International Pathways Award

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Regulations

The following regulations relate to a scholarship offered by Unitec*(Unitec). By applying for the scholarship, you agree to be bound by these regulations.
*Unitec is a business division of its parent entity, Te Pūkenga – New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology (Te Pūkenga). Any references to Unitec refer to Te Pūkenga trading as Unitec, a business division of Te Pūkenga.

1. Scholarship name: Unitec International Pathways Award (“Scholarship”)

2. Purpose of the scholarship
2.1 The purpose of this scholarship is to encourage International ākonga (students) studying at Unitec for the first time, to pursue their goals and study with Unitec.
2.2 Unitec recognises that financial support is an important consideration for ākonga considering study. The scholarship provides both financial support and mentoring opportunities in the first year of study.
2.3 Scholarship recipients are expected to be involved and participate in the Unitec International Community.

3. Scholarship financial value
3.1 The value of the scholarship is $2,000.00 for a full year of full-time study; or pro-rata for one semester full-time programmes.
3.2 The scholarship is provided to ākonga to cover education related costs and is paid:
• in two equal payments of $1,000.00 each semester; or
• where the programme of the ākonga is only one semester long by one payment of $1000.00.
3.3 You may not defer or suspend the scholarship without the prior written permission of the awarding School or Director.
3.4 Once awarded for a particular programme and School, the Scholarship is not transferrable to another Unitec programme or School, or to any other subsidiary or business division of Te Pūkenga.

4. Duration
4.1 The scholarship is awarded for one year i.e., two semesters of consecutive study. Where an ākonga is awarded the scholarship for a programme that lasts for one semester, then the duration of the scholarship is one semester only.

5. Who is eligible
5.1 To apply, you must be:
- an international student and hold a valid student visa,
- be enrolling for the first time at Unitec
- be starting full-time (minimum 45 credits per semester) in an undergraduate certificate or diploma programme (Level 3 – 6) at Unitec that takes at least one semester of full-time study to complete.

6. How to apply
6.1 Complete the online application form.
6.2 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 will you be studying at Unitec in 2025 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)?

7. Selection
7.1 Once scholarship applications close, the Scholarships & Mentoring Team (“Team”) check that applicants have:
• completed the online application
• Be studying a relevant programme at Unitec
• enrolled as an International student
7.2 The Team send all eligible applications out to the Scholarship Selection Committee for review.
7.3 The number of scholarships awarded varies and is dependent on available funding.

8. Committee preferencing
8.1 It is important to Unitec to manaaki the success of our ākonga and communities. Our strategic vision includes parity goals for Māori, Pacific, and disabled and neurodiverse ākonga. We also want to manaaki the success of first in family to pursue tertiary education, sole parents, school leavers and ākonga with low prior achievement.
8.2 Unitec Scholarships for any new students are also an opportunity to foster diversity and inclusion in our student cohorts. Factors such as educational disadvantage, gender, refugee or migrant status may all contribute to positive outcomes of your application.
8.3 Preference may be given to learners who demonstrate that financial support will have an impact on their ability to continue their tertiary studies at Unitec. Priority is given to those eligible students who have not received any Unitec scholarships, awards or grants previously.

9. Selection committees
9.1 Selection committees (“Committee”) are made up of at least three relevant members of Unitec.
The committee review all applications received and will make award recommendations based on a combination of:
• responses to the scholarship application questions
• the preference criteria stipulated in clauses 8.1 through 8.3 above
9.2 Unitec has complete discretion in assessing applications for the scholarship. Unitec’s decision is final and binding. Ākonga are welcome to contact the Scholarships & Mentoring Team at scholarships@unitec.ac.nz for feedback on their scholarship application outcome.

10. What happens 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 the semester
• manage ongoing eligibility checks, mentoring opportunities, and second payments

11. Ongoing eligibility
11.1 Academic progress: Ākonga who are awarded the scholarship are expected to achieve Pass grades for all courses, unless exceptional circumstances prevail.
11.2 Ākonga who fail one or more courses will be assisted by the Scholarships & Mentoring team to explain their circumstances via a breach appeals process.
11.3 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.
11.4 Unitec Enrolment: ākonga are expected to maintain their enrolment status, i.e. be enrolled full-time (minimum of 45 credits) per semester.

12. Termination of a scholarship
12.1 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 do not 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.
12.2 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 to be reimbursed to Unitec.

13. Other obligations and conditions
• The offer of the Scholarship is made subject to all information provided by the scholarship recipient (“Recipient”) being true and accurate.
• By accepting the offer of the Scholarship, each Recipient agrees to the Regulations.
• For the duration of this scholarship ākonga are not allowed to hold other Unitec funded scholarships, unless a priority group or equity-based scholarship is approved by the Selection Committee. Ākonga are limited to accessing a maximum of $5,000 of Unitec funded scholarships per academic year.
• The Recipient is responsible for advising the Scholarships team of any changes in circumstances that would make them ineligible for continuation of the Scholarship, e.g., reducing study load to part time, taking leave of absence or deferring study.
• Unitec is committed to The Education (Pastoral Care of Tertiary and International Learners) Code of Practice and ensuring the wellbeing of our learners. The scholarships team will track and monitor recipients and check in throughout the duration of the scholarship.
• Any change in the Recipient’s circumstances not addressed by these Regulations will be considered by the Scholarships team and/or the Scholarship Selection Committee case-by-case.
• The Recipient will be invited to consent to allowing their name, photograph, and a short article to be used for the promotion of Te Pūkenga and/or Unitec. • The Scholarship is not transferrable or exchangeable.