PM’s Scholarships for Asia announced

The PMSA is an outbound scholarship programme, with funding of $9 million over five years provided in Budget 2013 as part of the Government's Internationally Focused Growth Package.

This first round sees 89 of New Zealand's outstanding students selected to attend some of the top universities in Asia. Successful scholarship recipients for this first round include a Bachelor of Science student from Victoria University who will study at Osaka University for two trimesters, a Bachelor of Design (Hons) student from Massey University who will study for one semester at NanyangTechnological University in Singapore.

Students will gain an international education experience, helping them to develop skills to prosper in the global economy, operate comfortably in different countries and cultures, and increase our people-to-people links with the world.

Scholarship recipients will bring back new ideas and develop a deeper understanding of other cultures, and while away, will act as ambassadors for New Zealand, helping to promote the quality of our education system.

The scholarships will also help us develop deeper links with some of the top education institutions in Asia, and help build networks with our key Asian trading partners.

Education New Zealand (ENZ), who is managing this outbound scholarship programme, has been working closely with all our universities to ensure the success of this first selection round.

Selections were made by a panel made up of members from the Asia New Zealand Foundation, Universities New Zealand, New Zealand Trade and Enterprise, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade and ENZ.

Applications for the 2014/15 rounds of the Prime Minister's Scholarships for Asia will open in January 2014.