University of Otago International Master's Research Scholarship
The University of Otago International Master's Research Scholarship is a stipend-plus-domestic-tuition award for international students undertaking a one-year research-based Master's (e.g. MA, MSc, MAppSc by thesis) at Otago. The award provides a NZD 17,500 living stipend and reduces tuition to the domestic rate — making the package roughly NZD 30,000 in value over the year. Sri Lankan applicants with research experience and a published or near-published paper are competitive; the scholarship is highly suited to those planning to progress to a PhD afterwards.
University of Otago
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
NZD 17,500 + Domestic Tuition
Duration
12 Months (Research Master's)
Awards
Around 20 per Year
fact_check Eligibility Criteria
Admission to a Research Master's at Otago
You must be applying to or admitted to a thesis-based Master's programme at Otago — typically a one-year Master's by research where 100% of the assessment is a thesis (or a 90-credit equivalent research project).
Strong Honours / Bachelor's Record
Typically a Bachelor's with first-class honours or a four-year Bachelor's with A average (or international equivalent). Sri Lankan applicants from Colombo, Peradeniya, or Moratuwa with first-class honours typically clear this bar.
Supervisor's Endorsement
You must identify and contact a potential Otago supervisor before applying. The supervisor's support letter is part of the scholarship application — applications without one are typically not advanced.
English Proficiency
Meet Otago's standard postgraduate English requirement — typically IELTS 6.5 overall with no band below 6.0, or TOEFL iBT 95+. Some research areas (e.g. health sciences) require higher.
account_tree Application Process
Find a supervisor and proposal
Identify Otago academics whose research aligns with your interests. Email them with a CV and a 1-page proposal. Allow 4-8 weeks of back-and-forth refining the proposal before they confirm supervision support.
Apply for admission + the scholarship
Submit your Master's application through the Otago eVision portal. The scholarship application is integrated into the postgraduate admission application — tick the box and upload the supervisor's support letter, research proposal, and CV.
Three assessment rounds per year
Applications are assessed in three rounds (April, August, December). Submit at least 6 weeks before your preferred round. The scholarship committee ranks applications by research merit and supervisor strength.
Outcome and enrolment
Successful applicants receive a scholarship letter alongside their offer of admission. The stipend is paid monthly across the 12 months, and the domestic tuition rate is applied to the student account.
Why University of Otago?
Otago is New Zealand's oldest university (founded 1869) and consistently sits in the top 250 globally. The Dunedin campus is one of the most traditional, residential university experiences in NZ — with strengths in health sciences (Otago Medical School), biological sciences, marine science, and humanities.
#214
QS World Ranking 2026
1869
Founded (NZ's oldest)
12 mo
Research Master's
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