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For help completing a scholarship application - book an appointment with our careers team - Unitec Institute of Technology -
Unitec recognises that financial support is an important consideration for our ākonga in managing their next steps. The scholarship provides both financial support and mentoring opportunities in the first year of the new programme of study.
Scholarship recipients are expected to be involved in the Unitec Māori Community.
2026 applications opening soon!
Opens 06th September 2025 | Closes 04th March 2026
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, you must:
- be a domestic ākonga, for example a New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident
- be enrolled as a NZ Māori ākonga;
- be completing or have completed a Level 3-8 programme at Unitec and are beginning a new programme of study at Unitec in semester 1, 2026;
- be enrolling in a Level 4-8 programme (diploma, undergraduate degree, postgraduate certificate or diploma) that takes at least one semester of full-time study to complete; and
- have a GPA of 3.5 (which is a B minus average) or above, in your most recent semester of study.
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 such as your hāpori, marae, hapū, iwi, church or other community that you belong to
- 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
A selection committee will review all eligible applications and make award recommendations based on:
- responses to the application questions; and
- preference may be given 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;
- completed a Level 3 to 8 programme at Unitec;
- applied for a new programme of study diploma, degree or postgraduate certificate or diploma level (Level 4-8);
- have a GPA of 3.5 or above, or Pass grades for all courses that are Pass/Fail only, in your most recent semester of study; and
- 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 Success Scholarship Selection Committee for review.
The number of scholarships awarded varies and is dependent on available funding.
What happens after 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. You must maintain a B minus average (minimum GPA 3.5) 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 Recipients 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 Institute of Technology -
Unitec recognises that financial support is an important consideration for our ākonga in managing their next steps. The scholarship provides both financial support and mentoring opportunities in the first year of the new programme of study.
Pacific Learners who have done well in their studies and want to progress to a new programme, are encouraged to apply.
2026 applications 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 Pacific ākonga;
- be completing or have completed a Level 3-8 programme at Unitec and are beginning a new programme of study at Unitec in semester 1, 2026;
- be enrolling in a Level 4-8 programme (diploma, undergraduate degree, postgraduate certificate or diploma) that takes at least one semester of full-time study to complete; and
- have a GPA of 3.5 (which is a B minus average) or above, in your most recent semester of study.
How to apply
Apply online using the form provided.
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
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 following will be taken into account for all eligible applicants:
- 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 and/or video submission;
- completed a Level 3 to 8 programme at Unitec;
- applied for a new programme of study at diploma, degree or postgraduate certificate or diploma level (Level 4-8);
- have a GPA of 3.5 or above, or Pass grades for all courses that are Pass/Fail only, in their most recent semester of study; and
- 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 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. You must maintain a B minus average (minimum GPA 3.5) 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 Recipients 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.
