Wellington Doctoral Scholarship at Victoria University of Wellington
- Deadline
- November 1, 2026
- Country
- New Zealand
- Institution
- Victoria University of Wellington (Te Herenga Waka)
- Value
- NZ$32,000 stipend per year plus full tuition fees for up to 3 years
- Level
- phd
- Eligibility
- International Students
- Field
- Any/All fields of study
About
Quick answer: The Wellington Doctoral Scholarship funds full-time PhD study in any discipline at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand: a NZ$32,000 annual stipend plus full tuition fees, normally for three years. It is explicitly open to international students, so Nigerians apply on the same terms as everyone else, and around 110 scholarships are awarded every year — far better odds than most single-university awards.
There are three rounds every year, closing 1 March, 1 July and 1 November. The next round closes 4:30 pm New Zealand time on 1 November 2026; late or incomplete applications are rejected outright, and references must also arrive by the deadline.
Eligibility
- Open to graduates of any university worldwide intending to enrol full-time in a PhD at Victoria University of Wellington (or already enrolled there).
- Selection is on academic merit and research potential — a strong first degree plus a research Master’s (or excellent Honours result) is the realistic bar.
- Graduates of non-NZ universities must include their academic transcripts with the application.
- Applying for PhD admission and for the scholarship happens in the same online process — contact a potential supervisor at the university first.
Additional Information
How to apply: find a supervisor in your field on wgtn.ac.nz, then submit the combined admission-and-scholarship application before the round closes. Application is free. Offers go out about six weeks after each closing date. ⚠️ Note: New Zealand’s government Manaaki scholarships do NOT accept Nigerian applicants for degree study — ignore blogs claiming otherwise; university scholarships like this one are the real route to funded study in New Zealand. See also the Tongarewa Scholarship for Master’s-level study at the same university.