Mātātoa Sport Scholarship

Scholarship level: School leaver
Closing date(s): 2 September
Tenure: One year
Award for: Athletes; Domestic
Number offered: Varies
Value: $5,000 or $10,000

Description

The purpose of the Mātātoa Sport Scholarship is to foster excellence in sport and academic performance. This scholarship supports the student athlete to retain a healthy balance of focus and commitment toward their programme of study, sporting commitments, and their own wellbeing, resulting in a rewarding and successful university experience.

The scholarship is open to any athlete from all sporting and academic disciplines who are intending to enrol in their first year of an undergraduate degree at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

Scholarships are valued at $5,000 or $10,000 for the first year of study which can be put towards accommodation costs at a Victoria University of Wellington hall of residence, or as a contribution towards tuition fees (unless you qualify for Fees Free).

As a Mātātoa scholarship recipient you will have free access to a suite of support services that include allocated recreation staff, fitness facility access, and an ambassador welcome pack.

Who is eligible?

  • Applicants must be New Zealand Citizens, or Permanent Residents; a New Zealand Residence Class visa holder; Australian Citizen; Australian Permanent Resident or International Students who are in the process of completing at least two full years (i.e., their Year 12 and Year 13) at a New Zealand Secondary School at the time of application.
  • Academic - applicants must have their NCEA Level 2 Certificate endorsed with Merit from Year 12 (or an equivalent level of achievement in an alternate qualification).
  • Sporting - applicants must be at a minimum, age-group regional and/or national representatives in their chosen sport.
  • Applicants must already be intending to enrol full time in their first undergraduate degree at Te Herenga Waka—at Victoria University of Wellington.

Selection criteria

Scholarships will be awarded on the basis of sporting achievement (regional or national representation), academic merit, leadership responsibilities in sports and other personal circumstances.

Application process

A completed online application must be submitted by 4.30 pm on the closing date. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. Any required supporting documentation (including references) must also be received by 4.30 pm on the closing date in order for the application to be considered.

Applications will normally open three months prior to the closing date. If no application link is provided below, check back again closer to the closing date. Contact us if you have any queries.

Scholarship specific documentation

  • A letter of support from your sporting coach (to be requested via the online application).
  • A one-page sporting CV summarising your sporting achievements over the last two years and an outline of your sporting goals and performance plans for the year ahead.
  • A one-page personal statement outlining how you have shown resilience or determination in achieving your academic and personal goals; this could also include demonstration of leadership attributes, or personal challenges.

Selection process

Selection will be made by the Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Undergraduate Scholarship Committee in consultation with a panel of staff at the University chaired by the Associate Director, Sport and Recreation. The decisions of the Committee are final.

Additional information

Award recipients are expected to be:

Applicants are encouraged to discuss their University club membership and UTSNZ representation with the Sports Manager.

Scholarships will be paid in two instalments (Trimester 1 and Trimester 2) and will be conditional upon academic performance and the recipient adhering to the terms of this scholarship.

Regulations and conditions

  1. A completed online application must be submitted by 4:30pm on the closing date. Late or incomplete applications will not be accepted. Any required supporting documentation (including references) must also be received by 4:30pm on the closing date for the application to be considered.
  2. All offers of the Scholarship will be conditional upon the recipient being fully enrolled in a full-year programme (full time will be at the level of points considered by Studylink as full time) within the stipulated criteria and tenure of the scholarship. No payment of the Scholarship will be made until this condition is met. Exceptional circumstances need to be discussed with the Sports Manager and approved by the Undergraduate Scholarship Committee.
  3. All scholarship offers must be accepted by the date specified in the award letter, otherwise it will expire. The University reserves the right to reallocate the Scholarship.
  4. Scholarships will be awarded at the value of $5,000 or $10,000.
  5. Applicants are expected to have their NCEA Level 2 Certificate endorsed with Merit, or equivalent in another qualification. Applicants with a CIE score of at least 180 over your best four subject units, and a predicted score in IB of 28 are encouraged to apply. IB scores will need to be confirmed in January once IB results are available. Credits must be gained in Year 12; credits gained in Year 13 can not be included (except for IB students).
  6. All scholarship offers will be conditional upon the recipient gaining NCEA Level 3 in Year 13 with at least Merit endorsement (or equivalent in another qualification), University Entrance, and admission into their degree programme.
  7. Applicants who wish to enrol at the University in the year following application directly from Year 12, may not apply for the Scholarship unless they will meet all the normal conditions of the Scholarship by the end of their Year 12 year (see regulation 5 in particular).
  8. Applicants who go on an official student school exchange for a minimum of six months instead of completing Year 13 may apply for the Scholarship. These applicants will also need to gain admission through Discretionary Entrance.
  9. Applicants who have taken a (single) gap year after completing Year 13 may apply for the Scholarship, as long as they have not studied at another university during that time (i.e., this scholarship is for first-year students, not transferring students). They will need to apply in the year prior to starting study at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
  10. Applicants who have studied up to 60 points of courses at tertiary level during secondary school are eligible to apply. This includes applicants who may have completed any STAR (or equivalent) funded courses while still enrolled at secondary school.
  11. Exceptional applicants will also be considered for the Kahotea Outstanding Achievement Scholarship which includes full accommodation costs* at a University hall of residence in the first year of study, and contribution towards tuition fees or stipend for three years, conditional on students continuing to be enrolled full time and maintaining a Grade Point Average of at least 6 (a B+ average). See full regulations here.
  12. All recipients of a Victoria University of Wellington School Leaver Scholarship are guaranteed an offer of a place in a University hall of residence, provided an accommodation application is received by the University Accommodation Wellington by their deadline.
  13. The Scholarship cannot be deferred to a later year.
  14. The Scholarship may not be held in conjunction with any other Victoria University of Wellington funded school leaver scholarship or other scholarships where it is determined in those regulations.
  15. Should the recipient withdraw from the University during the tenure of this scholarship or fail to achieve satisfactory progress, partial repayment of the Scholarship will normally be expected. Recipients must advise the Scholarships Office if they intend to withdraw.
  16. Mātātoa Sport Scholarship recipients are ambassadors for Victoria University of Wellington and are expected to always represent the values of the University. Our sporting ambassadors will be active and vocal supporters of the University, our clubs, university sport, and their student peers. Recipients are expected to participate in any marketing and communication opportunities that are presented.
  17. The recipient must be an active, registered member of the applicable sports club of Victoria University of Wellington.
  18. Scholarship recipients are automatically registered in the Student Athlete Network and are expected to be active members and participants within this community.
  19. If part time study for the recipient is approved, their scholarship award may be pro-rated. This decision will be made by the decision-making panel. Before the recipient decides to reduce their workload from fulltime, this must be discussed with the Sports Manager and the Scholarships Office.
  20. At the discretion of the Deciding Authority, the application of the terms and conditions of the Scholarship may be modified in special circumstances or to avoid hardship to any candidate for the Scholarship.
  21. The sections above headed Description, Eligibility, Selection Criteria, Application process, Scholarship specific documentation, and Selection Process as well as this section are all deemed to form part of these Scholarship Regulations.

*Contribution to accommodation costs excludes the initial deposit (including bond and other hall fees) that is due when accepting an offer of accommodation.

Contact

Scholarships Office
scholarships-office@vuw.ac.nz
Phone 0800 04 04 04