New Zealand offers a quieter, friendlier study experience than the bigger destinations — and its government runs a fully-funded scholarship that Sri Lankans are eligible for, yet few apply to. Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships cover everything and are built around giving back to your home country. Here’s how they work.
Eligibility, eligible countries, coverage, and deadlines change each cycle. The details below are general guidance only — always confirm current requirements and dates on the official New Zealand Scholarships portal before applying.
What Manaaki scholarships cover
Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships, funded by New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Trade (MFAT), are designed to be fully funded. A typical award includes:
- check_circle Full tuition fees
- check_circle A living allowance to cover your costs in New Zealand
- check_circle An establishment/settling-in allowance
- check_circle Medical and travel insurance
- check_circle Airfares to and from New Zealand
- check_circle For research students, thesis and research costs
Sri Lanka is among the eligible Asian countries, and applicants can typically apply for postgraduate study — postgraduate certificates and diplomas, master’s, and PhD programmes.
The development focus — read this carefully
Manaaki is a development scholarship, not purely an academic-merit one. That shapes everything about a strong application:
- check_circle You're expected to study a subject that contributes to Sri Lanka's development priorities
- check_circle You generally commit to returning to Sri Lanka after your studies to apply what you've learned
- check_circle Your application should connect your field, your career, and the benefit to your home country
Pro Counsellor Tip
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The single biggest differentiator in a Manaaki application is your development story. The committee isn’t only asking ‘are you a good student?’ — it’s asking ‘how will this degree help Sri Lanka, and will you come back to deliver that?’ Make that link explicit, specific, and genuine throughout your application.
"Eligibility and the deadline
Beyond nationality, expect requirements around your academic background, work experience, and a commitment to return and contribute. Applications typically close around 31 March for study starting the following academic year, so you plan well ahead. Confirm the exact current eligibility and date on the official portal before you begin.
Interested in a fully-funded New Zealand scholarship?
We'll help you check your eligibility, choose a development-relevant field and programme, and build the return-and-contribute story that Manaaki applications are won on.
Discuss Manaaki ScholarshipsHow to be competitive
Strong Manaaki applicants combine a solid academic record with relevant work or community experience and a clear, credible plan to use the qualification back home. Line up genuine references, write specific essays that tie your field to Sri Lanka’s needs, and start early — the document set and the reflective essays take real time to do well. A generic “I want to study in New Zealand” application rarely succeeds against the development criteria.
Why New Zealand suits this
New Zealand pairs well with a development-focused award: respected universities, strengths in areas like agriculture, environmental management, public health, disaster resilience, and education, and a welcoming, safe environment. If your goals align with contributing to Sri Lanka in fields like these, Manaaki is a natural — and fully-funded — fit.
The bottom line
Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships are a genuinely fully-funded route — tuition, living costs, insurance and travel — open to Sri Lankans for postgraduate study, built around contributing to your home country. Choose a development-relevant field, make your return-and-impact story central, mind the March deadline, and it’s one of the best opportunities few Sri Lankans use.
Next steps
If New Zealand and a development-focused field appeal, bring us your background and goals. We’ll confirm your eligibility, help you choose a programme, and build a competitive Manaaki application around the return-and-contribute focus.
Written by
Lanka Scholar Editorial
Lanka Scholar Editorial is the Lanka Scholar counsellor team — senior advisors who place Sri Lankan students into universities across 18 destinations. Articles are reviewed before publication and refreshed when fees, deadlines, or visa rules change.
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