Te Pou Angitū

Unitec recognises that financial support is an important consideration for ākonga/learners considering study. The scholarship provides both financial support and mentoring opportunities in the first year of study.

Scholarship recipients are expected to be involved and participate in the Unitec Māori Community.

2026 Applications for new student scholarships:

Opens 06th September 2025 | Closed 04th March 2026

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible, you must: 

• be a domestic student, i.e. a New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident
• be enrolling for the first time at Unitec 
• be enrolled as a Māori ākonga 
• 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

Complete the online application. 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 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 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 a Pepehā. There are Unitec kaitiaki who will help you complete this if you need assistance.

If you are a disabled ākonga, sole parent, or a 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 scholarship application questions; and
• preference may be given to learners who demonstrate that financial support will have an impact on their ability to begin their tertiary studies at Unitec.

Selection Process

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

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

The Team send all eligible applications out to the Māori Scholarship Selection Committee for review.

The number of scholarships awarded varies and is dependent on available funding.

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 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 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 a 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.

Apply now