Mountain landscape reflected on Lake Wanaka, South Island, New Zealand.

New Zealand Check current round

University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship

The University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship is New Zealand's most generous PhD funding package at a top-100 university. It covers full international tuition fees plus an annual living stipend of NZD 35,000 (tax-free) for up to 3 years. Sri Lankan applicants with a strong research-Master's, publications, and a confirmed Auckland supervisor are competitive. The award covers most fields — engineering, sciences, humanities, business, and health — and there are typically 4 rounds per year, making timing flexible.

Rolling — 4 application rounds per year (March, June, September, December cutoffs)

University of Auckland

University-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

savings

Stipend

NZD 35,000 / year (tax-free)

paid

Tuition

100% International Fee Covered

school

Duration

3 years (PhD)

group

Awards

~200 / year (all rounds combined)

info How this award actually works

account_balance

Who awards it

University of Auckland — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.

how_to_reg

How you are considered

Through your admission application. Awards like this are usually assessed automatically from the application you already submit — there is typically no separate scholarship form to fill in.

payments

What it covers

NZD 35,000 stipend + Full tuition fees. This is a reduction in tuition, not a full ride. You still fund the remainder, plus living costs and the balance your visa requires you to show.

handshake

Where we come in

We make the admission application strong enough to be competitive — course choice, documents, references and deadlines. The funder makes the decision.

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

school

Strong Research Master's

First-class or high second-upper Master's degree with a substantial research component (thesis-based). Coursework-only Master's typically need an additional Honours / research project.

work

Confirmed Auckland Supervisor

You must have identified and contacted a potential supervisor whose research aligns with yours BEFORE applying. The supervisor's written support is part of the scholarship application — Auckland will not assign one for you.

public

International PhD Applicant

Open to international and NZ applicants — Sri Lankan citizens compete in the international pool. There is no country quota; selection is on academic merit and research fit.

calendar_month

Apply Before the Round Cutoff

Auckland runs 4 scholarship rounds per year (March, June, September, December). Submit both your PhD admission application AND the scholarship application before the round cutoff for review in that round.

account_tree Application Process

Identify a supervisor & confirm interest

Search the University of Auckland's research profiles, email potential supervisors with your CV, transcripts, and a 1-2 page research outline. Secure written confirmation of supervision before applying.

Submit PhD application + scholarship form

Submit your PhD application via the Auckland online portal — this includes transcripts, references, research proposal, English-test (IELTS 6.5+) results, and your supervisor's support email. Tick the Doctoral Scholarship box in the same submission.

Round review & decision

The Doctoral Scholarship committee reviews complete applications submitted before the round cutoff. Decisions are typically released 6-8 weeks after the cutoff.

Accept + visa

If awarded, accept the offer and use it (with the supervisor's confirmation and admission letter) for the NZ Fee-Paying Student Visa application — the scholarship is sufficient proof of funds.

Why Auckland?

The University of Auckland is New Zealand's largest and highest-ranked university — consistently top 100 globally. It is the country's only U21-network member and hosts a substantial research community across Engineering, Health Sciences, Business, and the Arts.

Top 100

QS World Ranking 2026

#1

Ranked in New Zealand

46,000+

Total Students

Looking for a scholarship because of the cost?

Then start here instead. Scholarships are competitive, usually partial, and decided by someone else — they are the least reliable way to make studying abroad affordable. Your destination and course choice move the number far more, and both are entirely within your control.

calculate