Te Tohu Whakaako me te Tahua Akoranga mō te Kaiako o ngā Kura ā-Rohe
Area School Teachers' Study Award and Support Grant
Upskill and develop your teaching career with a study award or support grant
Image
calendar_today
Last updated 13 April 2026
Area School Teachers’ Study Award
An Area School Teachers’ Study Award gives you paid leave to complete part-time or full-time study in an educational priority area. It is a great opportunity to upskill and pursue an area of study you are interested in and passionate about. Each year, we offer 7 full-time teacher equivalent (FTTE) study leave opportunities, with 2 study awards reserved for studies in te reo Māori or Māori immersion learning.
Application period open now
You must have ESL access to apply. Your ESL account must be linked to your current school with "TeachNZ Study Awards" role. Contact your school's ESL Delegated Authoriser or visit the Applications & Online Systems website for help.
Applications for the 2027 Area School Teachers’ Study Award are open.
Study to obtain qualifications in a new or different curriculum or subject area.
Undertake research or other study of relevance and value to education.
Obtain practical knowledge and skill-related experience in your subject area.
To apply for an Area School Teachers' Study Award, you must be:
employed under the Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement (ASTCA) or applicable individual employment agreement (IEA)
permanently appointed
a full-time or part-time teacher in a New Zealand state or state-integrated area school.
Study plan
You will need to give details about the qualification you are intending to work towards. This includes the:
name of this qualification
tertiary institution
level of qualification (NZQA)
paper code(s)
paper title(s)
credits/points
Written statement
Describe your proposed study, purpose of study award and how this furthers the Ministry of Education’s priorities in education.
Benefits of study
Outline the benefits of the study or qualification to you personally and professionally, your students’ learning outcomes, your school, and the education sector, and how you might share your learning.
Recent study
Outline the recent study or professional learning you have done in the last 3 years and how this links to the application
Personal statement
Write a statement that includes how this study helps to address any major disadvantages you have experienced because of distance or professional isolation, the socio-economic status of your school or community, or specific requirements of your school.
You will have a 250-word limit to answer each question. You will also need to provide generic employment information.
Area School Teachers' Study Support Grant
A study support grant gives you a 4-hour time allowance per week so you can study or undertake research while continuing to teach. Each year, we offer 12 study support grants to fully registered area school teachers in state or state-integrated schools.
Application period open now
You must have ESL access to apply. Your ESL account must be linked to your current school with "TeachNZ Study Awards" role. Contact your school's ESL Delegated Authoriser or visit the Applications & Online Systems website for help.
Applications for the 2027 Area School Teachers’ Study Support Grant are open.
A 0.16 full-time teaching equivalent (FTTE) is added to your school’s staffing entitlement for use during the year. This works out at around 4 hours per week depending on how you and your school structure your leave.
You can apply for a reimbursement of up to NZD$500 toward your course fees, once you have successfully finished your course.
When a course has time requirements (for example, a block course) the time allowance can be used flexibly in agreement with your school.
To apply for an Area School Teachers' Study Support Grant, you must:
be employed under the Area School Teachers' Collective Agreement (ASTCA) or applicable individual employment agreement (IEA)
be a permanently appointed full or part-time teacher in a New Zealand state or state-integrated area school
hold a full and current practising certificate.
Study plan
You will need to give details about the qualification you are intending to work towards. This includes the:
name of this qualification
tertiary institution
level of qualification (NZQA)
paper code(s)
paper title(s)
credits/points
Written statement
Describe your proposed study, purpose of study award and how this furthers the Ministry of Education’s priorities in education.
Benefits of study
Outline the benefits of the study or qualification to you personally and professionally, your students’ learning outcomes, your school, and the education sector, and how you might share your learning.
Recent study
Outline the recent study or professional learning you have done in the last three years and how this links to the application
Personal statement
Write a statement that includes how this study helps to address any major disadvantages you have experienced because of distance or professional isolation, the socio-economic status of your school or community, or specific requirements of your school.
You will have a 250-word limit to answer each question. You will also need to provide generic employment information.
Study Support Grant Reimbursement
As an Area Teachers’ Study Support Grant recipient you are entitled to a reimbursement of up to $500 towards your course fees, paid on successful completion of the identified course of study. Complete and submit the reimbursement form in the Popular Resources section of this page.
Contact us
If you have any questions, we're here to help.
See our Contact us page for more information on how to get in touch.
