Application form available here. Full regulations can be downloaded here. (Requires Acrobat Reader)

History or background of award
For the purpose of encouraging postgraduate research, one objective being to build up strong research schools at the University, Victoria offers PhD scholarships to those about to commence their doctoral studies. These scholarships are awarded on academic merit and are open to New Zealand and international students in any discipline.

Purpose of award
These Scholarships are intended to encourage doctoral study at Victoria University of Wellington.

Selection criteria
The Scholarships are open to graduates of any university within or outside of New Zealand who intend to enrol either for PhD. In exceptional cases, applications may be considered from students seeking scholarship support for a PhD degree for which they are already enrolled at VUW. In such cases applicants are required to provide detailed evidence of their exceptional circumstances which must be accompanied by clear support from their supervisor.

Number of awards offered
Approx 35 for PhD study

Value
Doctoral degree: $20,000 each year
Domestic tuition fees
$500 thesis allowance

Tenure of award
Scholarships will normally be tenable for three years. For a student who has already been enrolled for a PhD at VUW for more than 12 months at the time when the offer of a Scholarship is made to him/her, the maximum length of tenure of the Scholarship will be reduced at the discretion of the Academic Board.

Closing dates for applications
Tuesday 01 November 2005
Wednesday 01 November 2006

How do students apply?
Applications should be sent to:

Scholarships Office
Hunter Building
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600
Wellington, New Zealand

Details of Targeted Scholarship areas are set out below under 'Other Information' and are also included in the application package.


* Applicants should include with their application an outline of their proposed programme of research and should also ask two referees to send, direct to the Scholarships Officer, a confidential report on the suitability of the proposed programme and the ability of the applicant to carry out this particular programme and/or a programme of advanced research in general.

* Applicants should also contact the relevant VUW department/school as soon as possible to confirm the suitability of the proposed programme of research and the availability of adequate supervision.

* Applicants, other than those who have completed all their study at VUW, must include a certified copy of those academic records from other institutions with this application. The academic record of the year of application will be obtained, where applicable, by VUW.

Decision makers
The University Scholarships Committee, a sub-committee of the University Research Council

How and when do students learn of the decision?
First offers of Victoria Phd Scholarships will be made in late December of the year of application. Because some applicants may in the event decline the offer of a Scholarship with the result that further offers have to be made, it is possible that some applicants will not be finally notified of the success or otherwise of their applications until as late as the end of February of the following year.

What conditions are attached to acceptance of this award?
Scholarship recipients shall be required to devote themselves full-time to their programme of research during the tenure of the scholarship and may not hold a position of emolument without the approval of the University Scholarships Committee. Approval may be given for scholarship recipients to undertake paid employment (usually tutoring) for up to a maximum of 600 hours in any one calendar year. All requests to undertake part-time employment must be supported in writing by the supervisor.
Once the period of tenure of a scholarship has commenced, the University Scholarships Committee may, at its sole discretion, grant a scholarship recipient a deferment of their scholarship for a period not exceeding one year. In most cases such a deferment will coincide with a formal suspension from their PhD enrolment.
A scholarship shall be terminated if a scholarship recipient ceases to resume the aforesaid programme of research within one month of the last day of the period of the deferment.

Additional information
Applicants who are permanent residents of New Zealand, Australia, France or Germany will, in addition to the scholarship emolument, be provided with the full cost of their tuition fees. Overseas doctoral students, from January 2006, will also be eligible for domestic tuition fees.
Applicants, other than those who have completed all of their study at Victoria, must include a certified copy of their academic record from other institutions with this application. Applicants whose degree has been conferred at any university other than a New Zealand University will be considered in two categories:
Category 1 - applicants from the UK, Ireland, USA, Canada, Germany or Australia must supply an original or certified copy of their university transcript.
Category 2 - applicants from any other country must have their transcript verified and assessed with a course by course evaluation by one of the below educational evaluators:
Educational Credential Evaluators
National Recognition Information Centre [UK]

Who else has information about this award?
The University Scholarships Office.

For guidelines, application forms and more information about this award contact:

The Scholarships Officer
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600

Wellington
New Zealand

Phone: (04) 463 5113
Fax:
E-mail:

Disclaimer: Every effort has been made to ensure the above information is current and correct. However, applicants should contact the appropriate administering body before making an application, as details do change frequently.