University of Waikato International Excellence Scholarship
The University of Waikato International Excellence Scholarship is a NZD 10,000 first-year tuition discount for high-achieving international undergraduate and postgraduate students. Awards are offered across most Waikato programmes — particularly its well-regarded business, computer science, and management schools. Waikato's Hamilton campus sits about 90 minutes south of Auckland, with significantly lower living costs and a smaller student-to-faculty ratio than Auckland or Wellington.
Open for Trimester A and Trimester B 2026; 2027 round opens September 2026
University of Waikato
University-funded
emoji_events Award Overview
Value
NZD 10,000 (Year One)
Duration
First Year of Study
Awards
Around 30 per Year
info How this award actually works
Who awards it
University of Waikato — not Lanka Scholar. We are not the awarding body and cannot grant, reserve or guarantee this award.
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.
What it covers
NZD 10,000 (First-Year Tuition Discount). 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.
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
Offer for an Eligible Waikato Programme
Hold an offer for a full-time Bachelor's, Master's, or postgraduate diploma at the University of Waikato. Pathway programmes (foundation, English language) are not eligible.
International Fee Status
Open only to international students paying overseas fees. Sri Lankan citizens applying from Sri Lanka are eligible; New Zealand citizens, permanent residents, and Australian citizens are not.
Strong Academic Record
Undergraduate applicants typically need 2 As and 1 B at A/L (or equivalent); postgraduate applicants need a credit-average Bachelor's. Stronger results improve award chances within the pool.
English Proficiency
Meet Waikato's standard English requirement — typically IELTS 6.0 with no band below 5.5 for undergraduate, and IELTS 6.5 for postgraduate. Higher levels apply to specific programmes (e.g. teaching, social work).
account_tree Application Process
Apply to Waikato
Submit your Waikato application through the online portal or an authorised education agent in Sri Lanka. Scholarship consideration requires a conditional or unconditional offer.
Submit the scholarship application
After receiving your offer, complete the International Excellence Scholarship application — a short personal statement (around 500 words) on why you've chosen Waikato and your future goals. Submit by the relevant trimester deadline.
Selection on merit
Waikato's international scholarship committee reviews applications in rounds for each trimester intake. Outcomes are usually issued within four weeks of the round closing.
Accept and enrol
Successful applicants must accept the scholarship and confirm enrolment by the published deadline. The NZD 10,000 is applied as a tuition discount in Year 1 across the two trimesters.
Why University of Waikato?
Waikato is a top-300 New Zealand university with strong programmes in management, computer science, environmental science, and law. The Hamilton campus is one of NZ's most modern, sits in the heart of the Waikato region, and is significantly more affordable than Auckland — making it a practical mid-cost NZ option for Sri Lankan families.
#244
QS World Ranking 2026
Triple
Crown Accredited Business School
90 min
South of Auckland
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.
Work out your real number
Tuition, living costs, visa funds and flights for your destination — so you know the gap you are actually trying to close.
Open the cost calculator arrow_forwardSort courses by lowest fee
The full catalogue, cheapest tuition first. Changing course or country saves far more than most awards are worth.
Browse lowest-fee courses arrow_forwardWhat NZ actually costs
Tuition, living costs and the total first-year figure for NZ, in LKR as well as local currency.
See the cost breakdown arrow_forwardCheck your proof of funds
Every student visa requires you to show funds. Find out what you need before you commit to an application.
Check the requirement arrow_forwardSimilar Scholarships
Other curated opportunities for Sri Lankan students.
AUT Significant Student Scholarship
Auckland University of Technology
Lincoln University International Excellence Scholarship
Lincoln University (New Zealand)
Otago Polytechnic International Scholarship
Otago Polytechnic, Dunedin