The following doctoral scholarship opportunities are funded by either external organisations, grants, donations and bequests to the university. Discover some of the other scholarships that may assist in funding your doctoral studies below.
Please note: These scholarships are subject to funding availability and are reviewed each year. The UC Scholarships Office administers most of these scholarships. Please search our scholarships database for all scholarships currently available.
| Scholarship Name | Scholarship Information |
| Barbara Mito Reed Award | Value: $2,000 for one year Details: Open to graduate students of Japanese (whose native language is not Japanese), enrolled, or intending to enrol in a postgraduate programme in a field of Japanese studies at UC or at a university in Japan. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of Aotearoa New Zealand. Closing date: 31 March |
| Barbara Kathryn Ell Travel Award | Value: Grants of $500 to $1,500 are available from an annual total fund of at least $3,000 Details: The award offers financial support for UC postgraduate students of History or Political Science for travel expenses associated with their studies. Applicants must have completed (within six months of the applicable closing date for applications), or be intending to complete, travel associated with their current studies. Closing date: 31 March and 31 October (if funds available) |
| Bickerton-Widdowson Trust Memorial Scholarship | Value: up to $2,500 for one year Details: Open to any student of the School of Fine Arts. Closing date: 01 November |
| Claude McCarthy Fellowship | Value: the value of the award for each fellowship is decided by the Selection Committee; however awards will not normally exceed $5,000 and are intended to supplement other sources of funding. Details: To assist graduates of a New Zealand University who have been enrolled in a doctoral degree for at least one year at the closing date of applications and who are travelling overseas for short periods to present research work at conferences and/or conduct research. Their research must be in the literature, science or medicine fields - applicants should note that the Selection Committee will determine if an applicant's area of study falls within one of those disciplines. NB: This is a Universities New Zealand Scholarship Closing date: 01 April or 01 October (see Regulations for details) |
| Farina Thompson Charitable Trust Music Scholarship | Value: Financial assistance at a value of $10,000 for one year Details: To assist and encourage students enrolled in a Music programme of study at UC, towards a career in music. Applicants must be enrolled, or intending to enrol, full-time at the University in a degree programme with a major in Music. Preference is given to applicants who intend to enrol for, or are enrolled for, an MusB(Hons), BA(Hons) in Music, MMus, MA in Music, DMA, or PhD in Music. Applicants must be Aotearoa New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. Closing date: 01 November (CURRENTLY UNDER REVIEW) |
| The C. Wright Mills Scholarship in Anthropology | Value: up to $3,750 for 120 points of enrolment which under certain circumstances, may be extended for a second 120 point period (see the Regulations for details). Details: Open to graduate students of any university in Aotearoa New Zealand, or the University of the South Pacific who are enrolled, or about to enrol in a full-time or part-time PhD in Anthropology or Sociology. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of Aotearoa New Zealand. Closing date: 01 November |
| Ethel Rose Overton Scholarship | Value: up to $30,000 for 360 points of enrolment ($10,000 per annum) Details: Open to graduate students who are enrolled, or about to enrol full-time in a PhD in Art History, Art Theory or Fine Arts; so long there is not a current PhD candidate who holds the scholarship. Closing date: 01 November |
| Farina Thompson Charitable Trust Music Scholarship | Value: $10,000 for one year Details: Applicants must be enrolled, or about to enrol, full-time in a programme majoring in Music. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of Aotearoa New Zealand. Closing date: 01 November |
| Freyberg Scholarship (NZ Defence Scholarships) | Value: Up to $50,000 per annum is available for the award of one or more scholarships - emoluments and tenure will be determined by the Selection Committee Details: These scholarships are awarded to encourage graduate study into areas relevant to national security. Full-time study should be undertaken at a recognised institution in New Zealand or an Asia-Pacific country, including Canada and the United States. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of Aotearoa New Zealand and have completed academic studies in political science, history, economics or some other discipline that may be considered an appropriate foundation for such study. NB: This is a Universities New Zealand scholarship. Closing date: 01 October |
| Malcolm Tait Music Education Scholarship | Value: Financial assistance to the value of $1,300 for one year. Details: To support postgraduate students researching a topic related to music education in Te Kura Puoro | School of Music at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury. Closing date: 15 November |
| Penelope Wilson Art and Culture Internship Grant | Value: $5,000 for one year Details: This grant supports postgraduate students at UC who are undertaking an internship in the arts and culture field in Aotearoa New Zealand or overseas. Applicants must be enrolled full-time or part-time in a postgraduate degree programme at UC, preference is given to those studying Art History. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of Aotearoa New Zealand and have applied for an internship at another institution in an arts or culture field that relates to the applicant's subject of study, such as a library, gallery or museum. The internship cannot be undertaken in Ōtautahi Christchurch and must be undertaken within 12 months of the offer of the award. Closing date: 31 March |
| Three Nations Conference Award | Value: $1,000 for one year Details: Applicants must be Māori or Pacific students, or students who are indigenous to states or territories of Australia, whose financial circumstances would otherwise preclude them from undertaking postgraduate study in the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at UC. Closing date: 31 March |
