Mountain landscape reflected on Lake Wanaka, South Island, New Zealand.

New Zealand Closing soon Closes 1 November 2026

Tongarewa Scholarship

The Tongarewa Scholarship — meaning 'treasure' in te reo Māori — is Victoria University of Wellington's flagship award for incoming international students. Awards typically range from NZD 5,000 to NZD 10,000 as a tuition reduction across both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Around 60 awards are made annually. Wellington is New Zealand's capital and home to government, public policy think tanks, and creative industries — making Victoria a strong choice for politics, public policy, film, and creative writing applicants from Sri Lanka.

Open for Trimester 1 2027 (February intake) — round deadlines 1 November 2026 and 1 May 2027 for July intake

Victoria University of Wellington

University-funded

emoji_events Award Overview

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Value

NZD 5,000-10,000

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Eligible Levels

UG + PG (Coursework)

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Selection

Academic Merit

info How this award actually works

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Who awards it

Victoria University of Wellington — 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

NZD 5,000-10,000 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.

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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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International Fee Status

Reserved for international fee-paying students. New Zealand citizens, permanent residents, and Australian citizens are not eligible.

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Hold a Victoria Offer

You must have applied to (or hold an offer for) a full-time UG or PG programme at Victoria Wellington for the relevant trimester start.

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Strong Academic Record

Equivalent of a strong B+ average or higher. For UG: 3 strong A/L grades (or equivalent international qualification). For PG: minimum B+ undergraduate average (~65%+ for Sri Lankan UG).

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Short Application Form

A separate scholarship application form is required, including a personal statement on how you would contribute to Victoria's diverse community.

account_tree Application Process

Apply to Victoria

Submit your full UG or PG application via wgtn.ac.nz/study/apply. You need an applicant ID before applying for the scholarship.

Submit the Tongarewa form

Complete the Tongarewa Scholarship application via Victoria's scholarships portal — personal statement (~500 words), academic justification.

Round assessment

Applications are assessed in rounds — 1 November 2027 deadline for February 2027 intake, 1 May 2028 for July intake. Results released 4-6 weeks after each round closes.

Award + acceptance

Successful applicants receive an award letter detailing the value. Accept via the portal and the discount is applied to your tuition in your first trimester.

Why Victoria Wellington?

Victoria is consistently ranked New Zealand's #1 university for research intensity. Wellington's compact size, walkable city centre, and concentration of government and creative employers make it an underrated destination — meaningfully cheaper than Auckland.

#240

QS World Ranking 2026

~60

Tongarewa Awards / Year

NZD 10k

Top-Tier Award Value

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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