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New Zealand 2026 intake: the Otago Doctoral Scholarship is assessed in regular rounds through the year — confirm the current round dates on otago.ac.nz

University of Otago Doctoral Scholarship

The University of Otago Doctoral Scholarship is the university's main funding award for PhD candidates, open to both international and domestic students on equal, merit-based terms. It provides an annual living stipend of around NZ$29,000+ (LKR ~5.4m+) plus payment of tuition fees, tenable for up to three years (with a possible short extension), and — importantly for international students — PhD candidates at New Zealand universities pay domestic-level tuition, which the scholarship covers. Otago, in Dunedin, is New Zealand's oldest university and a research leader in health sciences, biomedical and life sciences, public health, and the humanities. For Sri Lankan graduates with a strong research Master's (or an excellent honours degree) and a clear project matched to an Otago supervisor, this is a competitive, fully funded PhD route. Award numbers, exact stipend and application rounds are set by the university, so confirm the current terms and rounds on the Otago Doctoral Scholarship page.

University of Otago

University-funded

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Value

NZ$29,000+/yr + Full Fees

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Duration

Up to 3 years

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Basis

Academic Merit

fact_check Eligibility Criteria

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Strong Research Background

A research Master's with high grades, or a first-class/upper-second honours degree, in a relevant field from a recognised Sri Lankan university. The scholarship is competitive and ranked on academic and research merit.

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Supervisor and Project Match

You need PhD admission with a confirmed Otago supervisor and research project. Contacting potential supervisors early to secure support is essential before the scholarship can be awarded.

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Open to International Applicants

International PhD candidates are eligible on the same merit basis as domestic students and pay domestic-level tuition, which the scholarship covers. Sri Lankan applicants are eligible.

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English Proficiency

Otago requires English evidence such as IELTS ~6.5 for PhD entry. Sri Lankan applicants from English-medium degrees may qualify via an accepted MOI/exemption route — confirm with the Otago Graduate Research School.

account_tree Application Process

Secure a supervisor and PhD admission

Identify and contact an Otago supervisor in your field, agree a project, and apply for PhD admission through the Otago Graduate Research School.

Apply for the Doctoral Scholarship

Submit the doctoral scholarship application (often integrated with the PhD application) with transcripts, research proposal, CV and references, for a scholarship assessment round.

Merit-based selection

Otago ranks candidates on academic and research merit and awards scholarships to the top applicants in each round.

Accept and apply for the NZ visa

Accept your PhD place and scholarship, then apply for the New Zealand student visa using your offer, scholarship confirmation and financial evidence.

Why University of Otago?

Otago is New Zealand's oldest university and a research powerhouse, especially in health, biomedical and life sciences, based in the student city of Dunedin. Its Doctoral Scholarship — full fees plus a solid stipend, open to internationals on merit — makes a New Zealand PhD genuinely fundable for Sri Lankan researchers.