University of Auckland Offers $10,000 Scholarship for International Students

If studying in New Zealand has been sitting on your bucket list (right next to bungee jumping in Queenstown and eating way too many Hokey Pokey ice creams), then here’s some news you’ll love: the University of Auckland International Student Excellence Scholarship could chop a whopping $10,000 off your tuition bill. Yes, that’s not a typo. Ten. Thousand. Dollars.

And no, you don’t have to be a Nobel Prize winner or the next Elon Musk to apply. This scholarship was created back in 2016 with one clear mission—bring bright, motivated students from around the world to Waipapa Taumata Rau, aka the University of Auckland, and help them thrive.

What’s on the table?

• Who it’s for: Fresh international students enrolling in an undergraduate, PGDip, or master’s programme.
• Value: Up to $10,000, straight towards your compulsory tuition fees.
• Number of awards: Around 50
• Tenure: One year (enough to take the sting out of that first-year tuition bill).
• Frequency: Offered twice a year.

Official link

Important dates to scribble down (or stick on your fridge)

• Applications open: 11 September 2025 (for Semester 1 / Quarter 1 / Quarter 2, 2026)
• Applications close: 23 October 2025 (for Semester 1 / Quarter 1 / Quarter 2, 2026)

How do you actually apply?

It’s pretty straightforward. When applications open, you’ll need to:

• Check the eligibility regulations (a fancy way of saying, “make sure you tick all the boxes”).
• Apply online before the deadline.
• Wait (and maybe stress-eat) until results are out.

If you get stuck, Auckland’s got an entire AskAuckland support centre online, plus a student support team ready to rescue you if things go south (like a technical glitch).

Why should you care?

New Zealand isn’t just about jaw-dropping landscapes (though those are a solid bonus). The University of Auckland is the country’s top-ranked university and globally recognized for its teaching and research. Adding a scholarship like this to your CV? It screams, “I’m not just smart, I’m scholarship smart.”

So, whether you’re an undergrad ready to kick off your adventure or a postgrad looking to level up, this scholarship could be your golden ticket.

Now, the real question: Are you ready to swap your current campus for one with volcanoes, beaches, and some of the friendliest people you’ll ever meet?