Study Abroad
Which New Zealand scholarships can Nepali students get? Manaaki postgraduate awards, university tuition scholarships, eligibility, deadlines and how to apply.
Many Nepali families like New Zealand for its universities and post-study work rights, but the cost puts them off. Scholarships can help, as long as you know which ones you can actually apply for. This guide covers scholarships in New Zealand for Nepali students, using official information from Education New Zealand's Manaaki programme, the universities and Immigration New Zealand (INZ).
One thing up front: New Zealand has one main fully funded government scholarship (Manaaki), and it is very competitive. Most university scholarships are partial tuition credits that reduce your first-year fees. You still need to show living funds for your visa.
Scholarships available to Nepali students fall into three groups:
Government scholarships: Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships, funded by the New Zealand Government and run by Education New Zealand. These are fully funded.
University international scholarships: tuition credits, usually for the first year, from universities such as AUT, Waikato, Victoria University of Wellington, Otago, Canterbury, Auckland, Massey and Lincoln.
Research scholarships: doctoral scholarships that can include a stipend and fee support. These are mainly for PhD applicants with strong research backgrounds.
All amounts below are in New Zealand dollars and are for 2027 intakes. Amounts and dates change every year, so always check the official page before you apply.
Manaaki is New Zealand's government scholarship for people from eligible developing countries. Nepal is on the list of eligible Asian countries.
According to the official Manaaki website, Nepali applicants can only apply for postgraduate study: a Postgraduate Certificate, Postgraduate Diploma, Master's degree or PhD. Undergraduate Manaaki scholarships are not available for Nepal.
The main eligibility rules include:
You must be at least 18 when you sign the scholarship offer. There is no upper age limit, but applicants under 40 are preferred.
Postgraduate applicants need relevant work experience: at least one year full-time (30+ hours a week) or two years part-time.
You must have lived in Nepal for the two years before you apply.
You must agree to return home and contribute to Nepal's development for at least two years after your scholarship.
You must meet the university's academic and English requirements.
Manaaki says applications that do not strongly match its recommended subjects are highly unlikely to be considered. For Nepal, these are:
Food security and agriculture: agribusiness, agricommerce, agricultural science and technology, farm management, post-harvest processing, soil science and supply chain management.
Climate change and the environment: climate change, climate change science, environmental science and natural resource management.
Economic resilience and the private sector: business, economics, marketing, trade policy and e-commerce.
A full Manaaki scholarship covers full tuition fees, a living allowance, an establishment allowance, medical insurance in New Zealand, travel to and from New Zealand, travel insurance and tutoring if needed. Students on longer courses can also get a trip home and a reintegration allowance, and many postgraduate students get help with thesis costs. Manaaki does not publish the dollar amounts of these allowances on its main pages.
The Manaaki website says the portal for the 2027 tertiary intake opens on 1 March 2027 and closes on 31 March 2027. It may close early for countries with many applications, so apply early. Successful scholars normally start in Semester 1 of the year after they apply.
Selection takes about 6 to 10 months. Shortlisted applicants have an online interview, usually between May and July. You only need an English test result if you are shortlisted. Nepali applicants arrange and pay for their own IELTS, TOEFL, PTE Academic or Cambridge test, and the cost is reimbursed after arrival if they are selected. The usual postgraduate requirement is IELTS 6.5 with no band below 6.0, or PTE Academic 58 with no skill below 50.
These are the main university awards we found for 2027 that Nepali students can apply for. All are partial scholarships that reduce your tuition.
AUT's South Asia scholarship names Nepal as an eligible country. It offers NZD 10,000 towards the first year of a bachelor's degree and NZD 7,000 towards the first year of a master's (including a PGCert or PGDip leading to a master's). Doctoral study is not included. You need an offer of place, and applications for Semester 1 2027 close on 22 November 2026. For Semester 2 2027 they close on 23 May 2027, or earlier if places fill. Students sponsored by the Nepal or New Zealand government cannot hold it.
Waikato offers up to NZD 15,000 for undergraduate study and up to NZD 10,000 for taught postgraduate study, as a tuition credit. You need an offer and roughly a B+ grade average in your entry qualification. Applications are reviewed monthly. Deadlines include 30 November for the A trimester and 31 May for the B trimester. Do not pay fees or apply for your visa before you apply, as that can make you ineligible.
VUW offers an Undergraduate International Scholarship of NZD 15,000 and a Postgraduate International Scholarship of NZD 10,000 for eligible master's and PGDip programmes. There is no separate application: you are assessed automatically with your study application, and the award is shown in your offer. Note that VUW takes Nepali applications through approved agents.
