
$2,000
Looking for more scholarships?
Application timeline
|
Time of year |
What happens |
|---|---|
|
April |
Applications open. Start gathering required documents. |
|
April – August |
Submit scholarship application via MyWaikato and confirm referee details. |
|
31 August |
Applications close at 11.59pm. |
|
September |
Scholarship Office reviews all submissions. |
| October |
Decisions released via MyWaikato. You have two weeks to accept your offer. |
|
January |
Results (NCEA, CIE, and IB) are verified and offers are confirmed and finalised. |
How to access scholarship applications
To apply for scholarships, you first need to submit an Application to Enrol at the University of Waikato. This creates access to your MyWaikato account, where you can then apply for scholarships.
Submitting an Application to Enrol does not commit you to study at the University of Waikato. You can update or withdraw your enrolment application later if your plans change.
Once you have access to MyWaikato:
- Log in to your MyWaikato portal
- Select the Scholarships tab
- Find the scholarship you want to apply for
- Select Apply Now
- Complete the application questions
- Upload any required documents
- Review your application and select Submit Application
You can save your scholarship application and return to it later. You can also edit a submitted application up until the scholarship closing date.
For further step-by-step instructions, visit our How to apply for scholarships and awards page.
Academic Assessments and References
Academic Assessments
All school leaver scholarship applications require an Academic Assessment to be completed by the applicant's school.
Applicants are asked to nominate their preferred staff member to complete the Academic Assessment. This information is provided to the school for reference; however, it is ultimately up to the school to determine which staff member is best placed to complete the assessment. A link is not automatically sent to the nominated staff member. Instead, the Scholarships Team contacts each school directly and requests completion of all assessments through the school's nominated process.
Scholarship References
A small number of school leaver scholarships also require a reference to be completed. Depending on the scholarship, this may be a sport, arts, character, or other supporting reference.
Applicants are asked to nominate a referee to complete an online reference questionnaire. A link will automatically be sent to the nominated referee when the scholarship application is submitted.
Should you wish to update your referee details after submitting an application, instructions can be found on our Scholarships FAQs page.
Applicants are encouraged to speak with their nominated referee before submitting their application to ensure they are willing and able to complete the reference by the required deadline.
Scholarship selection process
Scholarship selection looks at the whole person, not just grades. Depending on the scholarship, selection may consider:
- Academic achievement and readiness for university study
- Leadership in school, cultural or community settings
- Connection to Te Ao Māori or the Pacific community
- Excellence in sport, performing arts or creative disciplines
- Personal circumstances and resilience
- Alignment with the scholarship's specific purpose.
Each scholarship has its own criteria, detailed in the scholarship regulations.
Types of accommodation scholarships
There are two types of scholarships that help with living costs, for both you need to apply for accommodation through the portal at the same time as applying for your scholarship.
- A guaranteed placement: These scholarships give you both money and a promised spot in the Halls of Residence. Examples are the D.V. Bryant Trust UOW Residential Scholarship and the University of Waikato Tauranga Campus Residential Scholarship.
- Help with fees only: Scholarships that help pay for your costs only. They do not promise a room in the halls.
If your scholarship guarantees a room, to keep your spot you must:
- Complete the official Halls of Residence application
- Pay your deposit and any admin fees
- Meet all the deadlines
If your scholarship does not include a guaranteed placement, you must apply for accommodation yourself. Apply as soon as possible to secure your spot, if plans change you can always withdraw.
If you have any questions, please email accom@waikato.ac.nz.
Outcomes and accepting your offer
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You will find out if you got a scholarship in October. Check your MyWaikato account for the result.
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Once you get an offer, you have two weeks to accept it.
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Accepting an offer does not mean you are forced to study at the University of Waikato. You can change your mind and withdraw later if your plans change.
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If you applied for several scholarships, you might hear back about them at different times because different groups of people make the decisions.
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You might be offered a scholarship you didn't specifically apply for. For example, applying for the 'Ko Te Tangata' School Leaver Scholarship means you are automatically considered for others, like the Vice-Chancellor’s Access Waikato Scholarship.