Tertiary Scholarships

Important Update 

05 June 2022

The funding approach for Tertiary Scholarships is changing.  Recently, a relationship with the Māori Education Trust has been formed that has enabled us to support twenty-six tauira.  In future, the Māori Education Trust will be the portal to receive all applications.   

To ensure that there are no gaps in the transition a short grant round will be held through the month of June 2022 to pick up tauira who may not have had the chance to apply to the Māori Education Trust. 

The Te Mana o Te Awa Scholarships aim is to grow the collective expertise of Whanganui Iwi to contribute to and enhance the health and well-being of the Whanganui River (Te Awa Tupua) and Whanganui Iwi.

Closing date for applications – Thursday 30 June 2022

Background

The overarching vision of Whanganui Iwi for Te Awa Tupua, is to ensure that the care, protection, management, use and development of Te Awa Tupua:

1. Enhances and protects the health and well-being of both Te Awa Tupua and Whanganui Iwi;
2. According with the principles, values, kawa, tīkanga and mātauranga of Whanganui Iwi;
3. Involves Whanganui Iwi in a primary role in planning, management and regulation; and
4. Is for the benefit of:
   1. First, the environmental, cultural and spiritual health and well-being of Te Awa Tupua;
   2. Secondly, the cultural, environmental, social, political and economic development of Whanganui Iwi; and
   3. Ultimately, Aotearoa.

Purpose of Scholarships

Te Mana o Te Awa Scholarships have been established to assist uri of Whanganui Iwi to excel in priority fields of study in order to contribute to the technical, scientific, policy, legal, governance and administrative capacity of the tribe in upholding Te Mana o Te Awa. Ultimately, it is intended that Scholarship recipients will contribute to the health and well-being of both the Whanganui River (Te Awa Tupua) and Whanganui Iwi.

Eligibility

In addition to being descendants of Whanganui Iwi, applicants for this Scholarship are eligible if they are pursuing a recognised tertiary qualification in one or more of the following priority areas:

• Environmental Sciences
• Natural Resources
• Environmental Law
• Planning
• Accounting
• Business Management and Administration

NOTE: You will not be eligible to apply for this funding round if you have recently been notified that you were successful at gaining a    grant from the Māori Education Trust and Ngā Tāngata Tiaki.

Value

For this round there will be Up to seven (7) Te Mana o Te Awa Scholarships offered:

• four (4) undergraduate scholarships valued at $1,750.00 each; and
• three (3) postgraduate scholarships valued at $5,000.00 each.

If applicants are studying part time the panel reserves the right to agree to an equitable way other scholarship support the applicant. This may be by pro-rata or per paper, but for undergraduate papers this will not exceed a maximum of $1,750. 

All payments will be made either to the Tertiary Provider, Study Link/IRD/Student Loan OR Hall of Residence.   

On occasions where the scholarships are undersubscribed the panel will give consideration to applicants who may not be pursuing a qualification directly aligned to the priorities but meets the criteria of this scholarship. 

Tenure

Scholarships are awarded for one year.

Application

To apply for a Te Mana o Te Awa Scholarships please complete the application form, provide a CV, proof of enrolment and a verified copy of your Academic Transcript and send to tmota@ngatangatatiaki.co.nz or post to Ngā Tāngata Tiaki o Whanganui, PO Box 544, Whanganui 4541. All information must be received on the due date or be postdated. 

Click here to download the application form.

For any queries, call the office at 0800 AWA TUPUA (0800 292 88782) or (06) 281 3375

If the application is:

Approved:            You will be notified in writing within one month of the closing date for scholarship applications. Monies will be paid into your nominated bank account by direct credit on or around the 20th of the month following approval.

Declined:             You will be notified in writing within one month of the closing date for scholarship applications.

Previous Tertiary Scholarship Recipients

Watch the videos below to learn more about some of our scholarship recipients and how Te Mana o Te Awa has assisted them in their journey.