MIT and Unitec School Leaver Scholarships

Scholarship Closes: 10th March 2027

Eligibility Criteria

To apply, you must:

• be a domestic learners, i.e. a New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident
• exited secondary school or kura within the last 24 months
• be enrolling for the first time at MIT & Unitec
• be starting in a programme from Level 3 to 8 (certificate, diploma, undergraduate degree, postgraduate certificate or diploma) that takes at least one semester of full-time study to complete.

How to apply

• Apply online on the form provided at the bottom of this page. As part of your application you will need to respond to the following statements and questions:

• tell us a little about yourself, especially around your goals and achievements, community involvement and personal strengths
• what are you planning to study at MIT & Unitec and what are your career aspirations beyond that?
• what motivates you to succeed in your study?
• how will this scholarship help support you with your studies?

Selection Bases

Once scholarship applications close, the Scholarships & Mentoring Team (“Team”) check that applicants have:

• completed the online application; and
• applied to study a relevant course at MIT & Unitec; and
• enrolled as a New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident; and
• exited school or kura within the last 24 months

The Team send all eligible applications out to the Selection Committee for review. The number of scholarships awarded varies and is dependent on available funding.

Selection Process

Selection committees (“Committee”) are made up of at least three relevant members of MIT & Unitec. 

The committee review all applications received and will make award recommendations based on a combination of:

• responses to the scholarship application questions;
• MIT & Unitec priority group goals – namely to achieve parity for Māori, Pacific and Disabled and Neurodiverse learner; and
• in addition to above first in family to pursue tertiary education and learners residing in Tamaki Makaurau may also be given preference.
• MIT & Unitec has complete discretion in assessing applications for the scholarship. MIT & Unitec’s decision is final and binding. Learners are welcome to contact the Scholarships & Mentoring Team at scholarships@unitec.ac.nz for feedback on their scholarship application outcome.

What happens after the selection?

The Scholarships & Mentoring team are the kaitiakitanga of the scholarships process. They will:

• let learners know scholarship application outcomes
• check enrolments at week three of the semester as the final eligibility check
• set up the first payments – to be made to learners in week six of semester 1
• manage ongoing eligibility checks, mentoring opportunities, and second payments.

Ongoing Eligibility

Academic progress: Learners who are awarded the scholarship are expected to achieve Pass grades for all courses, unless exceptional circumstances prevail.

Learners who fail one or more courses will be assisted by the Scholarships & Mentoring team to explain their circumstances via a breach appeals process.

Appeals are considered by the awarding scholarship selection Committee. The Committee will decide whether to terminate or maintain the scholarship, and will also provide academic assistance, wherever possible, to support the learners. MIT & Unitec Enrolment: learners are expected to maintain their enrolment status, i.e. be enrolled full-time (minimum of 60 credits) per semester, or part-time as stipulated when their scholarship was awarded.

Termination of scholarship

Your scholarship terminates if:

• you withdraw from the MIT & Unitec course/programme after the start of the programme
• you cease to meet the eligibility criteria;
• you breach the academic and enrolment eligibility requirements and don’t successfully appeal; or
• MIT & Unitec determines that you are guilty of misconduct and after consultation with the Director Student Success (or their nominee), deems that it is not appropriate for you to continue to hold the Scholarship.

Apply now