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Funding

Fully Funded

Vice-Chancellor’s Doctoral Scholarships

PhD ScholarshipNew Zealand · Auckland

Auckland University of Technology (AUT)

Application Deadline

Rolling admission

Official Page

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.

“Have a GPA of 8.0 or above in your most recent qualifying programme completed at a New Zealand tertiary institution … Māori and domestic Pacific applicants: have a GPA of 7.5 or above from your most recent qualifying programme completed at a New Zealand tertiary institution, and be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident” Eligibility

  • Education required

    Bachelor

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The Vice-Chancellor’s Doctoral Scholarship is Auckland University of Technology’s PhD award, decided case by case rather than in fixed rounds.

It funds new doctoral candidates starting research at AUT in Auckland, New Zealand, whose most recent qualifying degree, from a New Zealand tertiary institution, earned a top GPA. Applications are taken all year except 1 December to 15 January.

Benefits & funding

  • NZ$34,737 a year (2026 awards), plus tuition fees at the domestic rate and the compulsory student services fee.
  • Up to three years full-time, or NZ$17,368.50 a year for up to six years part-time; renewed yearly on progress.
  • You must live in New Zealand to be paid; withdrawing means repaying stipend paid since.

Eligibility

  • New doctoral candidates with an unconditional Offer of Place in an AUT doctoral programme.
  • A GPA of 8.0 or above in your most recent qualifying programme, completed at a New Zealand tertiary institution.
  • Māori and domestic Pacific applicants: a GPA of 7.5 or above from such a programme, plus New Zealand citizenship or permanent residency.
  • The 8.0 route names no citizenship; doctoral admission and English language requirements apply.
  • Grades for the qualifying degree must be out when you apply.
  • Not open to anyone who has applied unsuccessfully for an AUT Doctoral Scholarship before.

Application process

  1. 1
    Secure an unconditional Offer of Place first; admission can take up to two months.
  2. 2
    Apply on the AUT scholarship portal with a two-page research proposal and a short CV.
  3. 3
    Two academic referees (one if your qualifying degree is from AUT) report through the portal.
  4. 4
    Show AUT faculty support if your proposed supervisor or head of school is not a referee.
  5. 5
    A sub-committee of the AUT Scholarships Committee decides case by case on the faculty’s recommendation.

Program timeline

  1. no applications accepted; open the rest of the year.

    1 December to 15 January

  2. Within three months of the offer

    take up the scholarship and enrol.

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