Staff Reporter –
Education New Zealand (ENZ) has announced that applications are now open for the grant of Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) and that the last date for receipt of the completed forms is Wednesday, March 30, 2016 (5 pm).
Applications received thereafter will not be considered.
The next round of applications for PMSA will conclude on Friday, September 30, 2016 (5 pm).
Scholarships will be available for study in 500 educational institutions or in institutions with which a New Zealand institution has a formal agreement or partnership.
The destination countries for purposes of the scholarships are Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must be at least 18 years old at the time of application, be a New Zealand citizen or have permanent resident status for at least two years. They should not hold citizenship of any of the destination countries.
“The applicants must choose Programmes that are run for a minimum of six weeks and a maximum of two years in the listed countries. The Programmes must be ‘demonstrably linked’ to New Zealand’s trade or economic agenda in Asia. These Programmes should be held for at least 20 hours a week or 30 hours a week if study is combined with internship,” a notification said.
Funding Criteria
Funded by the New Zealand government, PMSA was established in June 2013 to strengthen New Zealand’s ability to engage with key Asian trading partners, improve the international skills of the workforce, improve internationalisation of tertiary institutions and increase international understanding of the strength and quality of New Zealand’s education system.
The scholarships also aim to establish connections between New Zealand and other countries through participants building lifelong friendships and networks and strengthen New Zealanders’ understanding of other cultures.
The ENZ notification said that there are two categories of Programmes, namely Exchange and Non-Exchange (Independent) Programmes.
Exchange Programmes are eligible Programmes that meet three criteria. These are (1) the student is currently enrolled in a New Zealand institution (2) The Programme is included in the current exchange portfolio of a New Zealand institution and (3) the student continues to pay regular fees to the institution in New Zealand during currency of the scholarship.
Non-Exchange Programmes include a part or whole undergraduate and postgraduate Programmes, language Programmes, trade or economic-related short-term research or internships and other, non-exchange Programmes that can be demonstrated to meet the Programme requirements and PMSA objectives.
According to ENZ, funding for exchange Programmes is based on the duration of the Programme and the quality of the candidate and their application with regards to the goals of the PMSA. Successful candidates receive between $200 and $250 per week, for each week they are actively on Programme in Asia.
“PMSA candidates on non-exchange Programmes may request funding for legitimate and reasonable expenses pertinent to the completion of the proposed Programme. Approved expenses include, but are not necessarily limited to tuition/Programme fees for your Asian institution; economy flights to and from the Asian destination; accommodation; living expenses; insurance. Each of these would be only when the candidate is actively on the Programme,” the notification said.
Selection process
Applicants who meet the eligibility criteria and whose study Programme clearly meets the goals and requirements of the scholarship will additionally be expected to display academic strengths and personal attributes such as independence, initiative, maturity, and confidence.
“They should also have the potential to succeed in academic study abroad, have
the ability to represent New Zealand positively, particularly the quality of a New Zealand education experience and be willing and prepared to practice the objectives of the scholarship,” ENZ said.
Application forms can be downloaded from www.enz.govt.nz. Completed forms can be sent by post to Education New Zealand, Scholarships Manager, PO Box 12041, Wellington 6144. They may also be sent by courier to Education New Zealand, Scholarships Manager, Level 5, 160 Lambton Quay, Wellington Central 6011.
Group Applications
New Zealand institutions may submit group applications for scholarship support on behalf of students wishing to travel to target countries on exchange or study abroad Programmes, or on specifically-tailored study Programmes in Asia.
