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Program Description
Verified guide to the University of Otago International Master’s Research Scholarship, including the NZ$18,204 stipend, tuition waiver up to NZ$35,000, eligibility, application process, visa warning, and current 2026 funding status.
Who can apply?
International students who are:
•Seeking their first research-based master’s qualification
•Applying for or beginning the thesis component of a master’s programme
•Eligible for admission to the University of Otago
•Able to demonstrate outstanding academic and research potential
Benefits
•NZ$18,204 stipend for one year
•International tuition-fee waiver capped at NZ$35,000
•Support for up to one full-time year of thesis research
•Possible part-time tenure only in approved circumstances
The scholarship ends when the thesis is submitted or after the approved tenure period, whichever comes first. Research is normally undertaken at an Otago campus unless an exemption is approved.
•Be obtaining their first research-based master’s qualification
•Undertake a thesis-based master’s
•Be in the first year of thesis research
•Obtain approval for master’s admission and enrolment
•Demonstrate a strong academic record
•Show research ability or research potential
•Receive favourable departmental assessment
•Align with the academic division’s research priorities
Selection considers academic performance, research potential, departmental recommendation, and divisional priorities.
Academic competitiveness
There is no universal guaranteed GPA cut-off published for this scholarship.
However:
Otago says applicants normally need very strong grades
The university recommends applying when later-year grades are around A or A+
Most successful international postgraduate scholarship applicants generally fall within the US-equivalent A range
Meeting those grades does not guarantee selection because only four scholarships are normally available.
Required documents
The exact scholarship-document checklist appears inside eVision and may vary by programme. I cannot confirm one universal scholarship-specific checklist.
Applicants should normally prepare:
•Official tertiary academic transcripts
•Proof of identity or passport
•Research proposal
•Evidence of English-language ability where required
•Programme-specific academic documents
•CV or writing sample where required by the department
•Evidence of research preparation or experience
•Supervisor or departmental information where requested
The university confirms that postgraduate applicants must provide official tertiary transcripts, and international postgraduate applications may also require identity documents and a detailed research proposal.
Application steps
1.Select an eligible thesis-based master’s programme.
2.Check the department’s admission and research requirements.
3.Prepare the research proposal and academic documents.
4.Apply for admission through the University of Otago eVision portal.
5.Wait for a scholarship invitation or alert inside eVision.
6.Complete the scholarship application when the alert becomes available.
7.Ensure departmental assessment and enrolment requirements are completed.
8.Wait for the relevant scholarship review round.
For thesis-only programmes or programmes where the thesis begins immediately, the scholarship alert is normally issued after the admission application. For programmes with coursework before the thesis, the alert may appear closer to the thesis-enrolment stage.
Visa support
This scholarship does not state that it provides visa sponsorship.
International students are responsible for obtaining and maintaining an appropriate New Zealand student visa. The current Fee Paying Student Visa starts from NZ$850, and Immigration New Zealand generally requires tertiary students to show NZ$20,000 per year for living costs, along with appropriate health insurance.
The NZ$18,204 stipend is below the standard NZ$20,000 annual living-funds figure. This does not automatically make the visa impossible, but applicants may need additional financial evidence depending on Immigration New Zealand’s assessment.
Application fee
The official scholarship page does not state a separate scholarship application fee.
I cannot confirm that every applicant will face no external costs, because document certification, credential evaluation, visa processing, insurance, and programme-specific requirements may create additional expenses.
Important warnings
•Do not call this fully funded.
•Do not claim that 2026 applications are currently open.
•Funding applies only to the thesis component.
•Only four awards are normally available.
•The tuition waiver is capped at NZ$35,000.
•Insurance and student services fees are excluded.
•A scholarship invitation may only appear after the admission process begins.
