The University of Auckland-Indian Institute of Technology Doctoral Scholarship in Engineering funds IIT research scholars who enrol in a dual, joint or cotutelle PhD with the University of Auckland’s Faculty of Engineering. It is one of the few New Zealand awards built specifically around an Indian institution.
There is no separate scholarship form. Candidates are considered for it at the time they apply for the UoA-IIT dual, joint or cotutelle PhD programme, and the award is made by nomination – so the practical step is to get the PhD admission and the nomination moving together.
Auckland-IIT Doctoral Scholarship at a glance
Quick facts2026-27
| Scholarship from | University of Auckland, Faculty of Engineering (established 2020) |
| Last date to apply | No separate application – by nomination, when you apply for the UoA-IIT PhD |
| Official website | auckland.ac.nz – UoA-IIT Doctoral Scholarship in Engineering |
What the scholarship covers
- Stipend of up to NZ$25,000 per year for up to 24 months, paid in fortnightly instalments while you are doing the PhD in New Zealand
- Compulsory PhD fees covered for up to 36 months for international students who are eligible to study under the domestic fees policy
- Compulsory international student health insurance for up to 24 months while you are in New Zealand
- Total tenure of up to 36 months
- Payments are tax-free as long as they are used for the costs of study
The stipend is paid only while the awardee is in New Zealand, and it starts no earlier than the date of enrolment at the University of Auckland.
Who is eligible
- Full-time international students who are eligible to pay domestic PhD fees
- A grade point equivalent (GPE) of 7.50 or above in the most recent qualifying programme for doctoral study
- Enrolment in a PhD in Engineering under a University of Auckland-Indian Institute of Technology dual, joint or cotutelle agreement, on an agreed topic in the Faculty of Engineering
- Students who have already started a doctoral programme at the University of Auckland are not eligible
- The award cannot be held together with a University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship or with another New Zealand or foreign government scholarship held while the awardee is in New Zealand
Where the qualifying programme is an undergraduate honours degree or an integrated degree, the GPE is calculated over the final two years of full-time study. For other programmes it is calculated over the whole programme.
What the selection committee looks at
Selection is on academic merit. The regulations list the factors the committee may weigh:
- Performance in the most recent qualifying programme for doctoral study
- Coursework completed in the IIT PhD programme
- Academic references
- CV
- Research and publication record
- Standing of the institution where the qualifying programme was completed
How the nomination works
- Find an agreed research topic and a supervisor in the University of Auckland Faculty of Engineering
- Apply for the UoA-IIT dual, joint or cotutelle PhD programme through the University of Auckland admission process
- The faculty nominates you to the Scholarships Office – you do not submit a scholarship form
- A selection committee (Deputy Dean of Engineering, Associate Dean Postgraduate Research, Associate Dean International) recommends the award and the University Council approves it
- Enrol within six months of the date of your unconditional programme offer, otherwise the scholarship offer lapses
Conditions you must keep
- Full-time enrolment is required; additional or paid work is capped at 500 hours per scholarship year
- International awardees may be resident outside New Zealand for a maximum total of 12 months over the enrolment period, and only for research purposes, to keep domestic-fee eligibility
- The scholarship can be co-tenured with another award only if that award’s rules allow it, and the extra stipend is capped at 50% of this scholarship’s value
- Unsatisfactory progress reported by the Associate Dean (Postgraduate Research) can lead to suspension or termination
Important dates and how to time your application
The scholarship has no fixed closing date – the regulations list the closing date as by nomination. In practice your timeline is set by two things: the University of Auckland PhD intake you are targeting, and the six-month take-up rule after an unconditional offer. Doctoral enrolments and scholarship payments start on the first day of a month, so plan the admission file so that the offer and the nomination land together.
Frequently asked questions
No. There is no application form. You are considered when you apply for the UoA-IIT dual, joint or cotutelle PhD programme, and the faculty nominates you.
Up to NZ$25,000 per year for up to 24 months, plus compulsory PhD fees for up to 36 months and international student health insurance for up to 24 months.
A grade point equivalent of 7.50 or above in your most recent qualifying programme for doctoral study.
No. Students who have already begun their doctoral programme at the University of Auckland are not eligible for this scholarship.
Not a University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship or another New Zealand or foreign government scholarship. Other awards are allowed only if their rules permit, with the extra stipend capped at 50% of this scholarship’s value.
Payments remain tax-free as long as they are used for the payment of study costs.
Official links
- UoA-IIT Doctoral Scholarship in Engineering – University of Auckland
- Regulations for the scholarship (PDF)
Also read: study abroad scholarships, post graduation scholarships and international scholarships for other funded PhD and master’s awards.
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