Funding

The Rainbow New Zealand Charitable Trust awards scholarships to assist students who identify as LGBTTQIA+ to enter into, or continue, tertiary study.

Their Rainbow Scholarships programme celebrates diversity and inclusivity on the tertiary learning journey. They understand that each learning pathway is unique, and invite students from all walks of life and learning programme to apply for their scholarships.

Their scholarships are available to any LGBTTQIA+ student enrolling or continuing their studies in an NZQA accredited programme at a Tertiary Institution (including University, Wānanga and Polytech) in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Applications for 2027 open on 1 October 2026 | Head to their website by clicking this box to find out more and apply.

The Rainbow NZ Charitable Trust is working alongside some banks to financially support people to legally change their name due to new confirmation of payee rules. To find out more about the process and what banks are involved, click this box to head to their webpage.

UCSA's Hardship Grant exists to assist UC students who are experiencing financial hardship due to unforeseen or unexpected circumstances, and have exhausted their options for meeting their living costs.

If approved, the maximum Grant to any one student will not exceed $2,000. Students are able to receive a maximum of one Hardship Grant per calendar year.

The Hardship Grant is accessible to both domestic and international students.

To enquire about the Hardship Grant, please contact UCSA's Advocacy and Welfare team.

The UCSA Individual Grants Pool provides current UC students access to financial assistance to go towards activities of individual pursuits at a high level of achievement and/or community engagement. These activities can include, but may not be limited to, conferences, events, and sporting competitions (either on the national or international level).

Successful applicants can use these funds to assist with travel, accommodation, and registration fees.

Individual grants are capped depending on whether the opportunity is domestic or international.

• For domestic opportunities, individuals could receive up to $500
• For international opportunities, individuals could receive up to $1000