Teachers' Bilingual Education Study Award

To apply for a Bilingual Education Study Award, you must:  

• be fully registered as an early childhood, primary or secondary teacher
• be permanently employed in a kōhanga Reo, ngā puna kōhungahunga, puna reo, licensed ECE service or a state or state-integrated school as a kaupapa Māori/Māori medium immersion or bilingual teacher
• aspire to develop your proficiency in te reo Māori
• have teaching experience in immersion and bilingual settings
• be committed to developing your skills as a kaupapa Māori/Māori medium or bilingual teacher
• provide evidence in your application that you have the approval and support of your employer.

If you are employed part-time, you may still apply for a study award, if you meet the eligibility criteria. Your award will be pro-rated to your current full-time teaching equivalent (FTTE). Study leave can be used flexibly, so you will need to let your employer know how this affects your teaching time.

If your registration is subject to confirmation, you may apply if you will be fully registered by December prior to starting your study. Please contact us if your registration status changes at any time.

If you are a Resource Teacher: Learning and Behaviour (RTLB) who works in a number of schools, please ask the principal or school board from your lead school to support your application.

You can apply to study more than one qualification in a year, eg complete your post-graduate qualification and start working towards your masters. You will need to provide information on both courses in your study plan.

You can change your course of study after submitting your application, but not substantially. You will need to notify us in writing with the reason for the change, which will have to be approved.

You cannot undertake a study award at the same time as being appointed to a Community of Learning/Kāhui Ako (cross-community) Teacher role. 

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. 

• Current percentage of time spent teaching in a reo Māori immersion classroom.
• Potential benefit to your learners from your study, particularly in te reo Māori and tikanga Māori.
• The quality of your application and study plan.
• Previous supported study leave, such as study awards, sabbaticals, fellowships or prestigious awards. A study support grant is not considered supported leave.

We give preference to applicants who have not had study leave in the last 5 years, although we will consider study to complete a qualification.