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Applications for 2025 employment are now open.
Purpose
The Whai Ake Māori mentoring programme aims to provide a strong support system for tauira Māori in tertiary education. The programme is designed to support tauira to engage with their culture throughout their journey at Te Whare Wānanga o Wairaka and to enhance their leadership capabilities.
We want all tauira Māori who meet the eligibility criteria and who can demonstrate a commitment to the Whai Ake programme to consider applying.
Eligibility for Whai Ake Maori Mentoring Opportunity - Tuakana (Mentors)
To apply, you must:
- be a domestic student, i.e. New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident;
- be a current full-time tauira Māori enrolled in a diploma, degree or postgrad level Unitec programme
- have completed at least two semesters of study at Unitec in a certificate, diploma or degree
- be enrolled as a New Zealand Māori student
Please read the Whai Ake Tuakana Job Description for more information
Selection Criteria
As part of our shortlisting process we might give preference to applicants who:
- are aged between 18-25 years
- have previously completed Whai Ake as a Teina
- have been a Whai Ake Tuakana in previous years
All shorlisted applicants will be invited to attend an interview.
Need help or have more questions? Email the Whai ake i te Ara Tika Academic Co-ordinator Jonyne Mariu-Komene jkomene@unitec.ac.nz.
Still want more info? Find out more at Whai Ake.
For help completing a scholarship application - book an appointment with our careers team - Unitec -
Unitec recognises that financial support is an important consideration for our ākonga in managing their study goals. The scholarship provides both financial support and mentoring opportunities.
2026 applications are opening soon!
Opens 06th September 2025 | Closes 04th March 2026
Eligibility Criteria
To apply, you must:
- be a domestic ākonga, for example a New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident;
- be enrolled as a NZ Māori ākonga;
- have completed and passed a minimum of 60 credits within your current undergraduate diploma or bachelor level programme at Unitec;
- be continuing in your current programme of study as a full-time (or pre-approved part-time) student; and
- have a GPA of 6.0 (which equates to a B+ average) or above, in your most recent semester of study for graded courses, or all PASS grades for Pass/Fail courses.
How to apply
Apply online using the form provided. Support is available for ākonga through our 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: https://guides.unitec.ac.nz/scholarships
As part of your application you will need to respond to the following 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 or identify with, 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.
You will also be asked to complete your Pepehā. There are Unitec kaitiaki who will help you complete this if you need assistance.
If you are a disabled ākonga, sole parent, or an ākonga with other carer responsibilities, who is applying to study part-time, you will also be asked “how does being able to study part-time remove barriers and help you to succeed in your goals?”
Selection Bases
The Selection Committee will review all eligible applications and will make award recommendations based on a combination of:
- responses to the scholarship questions; and
- may give preference to learners who demonstrate that financial support will have an impact on their ability to continue their studies.
Selection process
Once scholarship applications close, the Scholarships & Mentoring Team (“Team”) check that the applicants have:
- completed the online application;
- maintained enrolment in an undergraduate diploma or bachelor level programme, at Unitec;
- have a minimum of one semester of full-time study or pre-approved part-time study left to complete their undergraduate diploma or bachelor level programme;
- have a GPA of 6.0 or above or Pass grades for all courses that are Pass/Fail only, in their most recent semester of study;
- enrolled as a NZ Māori domestic ākonga
The Team will add the ākonga GPA scores from their most recent semester of Unitec study to all eligible applications. They then send the applications to the Māori Scholarship Selection Committee for review.
The number of scholarships awarded varies and is dependent on available funding.
What happens after the selection?
The Scholarships & Mentoring team are the kaitiakitanga of the scholarships process. They will:
- let ākonga 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 ākonga usually in week six or eight of semester 1
- manage ongoing eligibility checks, mentoring opportunities, and second payments.
