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Becoming a teacher in New Zealand

Go Rural: Isolated Placements Fund

Want to experience teaching in a rural school while you train? Learn how a Go Rural grant can help you.
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Last updated 24 April 2026

What is Go Rural: Isolated Placements Fund?

Go Rural: Isolated Placements Fund (Go Rural) provides a $4,000 grant to student teachers on block placements in rural and isolated schools. A Go Rural grant will help reduce financial barriers and allow you to focus more on experiencing life as a teacher in a rural or isolated school.

Most student teachers taking up block placements of 5 weeks or more in an eligible rural or isolated school can apply for a Go Rural grant. You must be completing your teaching qualification within the next 12 months to apply.

Your placement must be at an eligible Go Rural school.

List of eligible schools by region

To be awarded a Go Rural grant, you must: 

  • be completing your ITE programme in the next 12 months
  • have a verified placement in one of the 454 eligible Go Rural schools
  • have a confirmed placement length of 5 weeks or more
  • be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident.

Further information: 

An eligible block placement must be for at least five consecutive weeks, and you must attend the school every day. Placements where you attend part of the week (for example, two days per week) are not eligible for a Go Rural Grant.

Being awarded another Ministry-funded scholarship does not exclude you from applying for a Go Rural Grant. 

You may still be eligible for a Go Rural Grant if you are completing your teacher training with the support of one of the Ministry funded initiatives that involves school onsite training or employment. However, you can only apply for a Go Rural grant to complete a block placement at an eligible school that is not your host school or the school that employs you.  

You can only receive one Go Rural grant during your study.

How to apply

Complete the application form. We will then contact your ITE provider to verify your placement details. For more information on filling out application form, see the application guide linked below and in the resources section of this webpage. 

Go Rural application guide

Once your ITE provider has verified your placement, you will need to complete a grant acceptance form which will be sent to you and where we will ask you to:

  • provide evidence of your bank account
  • provide certified evidence of your citizenship or permanent residency
  • agree to the terms and conditions of the Go Rural grant.

We will notify you of your grant outcome after we checked the information provided in the grant acceptance form. 

Applications are now open for Go Rural 2026!
Apply now launch

Contact us

If you have any questions, we’re here to help.

Send us an Email: teacher.supply@education.govt.nz

Freephone: 0800 165 225

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