MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

New Zealand Commonwealth Postgraduate Scholarships 2015

Applications are invited by Universities New Zealand from eligible Sri Lankans for the
award of Postgraduate Scholarships offered under the Commonwealth Scholarships and
Fellowships Plan (CSFP) funded by the New Zealand Aid programme tenable for the
academic year 2015. Number of Scholarships to be awarded is 02 for PhD or Masters
Studies.
These scholarships will provide opportunities to Sri Lankans to pursue advanced courses
of study and to undertake research. These scholarships are intended for persons of good
intellectual promise who may be expected to make a significant contribution to the
country on their return upon successful completion of studies/research.
02. Fields of Study : There is no restriction to the field of study. But the priority will be
given to following sectors:

03.

Agriculture
Renewable Energy
Disaster Risk Management
Economic Governance
Economics
Education
Termination

Any scholarship may, at the discretion of the appropriate authority, be

terminated at any time owing to misconduct, irregularity of attendance,
absence from class or hostel without prior approval of the authorities
concerned, unsatisfactory progress in studies or failure at examinations of
the holder of such scholarship. When any scholarship has been terminated,
the scholar may be required to return to Sri Lanka at his/her own expenses.
04.

General Eligibility Requirements:

a) All candidates should be citizens of Sri Lanka
b) Not have citizenship or permanent residence status of New Zealand or
Australia, or another developed country, except where their country does
not issue passports and they hold a New Zealand passport. (Eg. The Cook
Islands, Niue or Tokelau)
c) Not be married or engaged to be married to a person who holds, or who
is eligible to hold, citizenship or permanent residence status of New
Zealand, Australia or another developed country, except where their
country does not issue passports and they hold a New Zealand passport.
(eg.The Cook Islands, Niue or Tokelau)

d) No dependants allowance is paid. Scholars who choose to have their

immediate family members join them in New Zealand will be responsible
for their financial support.
e) Age: should be less than 40 years as at 30.05.2015
f) Should possess a Bachelors Degree with First or Second Class Upper
Division in the relevant field of study from a recognized university and a
relevant Masters degree for PhD studies.
g) Possess a high proficiency in English. To prove this it is required to send
the IELTS or TOEFL results sheet with the form of application (test results
must be not more than 24 months old at the time the application closing
date).
h) Be employed in the Public Sector, University, or a State Corporation.
Notes (i) and (iii) below
i) All candidates applying for doctoral study must provide an evidence of
support from a prospective supervisor at least from one of following
institutions at the time of application:
i. Auckland University of Technology (AUT University)
http://www.aut.ac.nz/study-at-aut/international-stidents

ii. Lincoln University (Christchurch)

www.lincoln.ac.nz./scholarships
iii. Massey University
(Palmerston North, Wellington, and Auckland)
http://www.massey.ac.nz/massey/international/
Vi. University of Auckland
http://www.auckland.ac.nz/uoa/home/for/international-students/
V. University of Canterbury (Christchurch)
http://www.canterbury.ac.nz/international/
Vi. University of Otago (Dunedin)
http://www.otago.ac.nz/international/index.html
Vii. Victoria University of Wellington
http://www.victoria.ac.nz/international/
Viii. University of Waikato (Hamilton)
www.waikato.ac.nz/international
j) Applicants cannot:

Concurrently hold another scholarship;

Hold or have held, a New Zealand or Australian Government
scholarship in the 24 months preceding the scholarship start date;

Be studying full-time at post-secondary level;

Have completed a qualification in a similar field of study at the
same level or another qualification at the same level. The
proposed level of study should be at a higher level than
qualifications already received:

Notes;
(i)

No application will be entertained from a person holding a temporary/ casual/

contractual appointment or a person who is unemployed. Only permanent and
confirmed employees will be considered for the scholarship.

(ii)

An employee on probation may apply provided that his/her confirmation is

conditional upon acquiring a specified postgraduate qualification. In such a case
a statement to that effect should be included in cage 17 of the application.

(iii)

A lecturer on probation is eligible to apply when he/she has been in continuous

service for a period of one year from the date of his/her appointment by
30.05.2015 (As per the UGC-ECode Chapter X. Division II, 27:3)

05. Terms of award:

Each scholarship will carry the following benefits:

Travel: International, and New Zealand domestic, air travel at the

start and end of the scholarship for awardee, and reimbursement of
awardees visa costs. In addition, a reunion travel entitlement may be
available to awardees who have left dependants in their home
country
Tuition Fees and other compulsory institutional course costs.
Postgraduate research and thesis allowance. An allowance of
NZ$ 1500 and a return economy airfare to awardees home country
for overseas fieldwork, if research component is 50% or greater.
Medical and Travel Insurance
Establishment allowance: NZ$ 3,000 paid on arrival. At the beginning
of each additional study year NZ$ 1,000 will be paid to cover the full
year.
Living Allowance: The annual rate of NZ$ 21,580(NZ$ 415 per week)
is paid fortnightly.

Note: Funding may not cover all living costs

06. Applications:
(a) Every application should conform to the specimen form provided
(b) The words New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarships 2015 should be hand
or type-written on top left corner of the envelope containing the application.

