Scholarships for Women

Aruhiko - Power Engineering Excellence Trust Incoming First-Year Scholarship

To support and promote study in the BE(Hons) programmes at UC. Applicants must be enrolling full-time in a first year of a programme for a BE(Hons) degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Applicants must be Aotearoa New Zealand citizens or holders of Aotearoa New Zealand residence class visas. Preference may be given to support efforts towards improving gender equity.
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $2,000 for one year.
Closing date: 15 August

Dr John Innes Scholarship

To encourage and support students from Te Kāreti Kōhine o Wairau | Marlborough Girls’ College and Te Kāreti Taitama o Wairau | Marlborough Boys’ College to study at UC. Applicants must be current students at either school who intend to enrol full-time in any degree programme at UC. 
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $5,000 per annum for up to 3 years (with a 4th year possible on application).
Closing date: 15 August

Edna Waddell Undergraduate Scholarships for Women

To support women entering their first year of full-time study in a four-year professional engineering or food technology undergraduate programme. Open to school leavers and mature women who have not previously studied technology or engineering at this level. Applicants must be NZ citizens or permanent residents. NB: this is a Universities NZ scholarship.
Value: Financial assistance of up to $5,000 for one year.
Closing date: 01 September

Elman and Alfred Poole Southland Boys' and Southland Girls' High Schools UC Scholarship

To recognise the academic achievement, leadership potential, and cultural and community involvement amongst pupils from Southland Boys’ High School and Southland Girls’ High School intending on studying full-time at UC. Applicants’ last two years of secondary schooling must have been at either of these high schools. Preference can be given to those who intend to study Forestry or Music. Applicants must be Aotearoa New Zealand citizens.
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $5,000 per annum for up to three years.
Closing date: 15 August NB: NOT OFFERED FOR STUDY IN 2025

Helen Macmillan Brown Bursary (Incoming First-Year Scholarship)

To support female students residing in a hall of residence that the University of Canterbury recognises as being affiliated with the University. Applicants must be intending to enrol part-time or full-time in any degree at UC.
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $2,500 per 1EFTS of enrolment for one year.
Closing Date: 15 August

Tait Foundation WiE CAN Scholarship

Applicants must have participated in the Women in Engineering (WiE CAN) residential programme at the University of Canterbury and be enrolling in their first year of a BE(Hons) programme.
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $5,000 for one year.
Closing date: 15 August

Tait Foundation Women in Engineering Scholarship

The scholarship supports female students starting their first year of full-time enrolment in a programme for a BE(Hons) degree at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury.
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $2,000 for one year.
Closing date: 15 August

UCSA Lloyd Lilley Scholarship

To support students intending on studying full-time at UC who were students of Southland Boys' High School or Southland Girls' High School in the year of application (or in a previous year if they were on a gap year). 
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $1,200 for one year.
Closing date: 15 August

Aruhiko - Power Engineering Excellence Trust Undergraduate Scholarship

To support and promote study in the BE(Hons) programmes at UC. Applicants must be enrolling full-time the second, third or fourth year of a programme for a BE(Hons) degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering. Applicants must be Aotearoa New Zealand citizens or holders of Aotearoa New Zealand residence class visas. Preference may be given to support efforts towards improving gender equity.
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $3,000 (second or third year applicants) or $5,000 (fourth year applicants) for one year.
Closing date: 31 March

Corallyn Newman Prize

To acknowledge students graduating from UC who were formerly pupils of Christchurch Girls’ High School.
Value: $2,000.
Closing date: Applications not required.

Electrical and Electronic Engineering Excellence Prize

To recognise academic achievement of students who, in the year of award, have completed a programme for a BE(Hons) in Electrical & Electronic Engineering at UC. Two prizes are available annually, one of which is reserved for female students.
Value: $500
Closing date: Application not required.

Electrical Association for Women Prize in Electrical & Electronic Engineering

To inspire and assist a female student in her studies and progress in her career. This prize is awarded annually to a female student commencing studies in the Third Year of an Electrical and Electronic Engineering degree (based on examination results from the Second Year of study).
Value: $300.
Closing date: No application required.

Graduate Women Canterbury (Inc.) Trust Board Scholarship

To support female students to study full-time to complete a Bachelor’s degree (must be studying at 300-level and up), Bachelor with Honours degree, or non-thesis postgraduate study. Applicants must be Aotearoa New Zealand citizens.
Value: Tuition fee support to the value of $4,500 for one year.
Closing date: 31 March

Helen Macmillan Brown Bursary

To support female students residing in a hall of residence that the University of Canterbury recognises as being affiliated with the University. Applicants must be resident in a hall of residence and enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, honours, master's or doctoral level in any programme at UC.
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $2,500 per 1 EFTS of enrolment, for one year.
Closing Date: 15 August

Helen Trappitt Engineering Scholarship for Women in Civil or Natural Resources Engineering

To recognise and support promising female scholars studying full-time in their second year of a BE(Hons) degree programme specialising in Civil or Natural Resources Engineering. Applicants must be an Aotearoa New Zealand citizen or hold an Aotearoa New Zealand residence class visa.
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $2,000 for one year.
Closing date: 31 March

Helen Wily Prize

To support female students who excel in mathematical sciences at 300- or 400-level.
Value: $500
Closing date: Application not required.

