University of Waikato Scholarships 2026 , New Zealand

The University of Waikato Scholarships offer an excellent opportunity for international students to pursue higher education in New Zealand with significant financial support. These scholarships, including the prestigious Vice Chancellor’s International Excellence Scholarship, are available for undergraduate and master’s degree programmes and are designed to attract talented students from around the world.

Degree Level

Undergraduate (Bachelor’s Degree)
Master’s Degree (Postgraduate)

Available Subjects

All available courses offered at the University of Waikato

There are no subject restrictions, allowing students from diverse academic backgrounds to apply.

Benefits

The University of Waikato Scholarships are tuition fee credits with a total value of up to NZD $15,000.

Undergraduate Students

Undergraduate award values range between $2,500 and $15,000, depending on the duration of study:

One-year tenure: $2,500 – $8,000 (applied to first-year tuition fees)
Two-year tenure: $2,500 – $12,000
- Up to $8,000 in the first year
- Up to $4,000 in the second year
Three-year tenure: $2,500 – $15,000
- Up to $8,000 in year one
- Up to $4,000 in year two
- Up to $3,000 in year three

Postgraduate (Master’s) Students

$2,500 – $15,000, applied to one or more years of postgraduate study

Note: These scholarships do not cover living expenses.

Vice Chancellor’s International Excellence Scholarship

The Vice Chancellor’s International Excellence Scholarship reflects the University of Waikato’s commitment to academic excellence, diversity, and global engagement. It supports high-achieving international students who wish to undertake face-to-face study in 2026 and beyond.

This scholarship is highly regarded and competitive, awarded based on academic merit and potential.

Eligible Nationalities

Open to students from all countries

The scholarship is exclusively for new international students.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the University of Waikato Scholarships, applicants must:

Be applying as a new international student
Enrol full-time in an undergraduate or postgraduate programme
Hold a conditional or unconditional offer of place from the University of Waikato (including approved pathway programmes)
Have a minimum GPA equivalent to B+ in the qualification used for admission
Not be currently enrolled at the University of Waikato
Not have paid tuition fees at the time of application
Not be sponsored by a government or external organisation
Not be applying via a study abroad, exchange, or guaranteed credit arrangement