How we select scholars

Full Job Description

This page describes the selection process. How long the selections process takes depends on the number of applicants we get for each country. Selecting Manaaki New Zealand scholars can take six to ten months from the time scholarship application close. Applicants should check their email frequently for progress updates.

1. We screen applicants: We assess applicants against our eligibility criteria and our selection guidelines. We compare the preferred courses of each applicant with the recommended study subjects for their country or region.

2. Psychometric testing - We email applicants with a link to the abstract reasoning and personality test. Applicants must do this test within 10 days of getting the email.

3. We advise you of our decision: We email applicants to advise them if they will continue to the next selection stage or if their application has been unsuccessful. Note for PhD applicants: if you are advised that your application will progress to the next selection stage, you must start contacting suitable PhD supervisors, if you have already done so.

4. We assess applications in more detail: We carry out a detailed assessment of the applications against our selection guidelines.

5. We advise you of our decision: We email applicants to advise them if they will continue to the interview stage, or if your application has been unsuccessful.

6. You prove your English competency: Candidates are required to provide an indication of their English language level during the selection process. Click here and see Academic and English requirements for scholars for further information on IELTS testing.

7. We interview applicants: Each applicant will be interviewed via online video conference. Interviews take place typically between May and July. Note for PhD applicants: Prior to the interview, applicants must provide evidence that they have a PhD supervisor or are close to confirming a PhD supervisor.

8. We advise you of our decision: we email applicants to advise them if they are a preferred candidate, or a candidate on the reserve list, or if their application has been unsuccessful.

9. Preferred candidates apply for their preferred courses and apply for a student visa.

We use these guidelines to select applicants with very good character ethics and abilities.

In general, we want scholars who:

• Have a strong academic ability.

• Are committed to the social and economic development of their country.

• Choose courses that align with our recommended subjects.

• Want to encourage positive relations with New Zealand now and in the future.

• Are looking to undertake a qualification that progresses on from their highest qualification.

• Are 39 years or younger when the scholarship starts.

• We also aim for a balance of male and female scholars.

Have a strong academic ability.

Are committed to the social and economic development of their country.

Choose courses that align with our recommended subjects.

Want to encourage positive relations with New Zealand now and in the future.

Are looking to undertake a qualification that progresses on from their highest qualification.

Are 39 years or younger when the scholarship starts.

We also aim for a balance of male and female scholars.

We select people with the following characteristics

Successful applicants must have a good education

Successful applicants must have high grades. they must have the right qualifications for entry into their preferred courses and be agile enough to adapt to a learning environment in a new country.

Successful applicants must study in a similar field they have already worked in

Successful applicants must have relevant work experience for their proposed field of study. (School leavers and first year undergraduate students do not need work experience.)

Successful applicants must want to study in a new country

Scholars will find cultural differences when they study abroad that may be difficult to navigate. We are looking to applicants who are ready to take on this challenge and broaden their horizons.

Successful applicants choose courses that can help progress their country's social and economic development

We prefer applicants who choose to study one of our recommended subjects. We recommend subjects that can address social and economic development challenges in each eligible country.

Scholars must use their skills to benefit their country

Successful applicants must show motivation and commitment to share their skills and knowledge when they return home. After they finish their scholarship, scholars must return home and contribute to their own country's social and economic development for at least two years.

Successful applicants must communicate and manage relationships well

We look for applicants who can communicate clearly and create strong relationships with other students, academic staff and members of broader New Zealand communities. We anticipate our scholar, once alumni, work with the people of their own countries to create positive change.

Successful applicants have integrity and good judgement

A person with integrity is honest and consistently makes ethical decisions. We want applicants who uphold good ethics and expect other people to do the same.

Successful applicants are resilient

We look for applicants who can handle stress well, who can endure or recover quickly from difficult live events when their family, friends, and other support networks are not in the same country.

Successful applicants motivate themselves

We look for applicants who show ambition, a desire to achieve their goals and responsibility for getting things done. Scholars need a long-term vision for their study and career goals.

The Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship process is very competitive. Every year we receive over 15,000 applications.

Because we receive a large number of applications, sadly, we can't tell each applicant the specific reasons why they were unsuccessful. As Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship resourcing goes into selecting many scholars, and ensuring they have a positive scholarship experience, we are unable to answer emails requesting feedback on individual applications.

