Wellington, New Zealand city skyline and harbour at sunset with high-rise buildings beside the water.

New Zealand Closing soon Closes 31 October 2026

UC International First Year Scholarship

The University of Canterbury's International First Year Scholarship offers up to NZD 20,000 off first-year tuition for high-achieving international students entering directly from secondary school. The award is tiered (NZD 10,000, 15,000, or 20,000) based on academic results, with the highest tier reserved for outstanding A/L, IB or equivalent grades. Canterbury sits in Christchurch on the South Island — one of New Zealand's most affordable cities — and is particularly strong in engineering, forestry, and antarctic studies.

Open for Semester 1 2027 (February intake) — application deadline 31 October 2026; Semester 2 deadline 30 April 2027

University of Canterbury

University-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

savings

Value (Tiered)

NZD 10,000 / 15,000 / 20,000

school

Duration

First Year Only

public

Eligibility

International School-Leavers

info How this award actually works

account_balance

Who awards it

University of Canterbury — 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 10,000-20,000 First-Year Tuition Reduction. 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

Direct from Secondary School

Open to international students entering a UC undergraduate degree directly from secondary school (within 2 years of completing). Applicants transferring from another university are not eligible for this specific scheme.

public

International Fee Status

Reserved for international fee-paying students. New Zealand citizens, permanent residents, and Australian citizens apply through separate UC scholarships.

work

Strong Academic Record

For NZD 10,000: A/L A grades and 2 B's, IB 32+, or Cambridge A Levels ABB. For NZD 15,000: 3 A grades / IB 34+. For NZD 20,000 (top tier): 3 A* grades / IB 38+ / all-A A/L.

gavel

Apply by the Round Deadline

You must apply for the scholarship by the round deadline tied to your intake — 31 October 2027 for Sem 1, 30 April 2028 for Sem 2.

account_tree Application Process

Apply to UC

Submit your UG application via canterbury.ac.nz/study by the scholarship round deadline. You need a UC student ID before applying for the scholarship.

Submit the scholarship form

Complete the International First Year Scholarship form via UC's scholarships portal — academic justification + supporting documents.

Round assessment

UC's International Scholarships Committee assesses all eligible applicants and allocates awards within 4-6 weeks of the round closing.

Award + acceptance

Successful applicants receive an award letter detailing the tier value. Accept via the portal and the discount is applied automatically to your Year 1 tuition invoice.

Why University of Canterbury?

UC is New Zealand's second-oldest university and one of the country's top three universities for engineering. Christchurch sits on the South Island near the Southern Alps — meaningfully cheaper than Auckland or Wellington for accommodation and food.

#261

QS World Ranking 2026

NZD 20k

Top-Tier Award

150+ yrs

Of Teaching Since 1873

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