Wellington Master's by Thesis Scholarship

Description

To encourage postgraduate research at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington, the University offers scholarships to students about to begin a full-time, research-focused Master's degree.

Applications are sought from those who are eligible at the time of application, or who will have become eligible by the start of Trimester 2 the following year, to enrol for a Master's degree by thesis worth 90 points or more. The scholarship will be paid only for the period in which the student is undertaking the thesis course so, for some students, this will be Part 2 of a two-year Master's programme.

Details of the general and strategic scholarships available for 2025

Who is eligible?

• Applications are sought from those who are eligible at the time of application, or who will have become eligible by the start of Trimester 2 the following year, to enrol for a Master’s degree by thesis worth 90 points or more. This will be either a one-year Master's programme in which the student will undertake a thesis worth 90 points or more, or Part 2 Master's degree in which the student will take a thesis course worth 90 points or more. The Master's thesis will usually have the course code 591 or 592.
• For avoidance of doubt, eligibility includes students who are taking a portfolio course that is worth 90 points or more, and is administered under the University's Master's by Thesis regulations (see section 6 of those regulations). These portfolio courses normally have a course code of 593.
• Students who are taking a 60 points dissertation course are not eligible.
• Students would normally be expected to have completed a Honour's degree or Master's degree Part 1 demonstrating academic achievement equivalent to a GPA of at least 7.0 from a New Zealand university. Applicants must be aware that a GPA of 7.0 is a minimum requirement and that the University Research Scholarships Committee has discretion to use a higher bar if there are more applications than funding available.

Selection criteria

• Scholarships will be awarded solely on the basis of academic merit by the University Research Scholarships Committee, a sub-committee of the University Research Committee.
• Applicants must be intending to enrol full time at Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington.
• Applicants must be intending to enrol for a thesis worth 90 points or more within a Master's degree.

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 one month 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

• Personal statement
• One-page research proposal outlining the proposed research topic
• CV
• One academic reference (to be requested via the online application)
• Academic transcript if previous study has not been completed at  Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Selection process

All offers for Wellington Master's by Thesis Scholarships, will be made in late December of the year of application.

Additional information

The Scholarship comprises a $15,000 tax-free stipend for one year, plus tuition fees (domestic fees for 120 points only). The tenure is for one year and will be paid out for the year in which the student is enrolled in their thesis course.

The scholarship stipend will be paid to each scholarship recipient in monthly instalments. The first such payment will be made by the Scholarships Office as soon as practicable after confirmation of enrolment. Fees will be paid directly to the University by the Scholarships Office. International students other than those from Australia will be liable to pay the difference between the full international student fee and the domestic fee.

Approval for the co-tenure of a Wellington Master's by Thesis Scholarship with other awards that total more than $6,000 must be sought from the University Scholarships Committee. The co-tenure of other awards may result in a reduction in the value of the scholarship stipend.

Regulations and conditions

1) The Scholar shall be enrolled in a full-time postgraduate programme and shall abide by the statutes, policies and procedures of Te Herenga Waka - Victoria University of Wellington (the University).

2) Recipients are required to accept their offer of scholarship within four weeks of the offer after which the scholarship offer will lapse. All offers are conditional upon the recipient being enrolled by the latest at the start of Trimester 2 the following year in a Master's degree by thesis. If a student has already been enrolled for a Master's degree by thesis more than three months at the time when the offer of a scholarship is made, the maximum length of tenure of the scholarship will be reduced at the discretion on the University Research Scholarships Committee.

2) The Scholar will be expected to work full time on the research (and, where required by the regulations for the qualification, the accompanying coursework) that is required to complete the qualification (please note that for the terms of this contract full time is considered to be at least 35 hours per week).

3) The Scholar acknowledges that conferment of the postgraduate degree can be withheld if the Scholar is otherwise in breach of the University's statutes, policies and procedures or of this contract.

4) Approval must be obtained from the University Research Scholarships Committee before any period of leave is taken, other than reasonable annual holiday leave. This includes any period the Scholar needs to spend overseas to undertake research relating to the approved programme or research.

5) The Scholar must advise the Scholarships Manager immediately of any suspension or withdrawal from full time study in the approved programme or research, any change of supervisor, the date of submission of the Scholar's thesis and any change or address or telephone number.

6) The Scholar must gain permission to hold paid employment during the tenure of the Scholarship from their supervisor or Head of School. Permission will normally be granted only for employment as a teaching or research assistant in an area that is directly related to the Scholar's field of research, and for no more than 600 hours in any one calendar year.

7) The Scholar shall reimburse the University for any money paid to the Scholar by the University subsequent to the date of any suspension and/or withdrawal from full time study in the approved programme of research.

8) Should the Scholar withdraw from the thesis course, the Scholar may be required to repay the University for the full scholarship money paid to the Scholar by the University during the tenure of the Scholarship.

9) The Scholar agrees to complete the University scheduled progress reports during the tenure of the scholarship, outlining their progress to date.

10) The Scholar acknowledges that any failure by the Scholar to make satisfactory academic progress in the approved programme of research, any breach of this contract or University statutes, policies and procedure, may result in the Scholarship being terminated at any time and/or the Scholar being required to pay the University for part or all of the Scholarship money paid to the Scholar during the tenure of the Scholarship, at the sole discretion of the University Research Scholarships Committee.

11) The Scholar acknowledges that any change to the agreed research topic will need the approval of their primary supervisor. Such approval will be considered in consultation with the Scholarship Funder, taking into account the extent to which the Scholarship was originally awarded for a particular area of research. If this is not approved, scholarship funds may be withdrawn.

12) The Scholar acknowledges that their completed thesis (or any other final piece of work required to complete their approved programme of research) must be submitted to Victoria University of Wellington for examination.

Note: At the discretion of the University Research Scholarships Committee, the application of any terms and conditions of the Wellington Masters by Thesis Scholarship may be modified in special circumstances or in order to avoid hardship to any scholarship recipient. The University Research Scholarships Committee will review the terms and conditions of scholarship from time to time.

Contact

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