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 1 August 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 open

Applications for 2026 TeachNZ Scholarships are now open from 1 to 31 August 2025.
Apply now launch

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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