School of Communication Studies Social Impact Postgraduate Scholarship

Auckland University of Technology (AUT) provides postgraduate scholarships to encourage postgraduate study and research and to recognise student academic achievement. 

The purpose of this scholarship is to offer a student interested in postgraduate research at the Master level the opportunity of focusing on a subject and research project in communication and/or media that is designed to produce research with a distinct potential to contribute to New Zealand’s economy, society, and/or culture, either as a whole or for any of our communities. Research proposals that aim at industry-relevant studies, professional practices, improvements to policy-making or community-relevant policies, fostering social cohesion, progressing social, economic or health outcomes for under-served communities, and building capacity for advancing New Zealand as a wellbeing nation, are especially invited to apply.

Selection criteria:

• Preference will be given to applicants enrolling for the first time in the eligible programme.  1.  Applicants must have completed their qualifying programme at AUT or any other New Zealand tertiary institution.  2.  Applicants must be intending to study full-time.  3.  Applicants must:  a) Achieve a minimum GPA of 7.5 (A-/A) across a 120pts in the final year of their qualifying programme; OR b) Be registered in ARION as having Māori or Pacific first ethnicity and achieve a minimum GPA of 6.5 (B+/A-) across 120pts in the final year of their qualifying programme; OR  c) Be able to prove significant financial hardship and achieve a minimum GPA of 6.5 (B+/A-) across 120pts in the final year of their qualifying programme. 4. Demonstrate exceptional merit of their postgraduate research to meet the purpose of the scholarship as outlined above. 5. Recipients of this scholarship are not eligible to reapply in subsequent years.  6. Students who already commenced studies in the eligible programme may apply, and if successful the scholarship tenure will be reduced by the studies already completed in the approved programme.
  

General Information:

How do students apply?
Applicants must complete the online AUT Postgraduate Research Scholarship Application available through the AUT Scholarships Database www.aut.ac.nz/scholarships. Applicants will be asked to upload the following documentation:  - A one-page personal statement outlining the applicant’s academic goals, motivation and interest in research study and career aspirations stating why they believe they merit the scholarship.  - A provisional research proposal that evidences the relevance of intended thesis research to the purpose of the scholarship as outlined above. - If the applicant is applying under the category Māori or Pacific, they must outline in the statement their cultural involvement.  - If an applicant wishes to be considered as under financial hardship, they must address this in their personal statement and upload evidence of their financial position, i.e., IRD statement of income, and provide a reference from a person other than a family member who can support the applicant’s financial need.  - Academic transcript(s) for any previous tertiary study that was completed at a New Zealand tertiary institution other than AUT.  - A copy of the applicant’s AUT transcript will be added to the application by the Scholarships Office once grades have been finalised.   
Regulations
Application Form

Decision makers
•         Shortlisting and selection of the recipients will be undertaken by a selection committee in the School of Communication Studies, overseen by the Head of School, Head of Research, and Head of Postgraduate. •         The selection committee reserves the right to not award the scholarship if none of the applications fulfil the selection criteria or merit the award, as deemed by the selection committee. •         The decision of the selection committee is final.  

How and when do students learn of the decision?
Applicants will be notified by the University Scholarships Office as soon as possible after selection panels have made their decisions.

What conditions are attached to acceptance of this award?
The award of this scholarship is conditional on the student enrolling full-time in the approved programme.

Additional information
The scholarship consists of tuition fees and compulsory student fees (domestic equivalent rate) plus a stipend at the combined total value of NZ$30,000 for 180 pts at Level 9 in the Master of Communication Studies programme completed within an eighteen-month period (full-time study). The award of this scholarship is conditional on the student enrolling full-time in an approved programme. Approved study must commence in Semester 2, 2022.

Who else has information about this award?
University Scholarships Office: scholars@aut.ac.nz

For guidelines, application forms and more information about this award contact:

Auckland University of Technology


Phone: +64 9 921 9837

Email: scholars@aut.ac.nz