A stone building with palm trees in Dunedin, New Zealand.

New Zealand Check current round

University of Otago International Excellence Scholarship

The University of Otago International Excellence Scholarship targets the very best international postgraduate students entering selected research-track programmes — primarily research Master's. Awards cover a tuition fee waiver (capped at NZD 35,000) plus an NZD 18,204 living stipend for one year. Otago, founded 1869 in Dunedin, is New Zealand's oldest university and consistently ranked among NZ's top three.

Rolling intake — apply alongside your Otago postgraduate admission application

University of Otago

University-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Value

NZD 35,000 tuition + NZD 18,204 stipend

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Duration

1-Year Master's (research-track)

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Eligibility

Top-decile international applicants

info How this award actually works

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Who awards it

University of Otago — 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 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.

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What it covers

Tuition Waiver + NZD 18,204 Stipend. 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.

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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

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Strong Honours / Master's

Hold (or be about to complete) an Honours degree with First Class or equivalent — typically top 10% of your cohort. For Sri Lankan applicants, this means a strong first-class result from Colombo, Peradeniya, Moratuwa, or equivalent.

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Otago Offer for Eligible Programme

Have an admission application in progress (or hold an offer) for an eligible research-track postgraduate programme. Coursework-only Master's typically don't qualify — research Master's do.

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International Status

Open to international students paying full international fees. Domestic NZ students and Otago staff scholarship recipients are not eligible.

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Not Holding Another Major Award

Cannot be held alongside another major Otago or external scholarship (e.g. Manaaki). Always check with the Otago Graduate Research School on stackability.

account_tree Application Process

Apply for Otago admission

Submit your application for the eligible postgraduate research programme through Otago's eVision portal. Identify your prospective supervisor for research-track Master's programmes early.

Receive scholarship invitation

Once your admission application is complete, the Graduate Research School emails an invitation to apply for International Excellence and related scholarships.

Submit scholarship form

Complete the short online scholarship application — academic transcripts, supervisor support letter (for research-track), and a brief research statement.

Outcome & enrolment

Awards are made on a rolling basis throughout the year. Successful candidates are notified by email and the tuition waiver plus stipend is set up at enrolment.

Why University of Otago?

Founded 1869, Otago is NZ's oldest university and is renowned for health sciences (dentistry, medicine, pharmacy), the humanities, and a strong research-led postgraduate culture. Compact, walkable Dunedin campus with the iconic Clocktower at its centre.

#214

QS World Ranking 2026

1869

Founded (Oldest in NZ)

NZD 18.2k

Annual Living Stipend

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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