We know the application process requires a lot of hard work. We thank all applicants for their interest in a Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship.

You may have submitted a very good application. We may have to decline an application because others met the objectives of the programme to a higher or more significant degree.

If you are unsuccessful, you may apply for a scholarship again next year.

We will interview you in a meeting or by calling you

We will contact you to agree on a date and time for your online interview.

Two of our representatives conduct the interview over 40 minutes. The interview has six questions. We allow about for up to six minutes for each question. Your answers will reveal if you are suitable for a New Zealand Scholarship.

The interviewers will ask you about your study programme

They will ask about:

• your preferred courses i.e. the study programme(s) on your application form

• how your preferred courses will improve the social and economic development of your country

• your commitment to and motivation for improving your country

your preferred courses i.e. the study programme(s) on your application form

how your preferred courses will improve the social and economic development of your country

your commitment to and motivation for improving your country

PhD applicants should be able to articulate what steps they have taken to find a PhD supervisor, as well as the suitability of their research topic.

The interviewers will ask you two questions about how you cope with challenges

You can't prepare for these questions before the interview. We will present a hypothetical scenario of something that could happen and then ask you how you would deal with this scenario.

The interviewers will ask you a question about your resilience

Before the interview, you should think about some examples of when you have been resilient. A good way to describe your example is to use the C-A-R method - Context, Action, Result. You can research this method before the interview.

Here are the most common reasons why we decline international scholarship applications.

• Did not meet our eligibility criteria

• Other applicants demonstrated their attributes more clearly

• Other applicants demonstrated a stronger education and job history

• Other applicant researched course options thoroughly and chose those in close alignment with the priority subjects of their country and region

• Other applicants wrote a stronger research proposal on their application form (Master's by Thesis and PhD applicants only).

• Did not have the qualifications required for entry to your preferred courses.

• Preferred courses do not progress on from your previous qualifications (for example, you already have a master's and you want to apply for another Masters).

• Other applicants demonstrated a higher motivation to return home to improve their country.

• Other applicants more clearly described how their preferred courses would improve their country's social and economic development.

• Other applicants more clearly described how these skills and knowledge are important to their country.

• Other applicants more clearly described why their country needs these skills and knowledge.

• Other applicants wrote a stronger answer for the relationship skills question on their application form.

• Other applicants wrote a stronger answer for the problem-solving question on their application form.

• Other applicants wrote a stronger answer for the goal-setting question on their application.

• Other applicants demonstrated stronger communication skills.

• Other applicatns demonstrated intergrity and ethics in a clearer way.

• Other applicants demonstrated decision making skills more clearly.

• Other applicants demonstrated stress management skills more clearly.

• Other applicants demonstrated more clearly that they were willing to move to a new country.

• Other applicants showed more clearly that they could adapt to a new culture and challenge

• Psychological abstract reasoning test scores were low.

Did not meet our eligibility criteria

Other applicants demonstrated their attributes more clearly

Other applicants demonstrated a stronger education and job history

Other applicant researched course options thoroughly and chose those in close alignment with the priority subjects of their country and region

Other applicants wrote a stronger research proposal on their application form (Master's by Thesis and PhD applicants only).

Did not have the qualifications required for entry to your preferred courses.

Preferred courses do not progress on from your previous qualifications (for example, you already have a master's and you want to apply for another Masters).

Other applicants demonstrated a higher motivation to return home to improve their country.

Other applicants more clearly described how their preferred courses would improve their country's social and economic development.

Other applicants more clearly described how these skills and knowledge are important to their country.

Other applicants more clearly described why their country needs these skills and knowledge.

Other applicants wrote a stronger answer for the relationship skills question on their application form.

Other applicants wrote a stronger answer for the problem-solving question on their application form.

Other applicants wrote a stronger answer for the goal-setting question on their application.

Other applicants demonstrated stronger communication skills.

Other applicatns demonstrated intergrity and ethics in a clearer way.

Other applicants demonstrated decision making skills more clearly.

Other applicants demonstrated stress management skills more clearly.

Other applicants demonstrated more clearly that they were willing to move to a new country.

Other applicants showed more clearly that they could adapt to a new culture and challenge

Psychological abstract reasoning test scores were low.

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