Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award

The Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award is for a promising New Zealand graduate student to undertake postgraduate study or research in the US in a field of indigenous development.

The Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award is sponsored by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (New Zealand's Māori Centre of Research Excellence) and is granted for advanced academic study in the US. One highly prestigious and competitive award is offered each year to a graduate student whose area of study or research fits within one of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga's research themes. Applicants must also show academic excellence, leadership potential and the ability to be a cultural ambassador for New Zealand.

Studying in the US is an opportunity to explore America, share your culture and make friends with students from around the world. The quality of teaching, facilities and resources is renowned world wide.

Fulbright New Zealand Graduate Awards Fulbright offers a range of graduate awards for New Zealanders, in different fields of study: Fulbright-Platinum Triangle Scholarship in Entrepreneurship in a knowledge economy-related field Fulbright-Ministry of Research, Science & Technology Graduate Awards in fields targeted to support growth and innovation in New Zealand Fulbright-EQC Graduate Award in Natural Disaster Research in the field of natural disaster research Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award in a field of indigenous development Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Awards in any field of study You may only apply for one award, and should apply for the award most relevant to your proposed field of study. Your application may, at the discretion of Fulbright New Zealand, also be considered for another of our graduate awards providing you meet the criteria of that award.

Eligibility

To be eligible, you must:

• have at least a relevant four-year degree (or a three-year degree with honours), but not hold a doctoral degree at the time you take up your award
• plan to undertake postgraduate study or research at a US institution for a period of at least six months
• plan to undertake study or research which fits within one or more of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga's research themes
• have a maximum of five years' professional work experience
• meet the citizenship requirements for this award:
  

Citizenship requirements

• are a New Zealand citizen
• AND are not a permanent resident or citizen of the US
• AND are not currently living in the US*
  

* Applicants outside New Zealand who are unable to attend an interview in person may be disadvantaged.

Preference for Fulbright awards is given to candidates who have not had extensive recent experience in the US.

Preference for this award will be given to candidates who show promise in making further contributions in New Zealand in accordance with the Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga vision and mission.

Fulbright awards will not be granted for medical programmes which include any clinical activities involving direct patient care.

Entitlement

• Return airfare to the US
• A one-off payment of US$25,000. The award will be reduced to US $15,000 if the recipient enrols in an academic programme of less than nine months duration
• Basic health and accident insurance up to US$100,000
• Support and enrichment seminars run by the Institute of International Education (IIE) throughout your stay in the US

The value of the Fulbright award is not intended to fully fund your entire course of study. For this reason, you should be investigating additional funding from universities and private and government sources whilst you await the outcome of your Fulbright application. Fulbright students can often source additional funding through the US institution they attend.

We can assist you with identifying the right US university, your application and applying for financial support.

Successful applicants may also be eligible for further supplementary awards.

Award conditions

• You must plan to be in the US for a minimum of six months
• Your award must be approved by the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board in Washington, DC
• Your award must be taken up in the American academic year following official confirmation of the award, and no earlier than July of that year
• If selected for an award, you will be required to undertake a full medical examination
• You must travel on a New Zealand passport, and US immigration documentation must be completed from within New Zealand
• International travel will only be funded between New Zealand and the US
• You may apply for academic training in the US for up to 18 months upon completion of your degree (conditions apply)
• Before departure for the US, during your grant and on return to New Zealand, you will be required by Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga to fulfil some media requirements along with presentations to suitable fora of indigenous scholars and/or community group
• If you ever intend to apply for a work permit or permanent residency in the US, US immigration requires you to have returned to New Zealand for a minimum of two years before becoming eligible to apply. You also cannot apply for residency during your Fulbright award. These requirements are in keeping with the philosophy of the Fulbright exchange programme so that you return to New Zealand to share your experiences.

Fulbright orientation

It was Senator J William Fulbright's mission to build peace through the mutual understanding of cultures. Fulbright applicants and grantees are expected to understand and support this mission. To support this understanding, New Zealand grantees are required to attend a Fulbright orientation held each June in Wellington.

Application process

• Complete and submit an online application and the Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award supplementary application form by the deadline
• Submit all support documents to us by the deadline
• interviews will be held in Wellington in September 2010. Fulbright New Zealand will pay the costs of travel to Wellington only for applicants residing in New Zealand
• we will advise you of the outcome of your application by the end of October

Application form and support documents

Online application

Applicants must complete the online application form for the Foreign Fulbright Program.

Please apply to the Fulbright Foreign Student Program, not the International Fulbright Science and Technology PhD Program.

Application Information Pack

The Fulbright-Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Graduate Award Information Pack includes instructions for completing your application and submission of the additional support documents that are required to complete your application.

Application Information Pack:

npotm-grad-pack.doc (493kB)

Confidential Letter of Reference form:

student-reference.pdf (48kB)

student-reference.doc (121kB) - can be filled out electronically

Further information

FAQs

The Fulbright New Zealand Graduate Award FAQs document answers many common questions about our awards:

Fulbright New Zealand Graduate Award FAQs:

graduateaward-faqs.pdf (55kB)

For further information, contact our graduate awards Programme Manager, Kara Wood - kara@fulbright.org.nz / 04 494 1504

Fulbright New Zealand has Campus Advisers stationed on all major New Zealand campuses. Our Advisers are all Fulbright alumni who are available to discuss their exchange experiences with students and staff, as well as to give basic information about our awards.

Supplementary Awards

Recipients of Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Awards who study in the field of humanities and/or social sciences are eligible to apply for the supplementary Robin W. and Avril Flockton Winks Award, which provides an additional US $1,500 towards research costs and book purchases.

Recipients of Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Awards who study in the field of political science, international relations, journalism or international law are eligible to apply for the supplementary Sir Wallace Rowling Memorial Award, which provides an additional US $2,500 towards the cost of taking up an internship in Washington DC during the grantee's exchange to the US.

Eligible grantees will be invited to apply once their Graduate Award has been confirmed.

More on Study in the US

Study in the US	Education Services
The Study in the US section of our website gives you all the fundamental information you need to know about studying in the US.	Find out what services Fulbright New Zealand offers for students and scholars in the Education Services section of our website.