Guidelines

Under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP), a number of scholarships are offered by the New Zealand CSFP Committee. These scholarships are available at the doctoral level in all disciplines. Programs with higher than normal fees are not supported under the CSFP.

Candidates already enrolled in a degree program are eligible to apply.

The scholarships are tenable at the following New Zealand universities:

• University of Auckland
• Auckland University of Technology
• University of Waikato
• Massey University
• Victoria University of Wellington
• University of Canterbury
• Lincoln University
• University of Otago

Scholarship Value

The value of the scholarship is determined by each university and may vary from one university to another. It is the responsibility of the applicant to contact the university of their choice for the financial terms and conditions of the award.

The award generally includes:

• Airfare, for the award recipient only, to New Zealand by the most direct and economical route and return airfare upon completion of the scholarship. The cost of any travel made before receipt of an award is normally not reimbursed;
• approved tuition and compulsory fees;
• medical and travel insurance; and
• an annual grant.

Scholarship Duration

Scholarships are tenable for one academic year, which must begin by the start of the 2014 academic year (February 2014).

The scholarship can be renewed for a maximum duration of three years. The yearly renewal of the scholarship is subject to:

• the availability of funding;
• good academic standing during the first academic year; and
• receipt of a satisfactory report from the scholar’s supervisor.

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• be Canadian citizens; and
• have completed an undergraduate degree with a minimum (A-) average or equivalent.

In addition, applicants:

• whose native language is not English may be required to complete the academic International English Language Testing System (IELTS);
• in business, management and related fields, may be required to complete the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT); and
• in economics and related fields, should note that some universities require the Graduate Record Examination (GRE).

Priority will be given to candidates who are not currently enrolled in a doctoral program in New Zealand.

Terms and Conditions

Scholarship recipients:

• may be required to submit a medical report before the award can be confirmed. Spouse and children, where relevant, must also meet all requirements for entry into New Zealand;
• may not concurrently hold other awards;
• will be required to sign an undertaking to return to Canada as soon as their award comes to an end. Scholars who seek or apply for New Zealand permanent residency while in New Zealand will automatically have their scholarship terminated. Universities New Zealand - Te Pōkai Ta will therefore be unable to provide any letter of support for a scholarship recipient to remain in New Zealand to work thereafter;
• will be expected to reside in New Zealand throughout their award, and to seek approval for any proposed visits abroad. Research outside of New Zealand is normally not permitted;
• may not undertake paid employment during their award without prior consent; and
• may have their award terminated at any time due to a scholar's unsatisfactory progress, conduct or due to the breach of any of the award’s conditions.

Each university's scholarship committee is responsible for the final selection, academic matters, and payments to scholarship recipients as well as for arranging travel, reception and other services.

Deadline

The deadline for the online application form is 11:59 p.m. EDT, July 5, 2013. Applications received late or incomplete will not be considered.

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that all documents required by mail and email are received by the deadline. The scholarship administrator will not accept incomplete files. Supporting documents, other than the ones requested, will not be accepted.

An acknowledgement of receipt will not be provided.

Notification

Applicants will be contacted in August 2013 by the scholarship administrator regarding the status of their application.

Applicants must ensure that a permanent email address is included in their application.

Final Selection

The final selection of scholarship recipients is made by the participating universities in New Zealand. The scholarships manager of Universities New Zealand – Te Pōkai Tara will notify all nominees of their decisions in mid-September.

Application Process

To be considered for the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan an applicant must complete and submit the online application form and provide the supporting documents as requested.

Applicants are recommended to list up to two universities, in order of priority, where they would like their scholarship application to be considered. Universities will be involved in the assessment process in the order in which they are listed on the online application form.

Late or incomplete submissions will not be considered.

Instructions

Applicants are encouraged to carefully read the instructions below before beginning the online application. If applicants experience difficulty filling out or submitting the application, applicants should send an email to admin-scholarships-bourses@cbie.ca.

Applicants:

• must complete the online application form;
• must enter data in the fields provided, following instructions for each item;
• must, upon completion, verify the data prior to submission;
• can obtain a hard copy for record keeping by printing the form using the print function in the browser, prior to submitting; and
• must click SUBMIT for the online application. A confirmation page and reference number will appear after submission.

