16 Vietnamese students win New Zealand government scholarships, with 2 securing record $36,500 each

ENZ held a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday to honor Vietnamese students awarded scholarships to study in New Zealand in 2026.

The 16 recipients include five students awarded New Zealand Universities Awards (NZUA) for undergraduate study and 11 awarded New Zealand Schools Scholarships (NZSS) for high school education.

Among the NZUA winners, Nguyen Minh Khoi from the Vietnam Australia International School in Ho Chi Minh City and Nguyen Hoang Lam of Phan Chau Trinh High School in Da Nang each secured a combined scholarship worth NZ$65,000 (about $36,500).

Each base NZUA scholarship is worth NZ$15,000 (about $8,400) and can be combined with scholarships offered by New Zealand universities, ENZ said.

This is the first time the NZUA program has recorded a combined scholarship value of NZ$65,000 per recipient.

Launched in 2025, the program is open exclusively for Vietnamese students and is run by ENZ in cooperation with New Zealand universities.

The five NZUA recipients this year will study at the University of Auckland, the University of Waikato, and the University of Otago.

At the high school level, the 11 recipients of the NZSS scholarships will attend institutions including Pukekohe High School, Green Bay High School, Long Bay College, and Nayland College.

In addition to the 16 recipients of New Zealand government scholarships, two other Vietnamese students received scholarships funded by individual high schools and will study at Auckland Grammar School and Waiuku College.

Speaking at the ceremony, Scott James, the New Zealand Consul General and Trade Commissioner in Ho Chi Minh City, encouraged the students not to limit themselves to attending classes and returning home.

He urged them to meet new people, try new things, learn about their local communities, and share Vietnamese culture.

James noted New Zealand also hopes to learn from the students' experiences, perspectives and ideas, adding that he hopes they will carry these experiences with them whether they return to Vietnam or settle elsewhere after graduation.

Ben Burrowes, ENZ's regional director for North Asia and Southeast Asia, said the NZSS and NZUA programs helped connect families, high schools, universities and communities in both countries.

Addressing parents' concerns about their children studying far from home, Burrowes said the students' upcoming journeys would foster curiosity and independent thinking, while New Zealand's community culture emphasized kindness, care, and sharing.