The following doctoral scholarship opportunities are funded by either external organisations, grants, donations and bequests to the university. Discover some of the other scholarships that may assist in funding your Business or Law doctoral degree below.
Each scholarship has different other eligibility criteria so click on the scholarship name and then click through to the Regulations link to determine if you're eligible.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS INFORMATION MAY BE SUBJECT TO CHANGE: These scholarships are subject to funding availability and are reviewed each year.
Search our scholarships database for all scholarships currently available.
Purpose: To encourage graduate study into areas relevant to national security. Applicants must have obtained at least second class honours, division A, or equivalent in their qualifying degree and have completed academic studies in political science, history, economics or some other discipline that may be considered an appropriate foundation for such study. NB: this is a Universities NZ scholarship.
Value: Financial assistance of up to $50,000 per annum, normally for one year.
Closing date: 01 October - not offered 2025 or 2026
Purpose: To enable New Zealanders to study international relationships or social and economic conditions at a university overseas. Candidates will be planning to study at Masters or PhD level. NB: this is a Universities NZ scholarship.
Value: Financial assistance normally up to $12,000 per annum, for up to two years for Masters and up to three years for PhD.
Closing date: 01 April
Purpose: To assist New Zealand law graduates, whose application has been accepted, to study Law at the University of Oxford. NB: this is a Universities NZ scholarship.
Value: Financial assistance up to the value of $10,000.
Closing date: 31 May
Purpose: To encourage graduate study into areas relevant to national security. Applicants must have obtained at least second class honours, division A, or equivalent in their qualifying degree and have completed academic studies in political science, history, economics or some other discipline that may be considered an appropriate foundation for such study. NB: this is a Universities NZ scholarship.
Value: Financial assistance of up to $50,000 per annum, normally for one year.
Closing date: 01 October - not offered 2025 or 2026
Purpose: To support women postgraduate students carry out research in law that will protect and promote the interests of the public in relation to legal matters in New Zealand. NB: this is a Universities NZ scholarship.
Value: Financial assistance up to a value of $20,000 for study in NZ or up to $30,000 for study overseas.
Closing date: 01 February
In 2010, I had the privilege of working in remote Aboriginal communities of Southeast Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory of Australia. Since graduating my bachelor’s degree, I sought to align with solidarity research and advocacy roles - alongside Indigenous peoples, particularly in relation to governance. Those early collaborations taught me that law can either advance or constrain Indigenous laws and customs, and meaningful research in this field requires collaboration and care.
This PhD scholarship not only removes the financial pressure that would otherwise tether me to contract work but frees me to come full circle and turn toward South-East Arnhem Land again. Here, the Traditional Owners are expanding their aspirations for sea-country governance across Indigenous Protected Areas with a focus on blue carbon opportunities.
Freed to focus full-time on rigorous PhD research in this legal context, under the excellent guidance of a leader in this field, Professor Elizabeth Macpherson, I can co-design research that directly supports these goals.
The stipend also enables me to dig deeper in previous work experience on policy advocacy and research surrounding customary land rights for Indigenous and ethnic minorities. I am very grateful for this scholarship opportunity as it allows me to sharpen my legal training toward my goal of working on legal cases that seek to hold power accountable.
