What is the success rate of New Zealand government scholarships like Manaaki for international students, and how can I improve my chances of being awarded one?

This is the single most important fact for an Indian applicant to know before spending months on a Manaaki application: eligibility, not competitiveness, is the actual barrier for most Indian students right now.

Why a Success Rate Figure Would Be Misleading

New Zealand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade reported that 967 scholars completed Manaaki programs across all its scholarship types in 2024 to 25, but that number describes completions across eligible countries, not an acceptance rate, and it says nothing about Indian applicants specifically since India is not on the current eligible list. Any website quoting a precise 5 percent or 10 percent success rate for Manaaki without citing an official source and defining the applicant pool and year should be treated with real skepticism.

• Eligible Asia countries: Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, the Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
• India's status: not currently listed among eligible countries for the main tertiary Manaaki programme.
• What this means practically: time spent preparing a Manaaki application is better redirected toward scholarships that explicitly accept Indian citizens.

Where Indian Students Should Look Instead

New Zealand's official scholarship portal notes that many individual education providers offer their own scholarships to international students, and these have very different eligibility criteria from the government funded Manaaki programme. University specific scholarships weigh factors like academic record, intended master's subject, research experience, and extracurricular profile rather than the development impact and country eligibility criteria that drive Manaaki selection. If eligibility rules change in a future intake, the general Manaaki selection process emphasizes academic preparation, at least one year of full time relevant work experience for postgraduate applicants, a demonstrated plan to contribute to your home country's development, and alignment with country specific recommended study subjects.

This Information Is Also Available On

Education New Zealand, Manaaki New Zealand Scholarships eligible countries list; New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, annual report on scholarship completions.

My Advice

Check the current eligible country list directly on the official Manaaki page before investing any preparation time, since eligibility criteria do change between funding cycles and this could shift in future years. In the meantime, direct your energy toward New Zealand university specific scholarships, which explicitly welcome Indian applicants and are a more realistic path to partial or full funding for your master's.