References and personal statements

You may need to provide references or a personal statement as part of your scholarship application.

References—information for students

References are a common requirement when applying for a scholarship. When you apply online, you can nominate a referee and they will get sent an email request. They will then have the ability to securely upload the reference back to the scholarships system.

Choose referees who will provide the right kind of information about you, meaning information the selection panel will need to know about. For example, if you are a research student and they need to know about your research capabilities, ensure the referee has supervised your research work before, or has some other knowledge of your capabilities.

Communicate with your referee about all scholarships you have applied for so they can provide an appropriate reference relevant to each scholarship.

Referee’s statements are required by the scholarship's closing date.

References—information for referees

If you have received a request to supply a reference, the email you get will include instructions on how to submit a reference, including a link to the application system CommunityForce.

Be sure to include the most relevant information about the student. This may include academic merit, demonstration of involvement in sustainability or leadership practices, commitment to community, personal circumstances, and any extracurricular achievements you are aware of. You are welcome to comment on how they might benefit from attending Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington.

It is important that you submit your reference by the scholarship deadline (this deadline is included in your reference email). Applications are not considered complete until the reference has been submitted into the system. Deadlines are not flexible.

This reference is confidential and will only be used by the Selection Committee in determining the applicant's eligibility for our scholarships. This information will not be shared with the applicant without your consent.

If you choose not to provide a reference, please click on the provided link and decline the invitation. This will notify the student and they will be able to assign another individual for their reference.

Personal statements

Some scholarships require a personal statement from the applicant. Always read the scholarship criteria carefully before you write your statement, so you gain a sense of what the panel are looking for.

If the scholarship doesn't specify what type of information to include, consider the following:

• your study goals and/or career aspirations
• your work or personal experience
• any barriers that might be relevant to the scholarship, such as financial barriers
• any personal characteristics, such as leadership, that will strengthen your application.

We recommend that personal statements are kept to a single page in length. The Scholarships Office is unable to proof-read or review personal statements.