25 group programmes (197 scholars) awarded in the final round of the Prime Minister’s Scholarships
Education New Zealand Manapou ki te Ao has approved funding for 25 group programmes (197 scholars) in the 2025 Group Round of the Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA) and Latin America (PMSLA).
These scholarships support learners from across Aotearoa New Zealand to take part in international experiences that build global skills, cultural awareness, and leadership. This is the final round of the programme.
Key stats
- Total approved group programmes: 25 (16 for Asia, 9 for Latin America)
- Total scholars funded: 197 (131 for Asia, 66 for Latin America)
- Asia destinations: Japan, India, China, Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan
- Latin America destinations: Chile, Colombia, Brazil, Mexico
Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Asia (PMSA)
- Pacific Cooperation Foundation – Thailand Education and cultural internship (15 scholars)
- UCOL – China Early childhood education internship (5 scholars)
- University of Waikato – Japan Māori cultural and language exchange (10 scholars)
- University of Canterbury – China Cross-cultural exchange in Shanghai (3 scholars)
- Massey University – China Language and cultural exchange (10 scholars)
- Victoria University of Wellington – Japan One-year research and cultural exchange (3 scholars)
- Whitecliffe College of Arts and Design – India Cultural fashion and textile exchange (8 scholars)
- Joint 8 New Zealand Universities – India Sustainable development and social innovation exchange (16 scholars)
- Meinga Ltd – Japan and Taiwan Language and cultural exchange (8 scholars)
- JIX Research & Innovation Lab – Thailand and India EdTech and cultural exchange (7 scholars)
- Hononga Consultancy – Japan Sports and cultural exchange (8 scholars)
- Rauawaawa Kaumātua Charitable Trust – Japan and Singapore Kaumātua cultural exchange (6 scholars)
- TupuToa – China Ecological farming internships (15 scholars)
- Otago Polytechnic – India Indigenous knowledge and food systems (6 scholars)
- University of Auckland – India Cultural and academic exchange at OP Jindal Global University (5 scholars)
- AFS Intercultural Programmes NZ – India Teacher exchange and cultural immersion (6 scholars)
Prime Minister’s Scholarships for Latin America (PMSLA)
- AUT University – Colombia and Brazil Sustainability in LATAM (8 scholars)
- Victoria University of Wellington – Brazil Design study tour (10 scholars)
- University of Auckland – Chile Spanish language and cultural immersion (6 scholars)
- Piwaiwaka Productions Ltd – Chile and Rapa Nui Customised cultural exchange (8 scholars)
- South Auckland Young Entrepreneurs (SAYE Ltd) – Colombia Purpose-led enterprise programme (8 scholars)
- University of Otago – Chile Cultural exchange with Rapa Nui (8 scholars)
- Te Weu Tairāwhiti Charitable Trust – Chile and Rapa Nui Indigenous exchange (6 scholars)
- Unitec Institute of Technology – Mexico Winter school at Tec de Monterrey (6 scholars)
- Meinga Ltd and Wellington Community Law Centre – Colombia and Brazil Indigenous justice exchange (6 scholars)
A legacy of global growth
Since launching in 2013, the Prime Minister’s Scholarships have supported nearly 4,000 New Zealanders to study and intern abroad.
The final round reflects the wide impact of the scholarships, supporting learners in fields such as education, sustainability, technology, Indigenous knowledge, fashion, entrepreneurship, and more.
Although the Prime Minister’s Scholarships programme has now been disestablished, its legacy lives on. Thousands of former scholars have returned with broader worldviews, deeper cultural understanding, and valuable global connections that continue to benefit their communities, industries, and Aotearoa’s international relationships.