Scholarships & Support - Hauora Taiwhenua

Thinking About a Career in Health?

A career in health can be rewarding, challenging, and make a real difference in your community. However, the transition from secondary school to tertiary study can sometimes be difficult, particularly for students from rural areas.

To support aspiring rural health professionals, we offer scholarships for rural secondary school leavers who are commencing health-related study and tertiary students undertaking research in a health related field. These scholarships help students take the next step towards achieving their career goals and contributing to the future of rural health in New Zealand.

While our scholarships are designed to support students interested in rural health careers, there are many other funding opportunities available. We encourage you to explore the scholarship links below, which may help you on your journey into health study and training.

Applications open for the Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Secondary School Leavers Health Career Scholarships, in association with Mobile Health Group, Waitaha Primary Health and the Townshend-Thomas Charitable Community Trust. These scholarships support rural rangatahi who are commencing their first year of full-time undergraduate study in a health discipline.

Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Secondary School Leavers Health Career Scholarships

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Applications open for one 2026 Rural Health Student Research Scholarship, valued at $7,500. This scholarship supports a 12-week elective or research placement in a rural New Zealand community of your choice.

Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Student Research Scholarship

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University & Institute Scholarships

University of Auckland

The University of Auckland has scholarships for a range of criteria, including entering university from a low decile school or facing other barriers to academic success.

Scholarships and Awards

University of Waikato

The University of Waikato and our partners provide various scholarship and award options to help students cover fees and living expenses, as well as to foster academic and research excellence.

Scholarships

University of Otago

Apply for a scholarship and gain the financial support you need to complete your undergraduate degree. The University of Otago has a range of scholarships, fellowships, bursaries, and grants for undergraduate students who are committed to academic excellence.

Undergraduate Scholarships

Massey University

Massey University offers a range of awards, grants and scholarships to assist students with fees and living expenses, and to support academic and research excellence.

Scholarships and Awards

Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington has a scholarship database you can look up as well as the following support

Find a scholarship

Otago Polytechnic

Otago Polytechnic understands that studying can be expensive and can create a barrier for some learners. Their range of scholarships give you the opportunity to undertake the learning journey you want to – no matter what your situation.

Scholarships

Ara Institute of Canterbury

Ara is proud to offer a wide range of scholarships which can save you thousands of dollars in fees. Some of our scholarships recognise academic excellence, community leadership and sporting achievement. Others are designed to help meet skills shortages in specific industries, or to encourage individuals from under-represented sectors of the community into higher education. If you meet the scholarship criteria (and are not eligible for fees-free), we encourage you to apply. You can do this at the same time as you apply for your programme of study.

Ara Scholarships

Whitireia Polytechnic

Whitireia offers a number of forms of support and advice unique to your needs and there is a range of scholarships for both undergraduate and postgraduate students.

Scholarships

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology

NMIT is proud to provide and partner with local industry partners on scholarships for new and current students. They also include a wide range of external scholarships, grants and awards for ways of funding your tertiary study.

Scholarships

Wintec

At Wintec, we know that being awarded a scholarship could make all the difference in pursuing further study. Whether you’re an adult learner or from an ethnic background, experiencing financial hardship, or undertaking postgraduate study, we have you covered with our wide range of scholarships available.

Scholarships

Eastern Institute of Technology

EIT offer a wide range of scholarships to help students fund their future tertiary education; from Nursing, Health and Sport Science scholarships, to Māori and Pasifika Scholarships.

Scholarships

Māori & Pasifika Support

University of Auckland

MAPAS is designed to help our students reach their goals so they can contribute and be a valuable part of increasing the number of Māori and Pacific health professionals needed in New Zealand.

Māori and Pacific Admission Scheme

University of Otago

The Māori Centre is a support service for all students of iwi descent. The Centre aims to encourage Iwi Māori to participate and succeed in tertiary education.

Māori student support services

University of Waikato

The University of Waikato offers a variety of programs and resources designed to help Pacific students thrive, including opportunities to learn about Pacific cultures and languages, as well as pathways to academic and professional success.

Pacific at Waikato

University of Waikato

The University of Waikato offers programmes and services for Māori students, including academic support, scholarships, housing, and leadership opportunities.

Māori ki Waikato

Massey University

We provide support and offer study advice to undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral level students through our Māori student centres, advisers and associations.

Māori Student Centre

Massey University

At Pacific Massey we celebrate success and achievement. We are committed to working with you to realise your academic aspirations and to providing services that support Pacific students.

Pasifika @ Massey

Victoria University of Wellington

The Āwhina team are here to help all tauira Māori make the most of their university experience and navigate the array of University processes and services.

Āwhina - Māori Student Support

Victoria University of Wellington

The Pasifika Student Success team is the University ‘āiga (family), which provides students with the necessary tools to navigate their transition into tertiary study. The team fosters learning and teaching communities in an environment that has Pasifika cultures at its core, is welcoming and safe, and is focused on academic excellence, personal growth, and wellbeing.

Pasifika Student Success

Otago Polytechnic

Whether you’re in need of advice, study assistance or a warm and inviting space to relax and meet new Māori tauira, you will find it at Te Punaka Ōwheo, our Māori Student Support Centre. It’s our role to support our tauira to flourish here at Otago Polytechnic. We do this by offering a range of services and respond to individual student needs.

Te Punaka Ōwheo

Otago Polytechnic

Our services also include academic support, career support, student health, counsellors, IT support and our Chaplain. All services are free and available to everyone. If you identify as being of Pasifika descent, we’ll reach out to welcome you to Otago Polytechnic. Our Pasifika Advisor is based in Dunedin but can provide support and advice to students on our other campuses.