New Zealand Steel Sir John Ingram Scholarship

To recognise and support promising female Engineering students studying full-time in the second year of a BE(Hons) degree, specialising in either Chemical and Process Engineering; Electrical and Electronic Engineering; Mechanical Engineering; or Mechatronics Engineering. Applicants must be an Aotearoa New Zealand citizen or holders of an Aotearoa New Zealand residence class visa.
Value: Tuition fees support to the value of $3,000 per annum; a single stipend of $1,000; and an offer of a paid internship with New Zealand Steel. Tenure of the award is for up to 360 points of enrolment.
Closing date: 31 March

Graduate Women Canterbury (Inc.) Trust Board Scholarship

To support female students to study full-time to complete a Bachelor’s degree (must be studying at 300-level and up), Bachelor with Honours degree, or non-thesis postgraduate study. Applicants must be Aotearoa New Zealand citizens.
Value: Tuition fee support to the value of $4,500 for one year.
Closing date: 31 March

Helen Macmillan Brown Bursary

To support female students residing in a hall of residence that the University of Canterbury recognises as being affiliated with the University. Applicants must be resident in a hall of residence and enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, honours, master's or doctoral level in any programme at UC.
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $2,500 per 1 EFTS of enrolment, for one year.
Closing Date: 15 August

Master's Graduate Women Canterbury (Inc.) Trust Board Scholarship

To support female students for study towards a research master’s degree at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury. Applicants must identify as female and be intending to enrol (either full time or part time) in a master’s degree of which there is a project component (single thesis, dissertation, research project, creative work, or performance) with a credit weighting in the range of 90-120 points. Applicants must be citizens of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Value: Tuition fees at the domestic rate, to the points value of the qualifying master’s project.
Closing date: 31 October

NZ Law Foundation Ethel Benjamin Scholarship (for Women)

To support postgraduate research in law that will protect and promote the interests of the public in relation to legal matters in New Zealand. Applicants must be women scholars who are either Aotearoa New Zealand citizens or permanent residents. NB: this is a Universities NZ scholarship. 
Value: Financial assistance up to the value of $20,000 for study in NZ or up to $30,000 for study overseas. 
Closing date: 01 November

Tuihono UC | UC Online Industry: Women in Engineering Scholarship

The scholarship aims to help address the underrepresentation of women in engineering in New Zealand, particularly in senior roles, by supporting women enrolling in the Master of Engineering Management programme delivered through Tuihono UC | UC Online.
Value: Up to 75% of the cost of the cost of tuition fees.
Closing date: Awards are advertised when available.

Doctoral Graduate Women Canterbury (Inc.) Trust Board Scholarship

To support Aotearoa New Zealand women for study towards a research doctoral degree in Te Kaupeka Toi Tangata | Faculty of Arts, or in Te Kaupeka Ako | Faculty of Education, or in Te Kaupeka Oranga | Faculty of Health at Te Whare Wānanga o Waitaha | University of Canterbury. One scholarship is available every three years. Candidates must be citizens of Aotearoa New Zealand.
Value: Financial assistance with the costs associated with university study, to the value of $24,500 per 120 points of thesis enrolment; for up to 360 points in total
Closing date: Scholarship is awarded to the highest-ranked eligible candidate that applied for a UC Doctoral Scholarship in that year (no separate application is required). NEXT OFFERED 2026.

Helen Macmillan Brown Bursary

To support female students residing in a hall of residence that the University of Canterbury recognises as being affiliated with the University. Applicants must be resident in a hall of residence and enrolled in undergraduate, graduate, honours, master's or doctoral level in any programme at UC.
Value: Financial assistance to the value of $2,500 per 1 EFTS of enrolment, for one year.
Closing Date: 15 August

Sir William Hartley Scholarship

To support female doctoral students at a European university. Preference is given to those who will be studying at the University of Cambridge, the University of London, or the University of Oxford. Applicants must have graduated, or about to graduate from a degree at UC and be enrolling full-time study for a research doctoral degree at a university in Europe. There is only one holder of this scholarship at a time.
Value: Financial assistance with the costs associated with university study, at a value of $20,000 per annum for three consecutive years.
Closing date: 01 November