Supporting Documents

The following documentation must be uploaded and attached to the online application form in one of the following formats: .pdf, .jpg, .doc, .docx, .txt or .gif. Each document must be smaller than 5 Mb in order for the application to upload successfully.

• Certificate of admission: certificate of admission from the host institution or a copy of correspondence (including email correspondence) confirming that the applicant has requested admission or will have access to the facilities needed to complete the proposed research project, if applicable.
• Curriculum vitae: the curriculum vitae must not include photographs or any personal information such as a date of birth (maximum four pages.

The following documents must be sent by mail:

• Proof of Canadian citizenship: copy of a birth certificate, citizenship card, or passport; a baptism certificate is not accepted as proof of Canadian citizenship.
• Official transcripts: a transcript of all post-secondary studies to date (complete academic records including colleges and CÉGEPs) with the cumulative grade point average for each degree or certificate.
• Copy of the diploma for the highest degree obtained.
• Artwork samples: three sets of artwork samples for applicants in fine arts, music and architecture. Applicants in the history or theory of art, of music, or of architecture are not required to submit samples. Artwork samples required are as follows:
  • Applicants in the fine arts (painting, graphic arts, sculpture and photography) must submit copies or photos of three pieces of their work. Film-makers and video artists must submit at least one recent film, indicating when it was made, how the applicant was involved in its production and the running time. These must be provided on a USB Key, CD or DVD, be dated, and clearly identified with the applicant's name.
  • Applicants in music must submit a USB Key, CD or DVD of three original work pieces for a total of no more than 30 minutes. The recordings of singers and instrumentalists must be chosen from three different musical periods, except in the case of Baroque musicians, who must include movements from three different types of pieces. Piano accompaniments may be included.
  • Applicants in architecture must submit up to 10 reproductions of drawings, provided on a USB Key, CD or DVD.

Only samples as specified above will be presented to the Selection Committee.

It is strongly recommended that the applicant collect supporting documents in a sealed envelope and send them to the scholarship administrator in one package by a method that provides confirmation of its delivery, such as courier service or registered mail.

This supporting documentation should be sent to the scholarship administrator at:

Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE)
Attn: Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan – New Zealand
220 Laurier Avenue West, Suite 1550
Ottawa, Ontario
K1P 5Z9

Letters of Recommendation

The New Zealand CSFP Committee attaches great importance to letters of recommendation from people who are well acquainted with the applicant’s academic or professional work. Please note that:

• where an applicant has studied at a New Zealand university or is currently doing so, at least one referee should be from the institution concerned; and
• at least two of the three referees should have taught or supervised the applicant in an area of study relevant to this application.

Three letters of recommendation must be sent separately, by the referees, as a PDF document to the scholarship administrator at admin-scholarships-bourses@cbie.ca.

Documents and email subject lines must clearly identify the name of the scholarship program and the last name of the candidate:

Subject: CSP-NEW-ZEALAND-last name of the candidate
Example: CSP- NEW-ZEALAND -Johnson

The three letters of recommendation must arrive by the deadline for the online application to be considered.

Conditions

All recommendations of the Canadian Scholarship Selection Committee and decisions made by the New Zealand CSFP Committee are final and are not open to appeal.

The Canadian Scholarship Selection Committee is not able to provide feedback to unsuccessful candidates.

Applications submitted directly to the High Commission of New Zealand will not be considered. Documents submitted to the scholarship administrator will not be returned.

These scholarships are subject to the availability of funding provided by the participating universities in New Zealand.

Apply online

About

The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) was established in 1959, with the first scholars selected in 1960. The Plan was suggested in an influential speech in September 1958 by Sidney Smith, a former President of the University of Toronto and later Canadian Minister of External Affairs. The goal of the Plan is to nurture educational links among Commonwealth countries and to strengthen the ideals upon which the Commonwealth was founded. Over 25,000 Commonwealth citizens have held awards - many going on to reach the very highest levels within their profession.

The chief contributors to the Plan are Canada and the United Kingdom (UK), with 20 other member countries having offered awards over its 50 year lifespan. In New Zealand, the CSFP is administered by Universities New Zealand - Te Pōkai Ta.

Annually, the New Zealand CSFP Committee offers a total of eight scholarships to Canada and the UK. All applications from Canada and the UK will be assessed on merit by the New Zealand CSFP Committee.