(c) A non-refundable stamp fee of Rs. 50/= is payable in respect of each application.
A stamp to this value should be affixed in the cage provided for this purpose in
the application and cancelled by the applicants signature.
(d) Each Applicant should submit only one application for single course of study, and
should state whether he/she has been nominated for a similar award in the past.
(e) No application from an employee of government sector, University or a state
Corporation will be entertained unless channeled through the Head of the
Institution concerned. He/She should in forwarding the application appropriately
complete the certificate in cage 17 of the application.
(f) No application will be entertained from a person who has entered into an
agreement or bond to serve the Government of Sri Lanka, a State Sector Institute
unless he/she shall have completed by 30.05.2015, the full period specified in
such agreement or bond and shall have discharged fully all the other obligations
under such agreement or bond.
Note:
However, an application of a University academic who has studied abroad on
his/her own expense or on a scholarship received from a source other than
through his/her University, can be considered if he/she has completed at least 2
years of his /her mandatory service period as per the agreement provided that
the Vice Chancellor recommends the application as per the provisions of the
University Establishment Code
(g) Any statement in the application, which is found to be incorrect, will render the
applicant liable to disqualification, if the inaccuracy is discovered before
selection, and to the withdrawal of award, if discovered after selection.
07. Interview :
(a)

Every eligible candidate will be required to present himself/herself at an

interview to be held at the State Ministry of Higher Education, No.18 Ward Place
Colombo 07. Traveling or other expenses incurred in connection with this
interview will not be paid.

(b)

No candidate should treat his/her nomination for a Scholarship by the

authorities of Sri Lanka as his/her acceptance for an award. Acceptance is a
matter entirely within the discretion of the respective awarding agency to whom
the nomination is made. Selected candidates who decline to accept the award
after nomination will not be considered for any other award during the year.

08. (a) Closing date:

Applications will be accepted only up to 30.05.2015
(b) Applications should be sent to the following address by Registered Post or by
hand to reach on or before the closing date.
(c) Applications which are not sent according to the above requirements or
incomplete in any respect or received late will be rejected
Secretary
State Ministry of Higher Education,
No.18, Ward Place,
Colombo 07

17.03.2015

Cage for Stamp

(Affix stamps to
the value of
Rs.50/-)

Name of the applying

Country: New Zealand

SPECIMEN OF THE APPLICATION

STATE MINISTRY OF HIGHER EDUCATION

New Zealand Commonwealth Postgraduate Scholarships 2015

(01) (a) Name with initials
(Mr./Mrs.Miss./Rev.) .
(in block letters)
(b) Names denoted by initials : .
...
(02) (a) Postal Address : ..
.
Telephone No: Res.:
Mobile : ..................................

Office:
Email: .

(03) Date of birth :

Year : . Month : . Date : .
(04) Exact age on 30.05. 2015:
Years : . Months : Days :
(05) N.I.C Number :.
(06) Are you a citizen of Sri Lanka? .
(07) Whether Married / Single / Widowed :
(08) Academic / Professional / Technical qualifications :
Name of
examination/
certificates

Year & month

Institutions

Subjects

Grade , Pass &

GPA

(09) Present Employment : Government

Name of the Institution

(10)

Department

Semi Government

Designation

Date of the 1st

appointment

(a) Is your appointment permanent, probationary or temporary? .

(b )If permanent, have you beenconfirmed in the appointment?
(c) No. and date of letter of confirmation and the authority who has issued
it : .

(11)

(a) Desired course or field of study : .

(b) Whether Masters or PhD: ....................................................................................
(c) Have you ever been nominated for a scholarship by the Ministry of Higher
Education:
(d) If yes; Scholarship Programme: ....................................
Year: ..............................

(12) Purticulars of any bonds and/or agreements entered into with the Republic of Sri
Lanka or with any Government-aided or sponserd institutuion, with date of
discharge of obligations under them:
(13) If you have been abroad earlier on a scholarshp, study tour, training etc. state full
particulars:
..
(14) Highest examination passed in English :
(a) IELTS/ TOEFL Score:

Year:

(b) Other : .
(15) Particulars of research and publications if any :
..
.

(16) Any other particulars : .

..............................................................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................................
I hereby certify that the particulars furnished by me in this application are true and
accurate, and that I have not suppressed any essential information. I am also aware
that if any particulars contained herein are found to be false or incorrect, I am liable to
disqualification if the inaccuracy is discovered before selection and withdrawal of the
award if discovered after selection.
Date :- .

Signature of applicant .

(17) Certificate of the Head of the Institution

(i) I certify that ;
(a) The training provided under this scholarship is essential / not essential for this
institution.
(b) Details declared by the applicant in cages 8, 9, 10 & 12 of the application were
verified by me with the personal record of the officer and are correct* / should be
corrected as indicated here.
(c) The applicant is confirmed in the appointment/* will be confirmed in the
appointment on (Date) after obtaining the postgraduate qualifications.
(d) The applicant will*/ will not be released to take up this scholarship if selected.
(e) The applicant will*/ will not be granted leave on full pay/* no pay.
(ii)

Full name of the applicant :

(iii)

Any other special reasons : ..

Name of the Institution : ..

Signature of Head of the Institution

with the official frank
(this certificate should be signed personally by the Head of the Institution)
* Delete words inapplicable.