The International Student Excellence Scholarship is an entry award from Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland in New Zealand, aimed at new international students of high calibre starting a Master’s degree of one year or more in Auckland.
There is no open call: students who hold a Master’s offer for Semester One or Quarter Two 2027 by 20 October 2026 and meet the criteria are invited to complete a supplementary form. Awards are offered twice a year.
Benefits & funding
- A tuition fee credit of up to 25% of fees for the first two semesters (one year of full-time study).
- The number of awards varies.
- Recipients must complete two consecutive semesters, or normally repay the full value.
- Cannot be held with another tuition fee scholarship funded by the International Office.
Eligibility
- International students only: not a New Zealand citizen, permanent resident or resident visa holder, nor an Australian citizen or permanent resident living in New Zealand. All other nationalities may apply, including Australians living outside New Zealand.
- A conditional or unconditional offer for an eligible Master’s programme and an Admissions GPE of at least 7.0.
- Full-time, on-campus study; distance students (including University of Auckland Online) are excluded.
- Not eligible: anyone who has started study at the University or done any tertiary study in New Zealand (exchange excepted).
- Graduate School of Management: only the Master of Applied Finance, Business Analytics or Professional Accounting qualify.
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Afghanistan · Albania · Algeria · Andorra · Angola · Antigua and Barbuda · Argentina · Armenia · Australia · Austria · Azerbaijan · Bahamas
+ 220 more
Bahrain · Bangladesh · Barbados · Belarus · Belgium · Belize · Benin · Bhutan · Bolivia · Bosnia and Herzegovina · Botswana · Brazil · Brunei · Bulgaria · Burkina Faso · Burundi · Cabo Verde · Cambodia · Cameroon · Canada · Central African Republic · Chad · Chile · China · Colombia · Comoros · Costa Rica · Côte d'Ivoire · Croatia · Cuba · Cyprus · Czechia · DR Congo · Denmark · Djibouti · Dominica · Dominican Republic · Ecuador · Egypt · El Salvador · Equatorial Guinea · Eritrea · Estonia · Eswatini · Ethiopia · Fiji · Finland · France · Gabon · Gambia · Georgia · Germany · Ghana · Greece · Grenada · Guatemala · Guinea · Guinea-Bissau · Guyana · Haiti · Honduras · Hong Kong · Hungary · Iceland · India · Indonesia · Iran · Iraq · Ireland · Israel · Italy · Jamaica · Japan · Jordan · Kazakhstan · Kenya · Kiribati · Kuwait · Kyrgyzstan · Laos · Latvia · Lebanon · Lesotho · Liberia · Libya · Liechtenstein · Lithuania · Luxembourg · Macau · Madagascar · Malawi · Malaysia · Maldives · Mali · Malta · Marshall Islands · Mauritania · Mauritius · Mexico · Micronesia · Moldova · Monaco · Mongolia · Montenegro · Morocco · Mozambique · Myanmar · Namibia · Nauru · Nepal · Netherlands · Nicaragua · Niger · Nigeria · North Korea · North Macedonia · Norway · Oman · Pakistan · Palau · Palestine · Panama · Papua New Guinea · Paraguay · Peru · Philippines · Poland · Portugal · Qatar · Republic of the Congo · Romania · Russia · Rwanda · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Samoa · San Marino · São Tomé and Príncipe · Saudi Arabia · Senegal · Serbia · Seychelles · Sierra Leone · Singapore · Slovakia · Slovenia · Solomon Islands · Somalia · South Africa · South Korea · South Sudan · Spain · Sri Lanka · Sudan · Suriname · Sweden · Switzerland · Syria · Taiwan · Tajikistan · Tanzania · Thailand · Timor-Leste · Togo · Tonga · Trinidad and Tobago · Tunisia · Türkiye · Turkmenistan · Tuvalu · Uganda · Ukraine · UAE · UK · USA · Uruguay · Uzbekistan · Vanuatu · Vatican City · Venezuela · Vietnam · Yemen · Zambia · Zimbabwe · Kosovo · Somaliland · Western Sahara · Anguilla · Aruba · Bermuda · Bonaire · Saba · Sint Eustatius · British Virgin Islands · Cayman Islands · Curaçao · Montserrat · Puerto Rico · Guadeloupe · Sint Maarten · Turks and Caicos Islands · US Virgin Islands · Greenland · Falkland Islands · Faroe Islands · Gibraltar · Guernsey · Jersey · Isle of Man · Åland Islands · Svalbard and Jan Mayen · Saint Helena · American Samoa · French Polynesia · Guam · New Caledonia · Northern Mariana Islands · Pitcairn Islands · Wallis and Futuna
Education required
Bachelor Enrolled · Bachelor
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Application process
- 1Apply for a Master’s programme and receive an offer for Semester One or Quarter Two 2027 by 20 October 2026.
- 2Eligible students are invited on 21 October 2026.
- 3Submit the supplementary form, including a personal statement, through the portal link by 4 November 2026.
- 4Accept any award by the date in the notification, or it is forfeited.
Program timeline
Offer cut-off for an invitation
20 Oct 2026
Invitations issued
21 Oct 2026
Supplementary form deadline
4 Nov 2026
Study starts in Semester One or Quarter Two
2027