New Zealand-ASEAN scholarship application deadline extended

MANILA, Philippines - To provide more opportunities for Filipinos to avail of a scholarship in New Zealand, the New Zealand Embassy is extending the deadline for the New Zealand-ASEAN Scholars (NZAS) program.

NZAS is a postgraduate scholarship program funded by the New Zealand Government through the New Zealand Aid Program. Under the NZAS awards, eligible Filipino scholars can pursue postgraduate development-related degrees in areas where New Zealand has globally recognized expertise.

The awards are an opportunity to transfer New Zealand expertise to the Philippines.

Eligible fields of study are agriculture, tourism, governance, public sector management, trade, development, disaster risk management, climate change adaptation, and renewable energy.

“If you look at New Zealand, we are a small country with 4.5 million people but we have expertise in these particular areas. These topics reflect areas of strengths for New Zealand and the priorities of the current administration for economic growth. That is where we feel we can make a contribution,” states New Zealand Ambassador to the Philippines Reuben Levermore.

The awards are open to eligible candidates from the public, private and civil society sectors. An indicative allocation of 18 scholarships is made available to Filipinos who wish to study in New Zealand for the 2013 academic year.

Applications should present an unconditional offer from a participating New Zealand institution on or before Aug. 31, 2012 along with the application form to the New Zealand ASEAN Scholarship Program. Further information, including eligibility criteria and application forms, can be found at the New Zealand Embassy website (www.nzembassy.com/philippines).

To help qualified individuals, New Zealand Embassy appointed the Bato Balani Foundation to help in the application process. Interested applicants may also contact Reina Lino, NZAS program administrator of Bato Balani Foundation Inc., at email address: [email protected] or at tel. no. (632) 8925462.