TeachNZ Scholarships
& Funding Pathways

What is TeachNZ?

TeachNZ is the Ministry of Education's scheme for recruiting people into the teaching profession and supporting them financially while they study. It is not itself an ITE programme — instead, it layers financial support on top of whichever accredited provider you choose to attend.

The scheme exists because New Zealand faces teacher shortages across several subject areas and demographic groups. TeachNZ scholarships and grants are designed to remove financial barriers for people entering (or returning to) teaching, particularly in areas where the country most needs teachers.

Priority Scholarship Areas

TeachNZ scholarships are prioritised for subject areas and demographic groups where teacher supply is most critical:

Types of Funding Available

• TeachNZ Scholarships — Awarded competitively to students entering ITE in priority subject areas. Cover study costs and/or living allowances. Annual application rounds with varying values (typically $5,000–$15,000).
• Field of Study loans top-up — StudyLink loans are available for all ITE students. TeachNZ scholarships supplement these, not replace them.
• Learner support grants — Additional support available for students experiencing financial hardship during ITE.
• Return-to-teaching grants — For qualified teachers returning to classroom teaching after a break from the profession.
• Teacher supply incentives — Regional bonuses and incentives for teachers willing to take up positions in hard-to-staff schools or regions.

Māori and Pacific Teacher Scholarships

Dedicated funding pathways exist for Māori and Pacific students entering teaching — recognising both demographic teacher supply gaps and the educational equity benefits of having more Māori and Pasifika teachers in the profession:

• Māori-medium teacher training grants — Supporting Māori students entering kura kaupapa or bilingual teacher education pathways
• Pacific teacher scholarships — Funded in partnership with Pacific communities and providers with strong Pacific connections (AUT has particular relevance here)
• Iwi and hapū scholarships — Some iwi run their own parallel scholarship schemes for teachers of Māori descent entering the profession

Career Change Into Teaching

Many of Aotearoa's best teachers come from other careers — engineers teaching technology, scientists teaching chemistry, lawyers teaching social studies. TeachNZ actively supports this pathway through:

• Career change information events and webinars throughout the year
• Targeted scholarships for career changers with relevant industry experience
• Connections to ITE providers who have strong graduate-entry pathways (VUW MTchg, UoA Graduate Entry, Massey PGDipTchg)
• Information about Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) processes for crediting existing professional experience within ITE

How to Apply

• Visit teachnz.govt.nz — The official Ministry of Education portal for all TeachNZ scholarships and funding information
• Check the annual round dates — Applications open once a year, typically in August–September for the following academic year
• Apply early — Competitive scholarships fill quickly, especially in high-priority subject areas
• Get subject advice first — Speak to the ITE programme you're applying to about how their programme aligns with priority scholarship areas
• StudyLink — Apply separately for student loans and allowances through StudyLink, which is the primary financial support channel alongside any TeachNZ scholarship you receive