Undergraduate Scholarships in NewZealand for Myanmar (Burma) Students

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October 9, 2008

NEW ZEALAND DEVELOPMENT UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP, Purpose of the New Zealand Development Scholarships scheme: The New Zealand Development Scholarships (NZDS) scheme offers the opportunity to people from developing countries to undertake development-related studies at tertiary education institutions in New Zealand. (Deadline: 23 October 2008)
One New Zealand Development Scholarship in the Open category (NZDS-Open) is available to eligible citizens of Myanmar.

By providing people with knowledge and skills to contribute to the sustainable development of key sectors in their home country, the NZDS scheme aims to reduce poverty, provide better services to the poor in the region, promote good governance and contribute to the human resource base of targeted countries. Capacity building aims to strengthen the institutional and organisational ability of government and non-government organisations (NGOs) and communities with assistance that is appropriate to local needs and that promotes self-sufficiency.

Type, level and number of scholarships

One (1) New Zealand Development Scholarship in the Open category will be awarded for full-time undergraduate level study in New Zealand beginning in the 2009 academic year.

Details of the participating New Zealand education institutions are listed in Annex 1.

Priority sectors

In line with NZAID’s Asia Strategy, the scholarship will be awarded for study linked to the following priority sectors:

• sustainable rural livelihoods
• basic education
• primary health
• governance
• trade and development

• conflict prevention and peace building

Applications for study relevant to a non-priority sector will only be considered if no applicants are looking to study in a priority sector.

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must meet the following generic NZDS eligibility criteria before their application will be considered further against the selection criteria. Applicants must:
• be a citizen of Myanmar (permanent residents of this country are not eligible to apply);

• be residing in Myanmar, preferably for at least two years prior to application;
• not have citizenship or permanent residence status of New Zealand, Australia or another developed country1;

• not be married or engaged to be married to a person who holds, or who is eligible to hold, citizenship or permanent residence status of New Zealand, Australia or another developed country;

• be 45 years or younger at the time of application;

• be applying to commence a new qualification and not be seeking funding for one already commenced in New Zealand or another country;

• not have completed, or nearly completed, a qualification at a similar level (i.e. applicants must apply for a higher level qualification than any previously attained), unless strong developmental relevance is demonstrated;
• satisfy the admission requirements of the New Zealand education institution at which the qualification is to be undertaken, including English language proficiency criteria;

• be able to demonstrate a strong commitment to Myanmar’s public, private or civil society sector (as relevant), and to the development of Myanmar in general; and

• be able to take up the scholarship in the academic year for which it is offered.

Applicants cannot:

• be studying full-time at post-secondary level;

• be transferring from another tertiary scholarship (either in New Zealand or in another country) to a NZDS;

• hold, or have held, a New Zealand Government or Australian Government scholarship in the 24 months preceding the scholarship start date (excluding previous NZAID English Language Training for Officials scholarship recipients); or

• have been terminated from a New Zealand or Australian Government scholarship previously.

Applicants are expected to continue residing in Myanmar during the NZDS application and selection process. If offered a NZDS, candidates must:

• be able to satisfy Immigration New Zealand requirements for international student entry to New Zealand (i.e. medical checks and police clearance/character checks, etc);

• not hold another scholarship during the period of the NZDS; and

• agree in writing that they will return to Myanmar for a minimum period of two years following completion of their scholarship in order to contribute to Myanmar’s social or economic development.

Personnel from agencies involved in NZAID projects are encouraged to apply.

English language requirements

New Zealand tertiary education institutions set their own admission requirements for English language proficiency. As a guide, most New Zealand education institutions require a minimum IELTS2 score of 6.0, with no band less than 5.5, for undergraduate level study. All applicants should check the IELTS or TOEFL3 score required for admission to their selected New Zealand education institution.

It is mandatory for applicants to provide the original copy of their IELTS or TOEFL test result as a pre-condition of the application and placement process. Results must be no older than 24 months at the time of the scholarship start date.

1 A developed country is defined as a country not included on the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee’s list of aid recipients.

2 International English Language Testing System – Academic stream

3 Test of English as a Foreign Language

4 In general, NZAID will not support individuals whose professional experience has mostly been obtained overseas.

NZDS-Open application and selection process

NZDS-Open candidates apply directly to one of the participating New Zealand education institutions (see Annex 1), after ensuring that they meet the eligibility criteria. The education institution distributes and receives NZDS-Open application forms. Applicants must ensure that the institution receives the completed NZDS application form (including all supporting documentation) before the closing date of 23 October 2008. The education institution will asses the candidate’s application for admission to the institution, and check it against the NZDS eligibility criteria. The institution will send complete NZDS applications, for candidates with unconditional offers of place, to NZAID’s Scholarships Unit in Wellington, New Zealand, by 20 November 2008.

NZAID will consider all eligible applications against the selection criteria below and will advise the institutions of the outcome of the NZDS selection round by early December. NZDS-Open applicants will be notified by their selected institution regarding the success of their application and what they should do next.

All applications must be completed in English, with certified true copies of official English translations (where the original document is not in English) attached to the NZDS application form. Applications with incomplete supporting documents will not be processed.

In all cases, the application process is based on the principles of transparency and merit.
Selection criteria

In addition to the eligibility criteria above, candidates’ applications will be considered against the following selection criteria:

• the proposed study programme links to one of the identified priority development sectors for the Asia region (see page 1);

• the applicant clearly demonstrates the developmental relevance and applicability of their proposed study programme to the human resource development training needs of Myanmar;

• the applicant clearly demonstrates their links and commitment to Myanmar (e.g. services to their community, ability to influence change in a key development sector etc), supported by references.

The proposed study programme must be relevant to:

• recent paid and/or unpaid (volunteer) work experiences4;

• the training needs of the employing organisation; and

• identified employment opportunities on completion of their study.

• consideration of other factors which will contribute to the success of their studies (e.g. good character, positive study attitude and motivation to succeed).

Additional information

The purpose of the NZDS scheme is for scholarship holders to gain knowledge and skills in specific subject areas that will assist the development of their home country by contributing to identified human resource development training needs. It is a pre-condition of accepting a NZDS that scholarship holders return to their home country to take up a position that utilises their study for a minimum period of two years.

Female applicants, and applicants from minority and other disadvantaged groups, are strongly encouraged to apply as the New Zealand Government attempts to ensure equity among scholarship holders. Candidates from provincial areas are encouraged to apply.

New Zealand Development Scholarships must be taken in the year for which they are offered and cannot be transferred to the next academic year.

If offered a NZAID scholarship, travel to New Zealand is subject to a visa being issued by Immigration New Zealand. Successful applicants should allow a minimum two month period for their visa application to be processed.

Where a student’s study programme is 18 months or longer, and the student has at least 12 months remaining of their study programme to complete, the student can be joined by their spouse/partner and dependant children at a higher rate of stipend. NZAID may fund the airfares to New Zealand for a student’s spouse/partner and up to two dependant children. Eligibility criteria apply.

Information on NZDS allowances and entitlements, and conditions of the NZDS scholarship, is provided on the scholarships pages of NZAID’s website: www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships/nzds.html

Applicants must not have applied for New Zealand or Australian permanent residency. Applicants must not seek or apply for permanent residency or a work permit for New Zealand, Australia or any other country while on scholarship.

Note: NZAID has the right to make a final decision on the offering of NZAID scholarships. NZAID has the right to amend terms and conditions of NZAID scholarships. Amendments will be posted on the NZAID website (www.nzaid.govt.nz/scholarships).

Scholarship Tags: Burma, Myanmar, NewZealand, scholarships, students, Undergraduate