Scholarships and Awards

Financial hardship has been identified by disabled and neurodivergent learners as a barrier to pursuing higher education. The financial and additional support that this scholarship offers is intended to help lessen this barrier by helping to support students with education related costs.  Disabled and neurodivergent students in level 3 to 8 programmes are encouraged to apply.

2026 Applications for new and continuing students are now open. 

Round 1: Opens 06th September 2025 | Closed 12th February 2026

• be a domestic student, i.e. a New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident
• be enrolled, full-time or part-time, in an undergraduate certificate, diploma or degree, or a postgraduate certificate or diploma (Level 3 to 8) programme that takes at least one semester of full-time study to complete
• have a verified disability (provide documentation or be registered with Access4Success), which for the purpose of this scholarship, includes:
  • physical
  • psychological
  • mental health disorder including anxiety, depression
  • neurological, including specific learning disabilities, ADHD and Autism
  • long term (6 months or more) injury or long-term medical illness/condition/impairment that impacts on the ability to learn
  • intellectual
  • traumatic brain injury

How to apply

Complete the online application form. Support is available for ākonga through ourAccess4Success team, Careers Team or Scholarships team. Please book an appointment early and prior to the application deadline if you would like to discuss or seek support with your application: disabilityservices@unitec.ac.nz or https://guides.unitec.ac.nz/scholarships

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. It would be great to see examples of how you have helped communities you belong to such as your hāpori, marae, hapū, iwi, church, cultural or other community.
• what will you be studying at Unitec in 2026 and what are your career aspirations after you complete your study?
• what motivates you to succeed in your studies?
• how will this scholarship help support you with your studies?
• In what ways do you think your study enables you to make a positive difference in society now (immediately) and in the future (long-term)?
• During the year we have Unitec events for ākonga. These include Māori and Pacific Orientations, Whānau/Fanau evenings, Te Wiki o te Reo & Pacific Island language weeks, events for Disabled and Neurodiverse ākonga, Ally Network and Under 25 ākonga. Please describe how you can contribute to events that connect to your identity.  
• do you see yourself as having a part to play in creating a safe and equitable learning environment at Unitec? 

Selection Process

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

• completed the online application
• enrolled or applied to study a relevant course at Unitec
• enrolled or applied as a New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident; and

have enrolled with Access4success, or provided relevant verified documentation.

Selection Bases

​A selection committee will review all eligible applications and make award recommendations based on:

• responses to application questions; and
• preference may be given to students who are:
  • in their second or third year of study at Unitec and have passed a minimum of 50% of their courses in their most recent semester of study;
  • first-time applicants who have not received the Āheinga Equity Scholarship before;
  • able to demonstrate that financial support will have an impact on their ability to pursue their studies

What happends after selection?

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

• let ākonga know scholarship application outcomes
• check enrolment and set up first payment – usually paid to ākonga in week six or eight of semester 1
• manage ongoing eligibility checks, mentoring opportunities, and second payments  
• connect you with the Access4Success Disability Support if requested for additional support

Ongoing eligibility

Academic progress: Ākonga who are awarded the scholarship are expected to achieve Pass grades for all courses, unless exceptional circumstances prevail. Ākonga who do not achieve a PASS grade in every course will be contacted by the Scholarships & Mentoring Team to explain any exceptional circumstances, which may include disability related reasons and/or unforeseen situations, that may have impacted on their grades.

akonga 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 Chair will decide whether to terminate or maintain the scholarship, and will also suggest academic assistance, wherever possible, to support the ākonga. 

Unitec Enrolment: ākonga 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 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
• 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.