New international bachelor's students are automatically considered for Otago's Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship for International Students (NZD 10,000). Otago's Global Scholarships (NZD 15,000) do not currently list Nepal. High achievers may be invited to apply for the International Academic Excellence Scholarship (about NZD 35,000 in total). For postgraduate study, Otago lists a Coursework Master's Scholarship of NZD 10,000. Its Doctoral Scholarships list a stipend of NZD 34,128 a year plus domestic-level tuition fees for 36 months.
UC's International First Year Scholarship (Offshore) is worth NZD 15,000, with up to seven awards a year. Rounds close on 15 April for Semester 2 and 31 October for the following year's Semester 1, so the Semester 1 2027 round has already closed. UC Business School also lists a Dean's Award of NZD 8,000 for Nepali bachelor's graduates with a GPA of 3.0 or above.
Auckland: the International Student Excellence Scholarship gives eligible new master's students 25% of one year's tuition. Students with an offer are invited to fill in a short form. It runs twice a year, and the Semester 1 2027 round closed on 4 November 2026.
Massey: Postgraduate International Study Grants of NZD 10,000 are given automatically for selected master's programmes such as agribusiness, environmental management, food technology and supply chain management. The separate Toroa scholarships (NZD 5,000) closed for Semester 1 2027 on 20 October 2026.
Lincoln: the Taught Master Merit Scholarship is NZD 10,000 (B average) or NZD 15,000 (A average, selected programmes such as agribusiness). There is also an International Undergraduate Scholarship of NZD 3,000.
To compare entry requirements at each university, read our guide to universities in New Zealand for Nepali students.
Yes, but usually only partly. INZ accepts evidence of a full or partial scholarship as part of your funds. If you are not fully funded, you still need to show living funds of NZD 20,000 for each year of study, plus any tuition not covered by the scholarship. For applicants from South Asia, only immediate family can sponsor you.
A NZD 10,000 tuition credit reduces your first-year fees, but it does not replace the living funds. Plan your total budget with our cost of studying in New Zealand guide, and check the documents in our New Zealand student visa from Nepal guide.
Pick your route. Postgraduate applicants with work experience in a Manaaki priority subject can aim for Manaaki. Everyone else should focus on university scholarships.
Prepare your documents early. Get your transcripts (with the grading scale), certificates, passport, CV and work experience letters ready, with certified English translations if needed.
Take IELTS or PTE. Most university scholarships need a full offer, and offers need an English score. Our IELTS vs PTE comparison can help you choose.
Apply for admission before the scholarship deadline. Many awards are assessed automatically with your application or need an offer first, so a late admission application can mean missing the scholarship.
Accept quickly. Several scholarships, including AUT's and Manaaki's, must be accepted within 14 days.
Plan your remaining funds. Most families combine a partial scholarship with savings or an education loan in Nepal.
Be careful with websites that promise "fully funded" scholarships for everyone. Read our article on fully funded scholarships: myth or reality.
Yes. Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships are fully funded, but for Nepal they are postgraduate only, very competitive and limited to priority subjects. Some doctoral scholarships include a stipend. Most other awards are partial.
Manaaki undergraduate scholarships are not open to Nepal. However, you can still be considered for university awards such as AUT's NZD 10,000, VUW's NZD 15,000, Waikato's Vice-Chancellor's scholarship or Otago's NZD 10,000, as long as you meet the entry requirements.
For Manaaki, the 2027 portal is open from 1 to 31 March 2027. For universities, apply for admission early. AUT's Semester 1 2027 deadline is 22 November 2026, and several rounds for 2027 have already closed.
For Manaaki, you need an English score only if you are shortlisted. Most university scholarships need an offer of place, which usually requires IELTS or PTE.
Student visa work rights apply to most students. Check your scholarship conditions and read our guide to part-time work in New Zealand. Manaaki scholars should also check how the return-home condition affects options such as the post-study work visa.
Everest Global Education has helped Nepali students plan their study abroad since 2016. For New Zealand, we shortlist universities and courses that offer scholarships to Nepali students, check your eligibility and deadlines, prepare your admission application on time, review your statement of purpose and documents, and plan the living funds you need for the visa. We also offer IELTS and PTE preparation.
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Sydney (Australia): Level 1/483 Princes Highway, Rockdale NSW 2216, Australia
Share your academic transcripts, English score, work experience and preferred course, and we will help you find the New Zealand scholarships you can realistically apply for.
Submit an enquiry at https://everestglobaledu.com/enquiry and our team will contact you by phone or email.
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