NEW ZEALAND DEVELOPMENT SCHOLRASHIPS

Information for intake commencing 2012

Regional strategy

The New Zealand Development Scholarships (NZDS) scheme offers the opportunity to people from targeted developing countries to undertake development-related studies at tertiary education institutions in New Zealand.

New Zealand Development Scholarships are a central part of the New Zealand Government’s development cooperation programme in Africa. In the southern and eastern Africa region, The New Zealand Aid programme, managed by the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, offers NZDS in the Open category (NZDS-Open) to candidates from Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.

By providing people with knowledge and skills to contribute to the sustainable development of key sectors in their home country, the NZDS scheme aims to reduce poverty, promote health, nutrition, improve agriculture and rural livelihoods, and contribute to the human resource base of Africa. The New Zealand Aid Programme capacity building complements the work done in country by multilateral agencies and non-governmental organisations’ (NGO) projects.

Type, level and number of scholarships

Under the Africa Regional Programme, New Zealand offers NZDS-Open scholarships to individuals from Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania and Zambia.. The NZDS-Open is directed to public sector, private sector and civil society (including NGO) candidates who independently apply for a scholarship, and who meet the eligibility and selection criteria outlined below. Preference will be given to applicants from disadvantaged communities.

New Zealand Development Scholarships are awarded for full-time, postgraduate level study (i.e. Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters Degrees) in New Zealand. Undergraduate degrees and Doctorates (PhD) are not offered under the Africa Regional Programme.

New Zealand will offer up to 14 NZDS-Open scholarships for the region, with as equitable a spread as possible across all four eligible countries, for study beginning in the 2012 academic year.

Priority sectors

For the 2012 intake, NZDS scholarships will be offered at postgraduate level for study in the development sectors of:

• Agriculture

• Private sector development

• rural livelihoods (including small and micro enterprise development and

• health and nutrition (particularly public health, primary health, HIV/AIDS, infectious diseases)

Eligibility criteria

Applicants for NZDS must meet the generic NZDS eligibility criteria before their application will be considered against the selection criteria, including any criteria specific to Africa.

Applicants must:

• be a citizen of Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania or Zambia (i.e. permanent residents of these countries are not eligible to apply);

• be residing in their country of citizenship, preferably for at least two years prior to application;

• not have citizenship or permanent residence status of New Zealand, Australia or another developed country ;

• not be married or engaged to be married to a person who holds, or who is eligible to hold, citizenship or permanent residence status of New Zealand, Australia or another developed country;

• (for candidates from Africa) be 40 years or under at the time of application;

• be applying to commence a new qualification and not be seeking funding for one already commenced in New Zealand or another country;

• not have completed, or nearly completed, a qualification at a similar level (i.e. applicants must apply for a higher level qualification than any previously attained), unless strong developmental relevance is demonstrated;

• satisfy the admission requirements of the New Zealand education institution at which the qualification is to be undertaken, including English language criteria;

• have been working in their home country, including since completing their highest tertiary qualification, for at least two years prior to application;

• be able to demonstrate a strong commitment to their home country’s public, private or community sector (as relevant), and to the development of their home country in general; and

• be available to take up the scholarship in the academic year for which it is offered.

Applicants cannot:

• be studying full-time at post-secondary level;

• be transferring from another tertiary scholarship (either in New Zealand or in another country) to a NZDS;

• hold, or have held, a New Zealand Government or Australian Government scholarship in the 24 months preceding the scholarship start date; or

• have been terminated from a New Zealand or Australian Government scholarship previously.

Applicants are expected to continue residing in their home country during the NZDS application and selection process. If offered a NZDS, candidates must:

• be able to satisfy Immigration New Zealand requirements for international student entry to New Zealand (i.e. medical checks and police clearance/character checks, etc). All students will be required to undertake a medical examination, including HIV/AIDS testing, to ensure they are physically capable of travelling and pursuing long term study in New Zealand;

• not hold another scholarship during the period of the NZDS; and

• agree in writing that they will return to their home country for a minimum period of two years following completion of their scholarship in order to contribute to their country’s social or economic development.

English language requirements

New Zealand tertiary education institutions set their own admission requirements for English language proficiency. As a guide, most New Zealand education institutions require a minimum IELTS score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0 for postgraduate level study. Some postgraduate qualifications require a higher score, particularly in education and the health sciences. All applicants should check the IELTS or TOEFL score required for admission to their selected New Zealand education institution.

As a guide:

• IELTS test results will be required from applicants from Tanzania;

• applicants from Kenya, South Africa, and Zambia whose primary to tertiary education has been in English, will not normally be required to provide an IELTS or TOEFL test score but are required to provide a letter with their application from the tertiary institution the applicant last attended stating that English is the language of instruction .

It is mandatory for candidates to provide the original copy of their IELTS or TOEFL test result as a pre-condition of placement. Results must be no older than 24 months at the time of the scholarship start date.

