He pūtea tautoko | Student scholarships and grants
Find a Māori organisation-led scholarship that’s right for you.
Information for tauira
Each year, over 200 Taihonoa-supported scholarships and grants are awarded to tauira Māori at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington through our partnership relationships with iwi and interested stakeholders. These relationships are known as our ‘He Herenga partnerships’—partners who have a signed relationship agreement with us.
The relationship-based nature of He Herenga partnerships mean that the details of each scholarship or grant arrangement—who administers the award, the total award amount, what the award is paid toward (e.g. accommodation, fees, or stipend), eligibility criteria, open and closing dates, and selection processes—are led by our He Herenga partners. Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington seeks to uphold and support the arrangements of our He Herenga partners.
Eligibility
All Taihonoa scholarship and grant candidates must be enrolled at Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington at the time of application.
How to apply
If you are interested in applying for a Taihonoa supported scholarship or grant, first, search the list of our He Herenga partners to determine a possible match of interest to you. Matches are usually whakapapa-based, but not exclusively.
Once you’ve found a He Herenga partner, an iwi, hapū, land trust, or other entity of interest, there are two application channels:
1. Complete the application process with your selected He Herenga partner. Information about the scholarship or grant may be be posted on the iwi organisation's website and/or via another communication medium that the organisation uses, such as a newsletter, or registered members’ pānui.
2. Complete the application process of a Taihonoa co-sponsored scholarship promoted on the University’s Scholarships Office website.
Payments of the awards
If you are a successful applicant for a Taihonoa supported scholarship or grant, the iwi or Māori organisation will advise the University of your award. Depending on the arrangement in the specific application process you applied to, either the total co-sponsored sum or the University’s contribution will be processed and paid to the successful applicant through the university’s Scholarships Office.
Information for our Taihonoa partners
The Taihonoa programme offers a unique partnership-based approach that enables our He Herenga partners the opportunity to:
- grow meaningful engagement between iwi, tauira, and Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington
- increase the scholarship and grant offerings to tauira Māori.
We know that the financial relief and opportunity provided by the Taihonoa programme can enable and empower tauira in their career journeys, and that it is particularly meaningful and motivating that this support comes from a kaupapa iwi/Māori-focused organisation.
“I am honoured to be a recipient of the Taihonoa Wairarapa Moana Trust Future Leaders Scholarship...it is a huge relief financially and I am able to focus more on university and learning.”
Scarlett Travers
BA student and Wairarapa Moana Trust Future Leaders Taihonoa grant recipient 2019
How does it work?
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington and our He Herenga partners offer co-sponsored awards (usually a matched dollar-for-dollar sum) for undergraduate and postgraduate student fees, accommodation, and/or living costs (stipend).
Awards/arrangements specifics—such as area of study, level of study, award amount, eligibility criteria, open and closing dates, and selection processes—agreed award-by-award. Most commonly the details and structure of the award are determined by our He Herenga partners.
Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington can assist our He Herenga partners with advertising and administrative support through the Office of the DVC (Māori) and Scholarships Office at no cost. The University also makes a commitment to our He Herenga partners that 100% of the award goes to the tauira, with no administration costs deducted.
| Type of award | Range per award (same for He Herenga partner and Te Herenga Waka) | Total co-sponsored tauira award |
|---|---|---|
| Undergraduate grant | $150–$5,000 | $300–$10,000 |
| Undergraduate accommodation/halls of residence scholarship or grant | $2,500–$7,500 | $5,000–$15,000 |
| Bachelors fees scholarships or grant | $2,500–$7,500 | $5,000–$15,000 |
| Honours fees scholarship or grant | $3,000–$4,500 | $6,000–$9,000 |
| Masters fees scholarships or grant | $3,000–$4,500 | $6,000–$9,000 |
| PhD fees scholarships or grant | $3,000–$4,500 | $6,000–$9,000 |
| Postgraduate honours scholarship | $1,000–$5,000 | $2,000–$10,000 |
| Masters stipend/living costs grant | Up to $15,000 | Up to $30,000 |
| PhD stipend/living costs grant | Up to $15,000 | Up to $30,000 |
| Summer research scholarships or internship scholarship or grant | $3,000–$4,000 | $6,000–$9,000 |
If you have any enquiries about our Taihonoa partners, please contact Cecilia Tuiomanufili, Pouhere – Programme Coordinator, Office of the Deputy Vice Chancellor Māori at Te Herenga Waka on +64 4 463 5303 or email cecilia.tuiomanufili@vuw.ac.nz