Purpose of the New Zealand Development Scholarships scheme
The New Zealand Development Scholarships (NZDS) scheme offers the opportunity to people from developing countries, including citizens of Cambodia, to undertake development-related studies at tertiary education institutions in New Zealand.
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, promote good governance, and contribute to the human resource base of targeted countries. NZAID capacity building complements the work done in country by multilateral agencies and non-governmental organisation (NGO) projects. Preference will be given to applicants from disadvantaged communities.
Type, level and number of scholarships
There are two categories of NZDS:
New Zealand Development Scholarships – Public category (NZDS-Public): This category targets Government officials working in the institutions relevant to NZAID’s Country Strategy for Cambodia. Applicants for this category must be nominated by their employer to IDP Cambodia in Phnom Penh, the Management Contractor for the NZDS scheme in Cambodia.
New Zealand Development Scholarships – Open category (NZDS-Open): Applicants from public sector, private sector or civil society organisations (including NGOs) also apply directly to IDP Cambodia.
Within the New Zealand bilateral development assistance programme for Cambodia, up to ten (10) scholarships (five NZDS-Public scholarships and five NZDS-Open scholarships) will be offered to eligible candidates from Cambodia for study beginning in the 2011 academic year1.
New Zealand Development Scholarships will be awarded for full-time postgraduate level study (i.e. Postgraduate Diplomas and Masters degrees) in New Zealand. Doctorate (PhD) level study is not available.
Details of the participating New Zealand education institutions are listed in Annex 1.
Priority sectors
In line with NZAID’s country strategy for Cambodia, scholarships will be awarded for study linked to the following priority sectors:
Development Studies
Sustainable Rural livelihoods -
• agriculture, forestry, fisheries, water resource management, environment and natural resources, rural development, , bio-security (quarantine, phytosanitation), food science, veterinary
• sustainable tourism, eco-tourism, tourism management
Governance
• law, justice, legal and judicial reform, human rights/gender, social work
• public administration, public policy, public sector management
1 Successful candidates who do not meet the New Zealand education institution’s English language proficiency criteria will first be required to undertake English language training.
Trade and Development
• trade policy, international trade, economics, business, public sector development
• Small and Medium Enterprise development
Eligibility criteria
Applicants must meet the following NZDS eligibility criteria before their application will be considered further against the selection criteria, including any criteria specific to Cambodia (listed on page 3). Applicants must:
• be a citizen of Cambodia (i.e. permanent residents are not eligible to apply);
• be residing in Cambodia, preferably for at least two years prior to application;
• not have citizenship or permanent residence status of New Zealand, Australia or another developed country2;
• 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 aged 22 or over before the scholarship start date (also see below);
• be applying to commence a new qualification and not be seeking funding for one already commenced in New Zealand or another country3;
• 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;
• have been working in their home country, preferably for at least two years prior to application;
• have worked for two years in their home country since completing their highest qualification gained to date;
• be able to demonstrate a strong commitment to Cambodia’s public, private or community sector (as relevant), and to the development of Cambodia 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.
• take to New Zealand, any dependants not previously declared in the original application (details for dependants outlined in Section 2 of NZDS Application Form)
Applicants are expected to continue residing in Cambodia during the NZDS application and selection process. If offered a NZDS, candidates must:
2 A developed country is defined as a country not included on the OECD’s Development Assistance Committee’s list of aid recipients.
3 NZAID will not fund any students to continue a qualification they have commenced outside their home country. With prior agreement of the partner government, NZAID will consider funding qualifications being studied in the home country by self-sponsored, part-time students on a case-by-case basis.
• 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 Cambodia for a minimum period of two years following completion of their scholarship in order to contribute to their country’s social or economic development.
Cambodia specific criteria
In addition to meeting the criteria above, applicants from Cambodia must:
• be 35 years or younger at the time of application;
• have a minimum IELTS4 (Academic) result of 5.5 overall, with no band less than 5.0; and
• NZDS-Public applicants must have a minimum three years work experience with, and be currently employed by, the Royal Government of Cambodia; or
• NZDS-Open applicants must have a minimum three years relevant work experience in Cambodia.
Officials from government agencies involved in NZAID projects are encouraged to apply.
English language training
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 IELTS score of 6.5, with no band less than 6.0, for postgraduate level study. Some postgraduate qualifications may require a higher score. All applicants should check the IELTS or TOEFL5 score required for admission to their selected New Zealand education institution.
It is mandatory for applicants to sit an IELTS or TOEFL exam and provide the original copy of their test result as a pre-condition of the application and placement process. Results must be from a test taken within two years of the proposed scholarship start date. Shortlisted NZDS applicants must have a minimum IELTS (Academic) score of 5.5 overall, with no band less than 5.0; or a minimum TOEFL score of 500 (Computer-based TOEFL score of 173), with a minimum TWE of 3.5.
Selected applicants who do not meet their education institution’s English language proficiency criteria will be required to undertake English language training prior to their academic study programme commencing in New Zealand, in order to attain the required proficiency.
Application process
Details of the NZDS-Public and NZDS-Open schemes are advertised in the media in December 2009. The NZDS-Public scheme is also promoted to ministries at the same time.
Preliminary application forms are available from IDP Cambodia. Applicants return their completed preliminary applications directly to IDP Cambodia. It is important that the applicant clearly states their choice of qualification and education institution, and includes all requested supporting documents.
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 application form. Applications with incomplete supporting documentation will not be processed.
In all cases, the application process is based on the principles of transparency and merit.
Closing date for applications
All applicants submit their preliminary application, and supporting documentation, to IDP Cambodia by 22 January 2010. Late applications will not be accepted.
4 International English Language Testing System – Academic stream
5 Test of English as a Foreign Language
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 Cambodia (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 their country;
• consideration of gender equity, including efforts to ensure the scholarships are offered equitably between male and female candidates;
• hold a recognized Bachelor degree, of strong academic merit, in general relevant to the proposed postgraduate qualification (Note: NZAID gives preference to candidates who do not already hold a degree from an industrialised country); and
• the applicant clearly demonstrates their links and commitment to Cambodia (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 experiences6;
• 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 also 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. (Currently Under Review)
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 New Zealand or Australian permanent residency 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).
6 In general, NZAID will not support individuals whose professional experience has mostly been obtained overseas.
Contact for further information
IDP Cambodia
#46, Street 214
Sangkat Boeung Raing
Khan Daun Penh
PO Box 860
Phnom Penh
CAMBODIA
Email: nzds.phnompenh@idp.com
Website: www.idp.com/cambodia
Cambodia Information