Application process and closing dates for applications

NZDS-Open candidates apply directly to one of the participating New Zealand education institutions (see Annex 1), after ensuring that they meet the NZDS eligibility criteria. The education institution distributes and receives NZDS-Open application forms. In order for the application to be considered, applicants must:

• complete one original NZDS application form (available on request from the relevant New Zealand education institution);

• indicate the level and field of study required;

• attach to the application form an original or certified copy of the documents necessary to substantiate educational qualifications (i.e. full academic transcripts and completion certificates);

• attach to the application form three references (no more than 24 months old) on official letterhead supporting the application to study in New Zealand. One reference should be from a current employer and one from a former academic supervisor or lecturer;

• ensure the relevant section of the application form has been signed and stamped by their employer; and

• forward the completed original application form and all relevant supporting documentation, plus one photocopy of the completed application form and all relevant supporting documents, to their selected New Zealand education institution.

It is important that all requested supporting documentation is included.

All applications must be completed in English, with certified true copies of official English translations (where the original document is not in English) attached to the NZDS application form. Applications with incomplete supporting documents will not be processed.

Closing dates for applications

Applicants must ensure that the institution receives the completed NZDS application form (including all supporting documentation) before the institution’s closing date (see Annex 1).

Selection criteria

New Zealand Development Scholarships will be awarded in the priority sectors requiring human resource capacity enhancement in the southern and eastern Africa region. In addition to the eligibility criteria above, candidates’ applications will be considered against the following selection criteria:

• the proposed study programme links to one of the identified priority development sectors for Africa (see page 1);

• the applicant clearly demonstrates the developmental relevance and applicability of their proposed study programme to the human resource development training needs of their country;

• applicants for postgraduate study must hold a recognised Bachelors degree of strong academic merit, relevant to the proposed postgraduate qualification. (Note: The New Zealand Aid Programme gives preference to candidates who do not already hold a degree from a developed country);

• the applicant clearly demonstrates their links and commitment to their home country (e.g. services to their community, ability to influence change in a key development sector etc), supported by references. The proposed study programme must be relevant to:

• recent paid and/or unpaid (volunteer) work experiences ;

• the training needs of the employing organisation; and

• identified employment opportunities on completion of their study.

• consideration of gender equity, including efforts to ensure the scholarships are offered equitably between male and female candidates

• consideration of other factors which will contribute to the success of their studies (e.g. good character, positive study attitude and motivation to succeed).

Selection process

Applications received by the participating New Zealand education institution will be assessed for admission to the institution, and checked against the NZDS eligibility criteria. The institution will then send complete NZDS applications, for candidates with unconditional offers of place, to the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s Scholarships Team in Wellington, by 30 June.

The New Zealand High Commission in Pretoria will shortlist eligible applications according to the selection criteria, and shortlisted candidates will subsequently be interviewed by a Pretoria-based panel. The New Zealand High Commission will advise the New Zealand education institutions of the outcome of the NZDS selection round by late September. NZDS-Open applicants will be notified by the New Zealand High Commission regarding the success of their application and what they should do next.

Additional information

The purpose of the NZDS scheme is for scholarship holders to gain knowledge and skills in specific subject areas that will assist in the development of their home country by contributing to identified human resource development training needs. It is a pre-condition of accepting a NZDS that scholarship holders return to their home country to take up a position that utilises their study for a minimum period of two years.

Female applicants are strongly encouraged to apply as the New Zealand Government attempts to ensure gender equity among scholarship holders.

New Zealand Development Scholarships must be taken in the year for which they are offered and cannot be transferred to the next academic year.

If offered a New Zealand Development Scholarship, travel to New Zealand is subject to a visa being issued by Immigration New Zealand. Successful candidates should allow at least two months for their student visa application to be processed.

Information on NZDS allowances and entitlements, and conditions of the NZDS scholarship is provided on the scholarships pages of NZAID’s website: www.aid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds.html

The scholarship will cover air travel, full tuition fees, an establishment allowance, and a living allowance to cover day to day costs in New Zealand. Applicants may also be entitled to return travel to their home country to see dependant family members under the Reunion Airfare Entitlement.

As of 7 February 2011, New Zealand Development Scholarship awardees may work for up to 20 hours in any given week during the academic year and any holidays within the academic year and full-time during the Christmas-New Year holiday period.

The New Zealand Aid Programme does not provide dependants’ funding. However, eligible partners of awardees are now able to apply for open work visas without an offer of employment or written approval from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

Applicants must not have applied for New Zealand or Australian permanent residency. Applicants must not seek or apply for permanent residency or a work permit for New Zealand, Australia or any other country while on scholarship.

Note: The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has the right to make a final decision on the offering of scholarships. The New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has the right to amend terms and conditions of scholarships. Amendments will be posted on the New Zealand Aid Programme website (www.aid.govt.nz/scholarships).

Address for further information

New Zealand Aid Programme Manager

New Zealand High Commission

Private Bag X27

Brooklyn Square

Pretoria 0075

SOUTH AFRICA

Tel: +27-12-435 9000

Email: enquiries@nzhc.co.za