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.
NB: Please see the 'UC Doctoral Scholarships' webpage for more information on our centrally-funded group of scholarships.
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 |
| Ada Wells Memorial Prize | Value: Financial assistance at a value of $1,000 Details: Open to students and recent graduates of UC to write an essay on a subject involving an exposition of some passage chosen each year from literature having reference to social ideals. Closing date: 30 September |
| Chalky Carr Scholarship | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance at a value of NZ$5,000 for one year. Details: Applicants must have been affected by a cancer experience, either directly or through a close relative. Applicants must be Aotearoa New Zealand citizens or holders of Aotearoa New Zealand residence class visas. Closing date: 31 October |
| Clifford Wallace Collins Memorial Trust Scholarship | Value: The value of this scholarship is determined annually dependent on funds available but is up to $1,500 for one year Details: Financial support for graduates of UC who have applied for admission, or are enrolled in a postgraduate programme in Information Systems at Victoria University of Wellington. Applications must be made by letter to the Information Studies Programme Director of Victoria University of Wellington by the closing date. Closing date: 31 May |
| Dr Russell Smith Memorial Scholarship | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance at a value of NZ$2,000 for one year. Details: Applicants must be blind or have a significant visual impairment. The scholarship is available only in even-numbered years, to undergraduate and postgraduate students who are enrolled full-time at UC. Closing date: 31 March |
| Freemasons University Scholarships | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance of up to NZ$10,000 for one year. Details: Scholarships to assist students who demonstrate good citizenship and show leadership potential, who were experiencing financial difficulties during their period of university studies. Applicants must be citizens or permanent residents of Aotearoa New Zealand. NB: This scholarship is not administered by UC - contact Freemasons NZ Charity for further information. Closing date: 01 October |
| Helen Macmillan Brown Bursary | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance at a value of NZ$2,500 per 120 points of thesis enrolment; for one year. Details: Applicants must be female and resident in one of UC's affiliated halls of residence in the year of tenure. Closing date: 15 August. |
| HOPE Foundation Scholarship in Ageing Research - University of Canterbury | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance at a value of NZ$6,000 per 120 points of thesis enrolment; for one year. Details: Applicants must be enrolled, or intending to enrol, in a programme for a master's or doctoral degree with research on a topic related to ageing. Applicants must be Aotearoa New Zealand citizens or holders of Aotearoa New Zealand residence class visas. Closing date: 15 October. |
| Ngāi Tahu Research Centre Doctoral Scholarship | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance at a value of NZ$30,000 per 120 points of thesis enrolment (increased to $32,000 in 2025) + tuition fees for thesis enrolment only, at the Aotearoa New Zealand domestic rate; for up to a total of 360 points. Details: Applicants may be studying any discipline at UC but preference will be given to applicants whose projects promote mātauranga Māori and that are linked to the mission and current research foci of the Ngāi Tahu Research Centre. Closing date: 31 October |
| Royal Commonwealth Society, Canterbury Scholarship | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance at a value of NZ$7,500 for up to 120 points of enrolment Details: Applicants must be enrolled in a doctoral degree programme at UC and must be Aotearoa New Zealand citizens. Closing date: 31 March |
| Shirtcliffe Fellowship | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance at a value of NZ$5,000 per annum for up to 3 years Details: Open to any Aotearoa New Zealand citizen who is ordinarily resident in New Zealand and who is a graduate, or is graduating from a NZ University; and plans to be enrolling as a doctoral student at UC or another Commonwealth. country. NB: This is a Universities New Zealand Scholarship. Closing date: 01 April |
| UC Connect Doctoral Scholarship | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance at a value of NZ$30,000 per 120 points of thesis enrolment (increased to $32,000 in 2025) + tuition fees for thesis enrolment only, at the Aotearoa New Zealand domestic rate; for up to a total of 360 points. Details: These scholarships are co-funded by UC and external agencies to support students for study towards a research doctoral degree at the University. The scholarships are available to support work on specific funded projects only. Projects become available throughout the year. Separate application is required. Closing date: varies |
| UC Research Student Publication Prize | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance at a value of up to NZ$1,000. Details: The goal of the UC Research Student Publication Prize is to encourage students to publish their work in leading peer-reviewed publications, indexed in Scopus, during their doctoral or master's studies (e.g., journal articles, book chapters, monographs, or conference proceedings). Publication during the tenure of Doctoral or Master's studies enhances student’s employment prospects and, for UC, contributes to the enhancement of international university rankings. Closing date: NOT OFFERED FOR 2024 or 2025 |
| University of Canterbury Alumni Scholarship (Postgraduate) | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance at a value of NZ$5,000 towards tuition fees (or if tuition fees are not payable by the recipient, the scholarship can be paid in two equal instalments), for one year. Details: Applicants must be enrolled full-time in any year of a programme for a postgraduate degree or diploma. Closing date: 15 August |
| Westpac Southland Scholarship | Value: The scholarship provides financial assistance at a value of NZ$1,000 per annum; for two years. Details: Applicants must have completed at least one academic year at UC and who's earlier youth was spent substantially in Southland and whose parents, or guardian, are resident in Southland at the time of the award. Closing date: 31 March. |
| William Georgetti Scholarship | Value: Financial assistance to the value of $20,000 per annum (Master's) and $30,000 per annum (PhD) for study in New Zealand; and up to $45,000 per annum for those studying overseas. Tenure is typically for up to three years. Details: To encourage postgraduate study and research, normally in New Zealand, in a field that in the opinion of the Scholarship Board is important to the social, cultural or economic development of New Zealand. Applicants must be Aotearoa New Zealand citizens or have resided in New Zealand for a period of at least five years immediately preceding the year of selection. NB: This is a Universities New Zealand Scholarship. Closing date: 01 February |