Ongoing eligibility
Academic progress: Ākonga who are awarded the scholarship are expected to continue to do well in their studies. They must maintain a B plus average (minimum GPA 6.0) or a Pass grade for all courses that are Pass/Fail only.
Ākonga 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 referrals to academic or pastoral assistance, wherever possible, to support the ākonga.
Unitec Enrolment: Ākonga are expected to maintain their enrolment status, i.e., be enrolled full-time (typically a minimum of 60 credits) per semester, or part-time as stipulated when their scholarship was awarded.
Termination of a scholarship
Your scholarship will be ended/terminated by Unitec 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.
If Unitec terminates the Recipient’s Scholarship for any of the above reasons, after the start of Semester 1 or 2, Unitec may require any Scholarship payment(s) already made be reimbursed to Unitec.
For help completing a scholarship application - book an appointment with our careers team - Unitec -
Unitec recognises that financial support is an important consideration for our ākonga in managing their study goals. The scholarship provides both financial support and mentoring opportunities.
2026 applications opening soon!
Opens 06th September 2025 | Closed 04th March 2026
Eligibility Criteria
To apply, you must:
- be a domestic ākonga, for example a New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident;
- be enrolled as a Pacific ākonga;
- have completed and passed a minimum of 60 credits within your current undergraduate diploma or bachelor level programme at Unitec;
- be continuing in your current programme of study as a full-time (or pre-approved part-time) student; and
- have a GPA of 6.0 (which equates to a B+ average) or above, in your most recent semester of study for graded courses, or all PASS grades for Pass/Fail courses.
How to apply
Apply online using the form provided. Support is available for ākonga through our 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: https://guides.unitec.ac.nz/scholarships
As part of your application you will need to respond to the following 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 or identify with, such as your hapori, marae, hapu, 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.
- If you are a disabled ākonga, sole parent, or an ākonga with other carer responsibilities, who is applying to study part-time, you will also be asked “how does being able to study part-time remove barriers and help you to succeed in your goals?”
Selection Bases
The Selection Committee will review all eligible applications and will make award recommendations based on a combination of:
- GPA scores;
- responses to the scholarship questions; and
- may give preference to learners who demonstrate that financial support will have an impact on their ability to continue their studies.
Selection Process
Once scholarship applications close, the Scholarships & Mentoring Team (“Team”) check that the applicants have:
- completed the online application;
- maintained enrolment in an undergraduate diploma or bachelor level programme, at Unitec;
- have a minimum of one semester of full-time study or pre-approved part-time study, left to complete their undergraduate diploma or bachelor level programme;
- have a GPA of 6.0 or above or Pass grades for all courses that are Pass/Fail only, in their most recent semester of study;
- enrolled as a Pacific domestic ākonga.
The Team will add the ākonga GPA scores from their most recent semester of Unitec study to all eligible applications. They then send the applications to the Pacific Scholarship Selection Committee for review.
The number of scholarships awarded varies and is dependent on available funding.
What happens after the selection?
The Scholarships & Mentoring team are the kaitiakitanga of the scholarships process. They will:
- let ākonga 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 ākonga usually in week eight of semester 1
manage ongoing eligibility checks, mentoring opportunities, and second payments
Ongoing eligibility
Academic progress: Ākonga who are awarded the scholarship are expected to continue to do well in their studies. They must maintain a B plus average (minimum GPA 6.0) or a Pass grade for all courses that are Pass/Fail only.
Ākonga 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 referrals to academic or pastoral assistance, wherever possible, to support the ākonga.
Unitec Enrolment: Ākonga are expected to maintain their enrolment status, i.e., be enrolled full-time (typically a minimum of 60 credits) per semester, or part-time as stipulated when their scholarship was awarded.
Termination of a scholarship
Your scholarship will be ended/terminated by Unitec 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.
If Unitec terminates the Recipient’s Scholarship for any of the above reasons, after the start of Semester 1 or 2, Unitec may require any Scholarship payment(s) already made be reimbursed to Unitec.
