New Zealand offers highest ever scholarships to Vietnamese high school students

New Zealand Government Secondary School Scholarships (NZSS) are now open for applications from 9 January to 16 March.

The NZSS 2025 program offers 45 prestigious government scholarships exclusively for Vietnamese students. This is the highest number of scholarships since the scholarship was launched in 2019. The dual admission mechanism and flexible English requirements are two new features of this year's program, creating optimal conditions for Vietnamese students to receive scholarships.

The increase in the number of scholarships means that Vietnamese students will have more choices of schools when applying for NZSS. Specifically, the NZSS 2025 program has the participation of 45 quality secondary schools spread across regions/cities from the North Island to the South Island of New Zealand.

Thuy Truc and her mother (left) on the first day of school at Awatapu College. Photo: NVCC

In addition to the New Zealand National Curriculum (NCEA) taught in most New Zealand secondary schools, some NZSS schools offer the Cambridge or International Baccalaureate (IB) programmes, providing a range of options to suit each student's individual abilities and aspirations.

Currently, the NZSS scholarship program is only available to Vietnamese students. Specifically, students studying in grades 8, 9, 10 in Vietnam, with an average score of 8.0 or higher and an English proficiency equivalent to IELTS 5.0 or higher can apply for this scholarship. Scholarship winners will begin studying at New Zealand high schools in the July 2025 intake.

As one of the Vietnamese students who won the scholarship in 2023, Hoang Thuy Truc, a former student of Le Quy Don High School, Ho Chi Minh City, shared: "I started my journey to New Zealand at the age of 14. I really appreciate this opportunity, because it not only opened the door for me to study in a dynamic and friendly international environment but also helped me mature and become more aware of my own values. Over the past year, thanks to the support of teachers, friends and people around me, I have achieved many new achievements."

Mr. Ben Burrowes, Regional Director for Asia of Education New Zealand (ENZ), said: "Over the years, we have been very proud to witness the success of generations of Vietnamese students receiving NZSS scholarships. 2025 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, an important milestone in the diplomatic history of the two countries. In that context, we believe that increasing the number of scholarships not only affirms the strong commitment of the schools but also creates conditions for more and more Vietnamese students to realize their dream of studying in New Zealand."

Source: https://danviet.vn/new-zealand-trao-hoc-bong-cho-hoc-sinh-trung-hoc-viet-nam-cao-nhat-tu-truoc-den-nay-20250109185954469.htm