Pasifika Support

Ara Institute of Canterbury

NGĀI MĀORI KI TE WHAI AO! Whānau transformation through education, enterprise and agency. That’s us whānau! Together, we can do this. Make the right moves now and put yourself on a pathway to future prosperity.

Ara Māori

Ara Institute of Canterbury

This is Ara. We welcome our people of the Pacific family to weave together our cultures into the Ara environment for a prosperous and successful future.

Ara Pacific

Whitireia Polytechnic

We are here to support the success and participation of Māori students at WelTec. Working out of the Petone Campus the Tamaiti Whāngai team will provide mentoring, pastoral, cultural and academic support. The team will also provide advocacy internally and externally as required.

Tautoko mā ngā ākonga Māori

Whitireia Polytechnic

Whitireia and WelTec are committed to supporting Pacific ākonga and their academic success. Pacific ākonga are a vital part of community life at Whitireia and WelTec. We have programmes, networks, and a strong Pacific team who work across Whitireia (Porirua), WelTec (Petone) and Te Kahui Auaha (Wellington) to help you succeed.

Pacific Student Support

Wintec

Te Kete Manaaki is the place where you will find our Kaiāwhina, Manaaki Pūkenga – Academic Learning Advisors, Tuākana and Peer Tutor Coordinators, and SAWIT (Student Union) support staff. Māori and Pacific best practices and cultural values underpin how all our support teams work. We focus on a holistic approach that acknowledges the physical, spiritual, mental, and whānau dynamics of a person as a whole.

Te Kete Konae

External scholarships, grants & support

Registered Nurse Primary Care Scholarship

Scholarships are soon available for Registered Nurses, working in primary or community healthcare to advance their career, education and skills. Scholarships of up to $45,000 per year are available for 120 primary and community healthcare RNs.

Registered nurse primary care scholarship

Spy Study

Aotearoa's largest database of scholarships. Explore $70 million worth of opportunities in NZ.

Scholarships

Rural Women NZ

RWNZ seeks to empower rural women and girls by nurturing their talents and encouraging Members to develop their skills through leadership roles within Branches and Provincials. RWNZ offers multiple grants for rural women studying education.

Funds and Grants

Kia ora Hauora

Kia Ora Hauora Mai Tawhiti is a new innovative online e-mentoring programme designed to increase the number of Māori students who successfully make the transition from secondary school into a tertiary study health pathway.

Scholarships

Community Trust South

We support both large and small community groups who work in various sectors, and our grants range from a few hundred dollars to thousands for a wide range of purposes aligned with our Strategic Vision. We provide funding throughout the south of New Zealand covering Southland, Queenstown, Glenorchy, Arrowtown, Tapanui and Heriot areas.

What we fund

Mataura Licensing Trust

We help people and organisations by investing in local community projects where it is most needed and where it will make the most impact.

Scholarships

Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health

The Pacific Health Scholarships contribute to improving access to health services for Pacific peoples, by supporting the development of a Pacific health and disability workforce.

Pacific Health Scholarships

Te Whatu Ora

If the health and wellbeing of your whānau and community is important to you, we are here to encourage and support you if you are intending to study and join the highly valued Māori health workforce.

Te Pitomata Grants

Careers NZ

Careers NZ collects and presents scholarships for Māori learners in one place.

Scholarships for Māori learners

Careers NZ

Careers NZ collects and presents scholarships for Pacific learners in one place.

Scholarships for Pacific learners

Rural Communities Trust

The Rural Communities Trust is committed to restoring an equality of life to rural communities through funding for services and amenities. The Rural Communities Trust is based on the “helping hand” concept – helping people to help themselves.

Grants

Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust

The Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust currently considers applications for one scholarship. These scholarships, and other scholarships under consideration, are dependent on funding availability.

Scholarships

Rural Health - Te Whatu Ora

Ensuring comprehensive, quality services for people living in rural areas is a priority for the Government. Publicly funded health services are provided through districts (formerly district health boards, primary health organisations (PHOs), and through many rural hospitals throughout New Zealand. Some of the many services available to New Zealanders living rurally are outlined below.

Mobile services

Karahipi me te Tautoko

Thinking About a Career in Health?

Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Secondary School Leavers Health Career Scholarships

Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Health Student Research Scholarship

Hauora Taiwhenua Scholarships

Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Secondary School Leavers Health Career Scholarships

Hauora Taiwhenua Rural Student Research Scholarship

Tertiary Programmes and Graduate Schemes

University of Auckland

University of Otago

Te Whatu Ora

University & Institute Scholarships

University of Auckland

University of Waikato

University of Otago

Massey University

Victoria University of Wellington

Otago Polytechnic

Ara Institute of Canterbury

Whitireia Polytechnic

Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology

Wintec

Eastern Institute of Technology

Māori & Pasifika Support

University of Auckland

University of Otago

University of Waikato

University of Waikato

Massey University

Massey University

Victoria University of Wellington

Victoria University of Wellington

Otago Polytechnic

Otago Polytechnic

Ara Institute of Canterbury

Ara Institute of Canterbury

Whitireia Polytechnic

Whitireia Polytechnic

Wintec

External scholarships, grants & support

Registered Nurse Primary Care Scholarship

Spy Study

Rural Women NZ

Kia ora Hauora

Community Trust South

Mataura Licensing Trust

Manatū Hauora Ministry of Health

Te Whatu Ora

Careers NZ

Careers NZ

Rural Communities Trust

Pat Farry Rural Health Education Trust

Rural Health - Te Whatu Ora