A teacher and a student having a conversation in a classroom
A teacher and a student having a conversation in a classroom
Becoming a teacher in New Zealand
Te Karahipi Huri Aramahi o Te Waka Whakarei

Te Waka Whakarei Career-Changer Scholarship

If you want to change careers and follow your passion for te reo Māori, a Te Waka Whakarei Career-Changer Scholarship can financially support you on your journey
A teacher and a student having a conversation in a classroom
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Last updated 2 September 2025

Each year, we offer 90 Te Waka Whakarei Career-Changer Scholarships to people looking to change their career and teach in Kaupapa Māori/Māori-medium settings or teach te reo Māori in English-medium secondary schools. The scholarship gives you financial support to offset the loss of income you experience while studying, and to reduce the barrier to becoming a qualified teacher.   

As a Te Waka Whakarei Career-Changer scholar you gain access to:

  • course fees to study an approved teaching course
  • an allowance of NZD$30,000 per year, over the period of your study (limited to 3 years).

If you're a te reo Māori speaker or aspire to grow your proficiency in te reo and tikanga, have a wealth of life experience, and want to become a kaiako, this could be the scholarship for you.

Application period now closed

Applications for 2026 TeachNZ Scholarships are now closed. We will not be accepting late applications.

Past scholar's story

Key scholarship information

Te Waka Whakarei Career-Changer Scholarship
Scholarship type
Career-changer – Kaupapa Māori/Māori medium and immersion
Application period
1 August to 31 August 2025
Fees
Paid
Allowance
NZD$30,000 per year
Scholarships available
90

Bonding period

All TeachNZ scholarship recipients must complete a bonding period. You will teach in a New Zealand state or state-integrated school or kura, or early learning centre for a set period of time. The bonding period will depend on the length of your scholarship.

Bonding period length
2 years of part-time study, no allowance payment
Teach for 1 year in the 2 years after completing study
1 year of full-time study or 2 years of part-time study
Teach for 2 years in the 4 years after completing study
2 years of full-time study or 4 years of part-time study
Teach for 4 years in the 6 years after completing study
3 years of full-time study or 6 years of part-time study
Teach for 6 years in the 10 after completing study

 

Requirements

To be eligible for the scholarship, you must:

  • be changing your career or profession to teaching
  • have at least 7 years of work experience or equivalent experience (either paid or unpaid) since leaving school
  • be studying to teach in:
    • Kaupapa Māori/Māori-medium immersion (levels 1-3)* early childhood education centres
    • Kaupapa Māori/Māori-medium immersion (levels 1-3) primary schools or kura
    • Kaupapa Māori/Māori-medium immersion (levels 1-3) secondary schools or wharekura
    • English-medium secondary schools, teaching te reo Māori as a language (levels 2-5).

or, you can

  • be an unqualified teacher currently working in a centre or school – such as a teacher aide
  • be an unqualified teacher with a Limited Authority to Teach
  • be working as a kaiārahi i te reo or kaiāwhina.

and

  • be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
  • be enrolled, have applied for, or be planning to enrol, on one of the approved initial teacher education courses listed on the Teaching Council’s course-finder tool (see the 'Popular Resources' section of this page.) These courses may be updated during the year.

You are not eligible for the scholarship if you:  

  • have already received a TeachNZ scholarship
  • have already completed initial teacher education training or are already a registered teacher.

*Māori immersion level 1 – curriculum is taught in te reo Māori for 81-100% of the time
Māori immersion level 2 – curriculum is taught in te reo Māori for 51-80% of the time
Māori immersion level 3 – curriculum is taught in te reo Māori for 31-50% of the time
Māori immersion level 4(a) – curriculum is taught in te reo Māori for 12-30% of the time
Māori immersion level 4(b) – students are learning te reo Māori as a separate subject for at least 3 hours a week
Māori immersion level 5 – students are learning te reo Māori as a separate subject for less than 3 hours a week

Unpaid work experience 

This includes:

  • any involvement you have had in the community or with community groups
  • stay-at-home parents who have community/school involvement
  • vocational placements
  • unpaid internships.

Contact us

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

Send us an Email

Freephone: 0800 165 225

This phoneline is not manned. Please leave a message with your name, number and query and someone in our team will call you back.

Popular Resources

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