Kā Pūtea Grant

Tertiary grant open to every registered Ngāi Tahu in NZQA-level study, with a second layer that rewards engagement with the iwi.

Closes

Opens 1 March, closes 30 April each year — the 2026 round has closed, with full funding for the year already allocated

Who can apply

All registered Ngāi Tahu enrolled in NZQA tertiary study or an international equivalent. Not competitive — this is a grant rather than a scholarship, so eligibility rather than merit decides it.

Whakapapa

Registered Ngāi Tahu tribal member. You need a six-digit whakapapa registration number to log in to Te Kopa Ora, the grants portal.

Study level

Undergraduate, Postgraduate, Vocational

Amount

$250 for your first year of full-time study (120+ credits), $500 for each subsequent year of full-time study, pro-rata by credits/EFTS for part-time or limited enrolment. The Proof of Engagement layer adds up to $1,000

Funding route

Scholarship

Applicants

Individuals & whānau, Tauira & researchers

Before you apply

The part people miss is the Proof of Engagement Grant sitting on top. It has three levels and rewards giving back — supporting a Papatipu Rūnanga or Taurahere group, sitting as a rangatahi representative on a committee, volunteering or working at hui-ā-iwi, hui-ā-tau, wānanga or Papatipu Rūnanga hui. Level three is worth $1,000. Part-time study still qualifies, just pro-rata. Everything goes through Te Kopa Ora, the Ngāi Tahu grants portal, using your six-digit whakapapa registration number and password. No number means no application, so start the registration process first if you are not on the register. Contact centre 0800 524 8248.

Official source →

Checked 16 September 2026

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Details change without notice. Check the funder's own page before you apply. Tōku Waka does not administer, assess or award this funding.