Totoweka Equity Scholarship

Description

Scholarships will be awarded competitively based on academic merit, equity, leadership, and commitment to community. Scholarships are valued at $5,000 or $10,000 for the first year of study which can be put towards accommodation costs* at a Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington hall of residence, or as a contribution towards tuition fees (unless you qualify for Fees Free).

The Totoweka Equity Scholarship recognises the University's commitment to equity issues in supporting all students to have access to education. We encourage strong academic applicants who are from refugee-backgrounds; have a disability; identify as Rainbow, or come from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

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.
• Applicants are expected to have their NCEA Level 2 Certificate endorsed with Merit from Year 12 (or an equivalent level of achievement in an alternate qualification).
• Applicants must be intending to enrol full time in the year following application in their first undergraduate degree at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.
• Applicants must be in Year 13 or have completed Year 13 in the year prior and be taking a gap year at the time of application.

Selection criteria

Scholarships will be awarded competitively based on academic merit, and strong demonstration of barriers due to inequity and/or hardship.

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 one-page personal statement outlining your circumstances that may include your background, academic journey and life goals.
• A supporting reference from your school (to be requested via the online application).

Depending on the categories you apply  under, the following additional documents will also be required:

• Socio-economically disadvantaged - a statement of earnings from parents and/or caregivers who provide you with financial support or statement if you are self-supporting (to be requested via the online application).
• Disability - supporting documentation from a GP or other registered health professional.
• Refugee background - evidence of your refugee status.

Selection process

Selection will be made by the Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington Undergraduate Scholarship Committee. The decisions of the Committee are final.

Additional information

You can choose to have the payments put towards accommodation at one of our University halls of residence, in which case the total amount will be paid in two instalments in February and July.

If you choose to have your scholarship go towards tuition fees then the total amount will be credited towards your student fees account when you receive your first invoice.

If you qualify for Fees Free then your scholarship for that year will be paid as a stipend towards living costs. The stipend payments will be made in two instalments, in Trimester 1 and 2 after the withdrawal periods. Payment must be used for study related costs such as accommodation, books for study, travel to and from university, or to support your living costs while you are studying.

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. Scholarship offers will be conditional upon the recipient being fully enrolled in a full-year programme (this 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 may be approved by the Undergraduate Scholarship Committee.
3. Disabled scholarship recipients may enrol less than full time and are recommended to discuss their enrolment with Te Amaru-Disability Services to seek advice on this. Please inform Te Maka—Scholarships Office.
4. Scholarships will be awarded at the value of $5,000 or $10,000, based on equity and the support required.
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 a satisfactory progress, partial repayment of the Scholarship will normally be expected. Recipients must advise the Scholarships Office if they intend to withdraw.
16. Recipients are expected to act as Ambassadors for the University and participate in appropriate events or marketing if requested.
17. 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.
18. 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