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

New Zealand Applications open Closes 1 March 2027

Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships

Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships are the New Zealand government's flagship development scholarships, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and administered by Education New Zealand. They support postgraduate study at NZ's 8 universities and selected institutes of technology, with full tuition, monthly stipend, return airfares, and medical insurance. Sri Lanka is on the eligible country list, and awards target candidates whose study will contribute to Sri Lanka's development on return.

2027 cycle: applications open 1 March 2027, close 10 April 2027

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade

Government-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Value

Fully Funded

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Duration

1-2 Year Master's or PhD

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Travel

Return Airfares + Insurance

info How this award actually works

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This is a separate, highly competitive application

Government awards like this one run their own selection round against applicants from across the world, and success rates are usually in the low single digits. Lanka Scholar does not administer it and cannot submit it for you. Treat it as a bonus on top of a funded study plan — never as the plan itself.

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Who awards it

New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.

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How you are considered

Through a separate application round run by the funder, with its own forms, deadlines and shortlisting. You submit it yourself — it is not part of a university admission application.

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What it covers

Full Tuition + Living + Flights. Read the terms carefully: even fully-funded awards rarely cover every cost, and any shortfall is yours to fund.

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Where we come in

We help you judge whether this award is worth your time, and build a realistic admission plan that works whether or not you win it.

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Sri Lankan Citizen

Must be a citizen of an eligible country (Sri Lanka is on the list) and residing in Sri Lanka at the time of application. Cannot hold NZ or Australian citizenship/permanent residency.

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1+ Year Work Experience

Minimum one year of full-time (30+ hrs/week) work experience, or two years part-time. Paid, unpaid, and voluntary work all count. Recent graduates typically need to wait before applying.

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Academic Standing

Strong Bachelor's degree (typically first-class or upper second-class) from a recognised institution. For PhD applicants, a relevant Master's with a research component is normally required.

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Return Commitment

Sign a binding agreement to return to Sri Lanka for at least 2 years immediately after the scholarship ends — your study should contribute to Sri Lanka's development priorities.

account_tree Application Process

Apply on the Manaaki portal

Submit your application at nzscholarships.govt.nz between 1 March and 10 April 2028. Choose your preferred NZ institutions and programmes — you can list multiple choices.

Eligibility & shortlisting

MFAT reviews applications against eligibility, development priority, and academic merit. Shortlisted candidates are contacted from June onwards.

University placement

Successful candidates are matched with their selected NZ university for a place on the chosen programme. You apply for university admission in parallel.

Pre-departure & visa

Final awardees attend pre-departure briefings in Colombo and apply for a Fee-Paying Student Visa with the Manaaki award as evidence of funds. Studies typically start February 2028.

About Manaaki Scholarships

Manaaki — meaning to care for, support, and protect — has been the New Zealand government's primary international development scholarship for decades. The programme prioritises study fields linked to recipient countries' development needs.

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NZ Universities Eligible

~100+

Annual Awards (all countries)

MFAT

Funded by NZ Government

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.

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