Going into final year study at AUT? Apply now for a Freemasons Scholarship

14 Sep, 2017

There's a little over two weeks before applications close for the annual Freemasons Scholarships on 1 October.

Administered by the Freemasons Charity, the annual scholarship is aimed at students who are actively involved in their community. By providing financial support during students’ final year of study, the scholarship enables recipients to complete their university education in their chosen field, whilst actively contributing in a voluntary capacity.

There are two types of scholarship available for AUT students; University Scholarships and Postgraduate Scholarships.

University Scholarships - for students from any discipline entering their final year of a full-time course of study on the following programmes:

Bachelor degree; or
Bachelor degree with Honours; or
One year Master’s degree; or
Two or three year Master’s degree; or Graduate Diploma; or
Entering year 3 and above of a 5-year degree.

Postgraduate Scholarships - for students from any discipline entering their final year of a full-time course of study on the following programmes:

Doctorate
Master’s degree with thesis
Postgraduate Diploma

This year eight Postgraduate Scholarships of $10,000 each and 20 University Scholarships of $6,000 each will be offered to students enrolled at one of the eight participating universities including AUT.

Adam Szentes is studying towards a Bachelor in Communications Studies with the School of Communication Studies. He received the Freemasons University Scholarship earlier this year. An active member of Out@AUT, Adam has also participated in the ‘March of the Living’, an education programme that brings together students from around the world to study the history of the Holocaust in Poland.

“What I really like about this scholarship is that by supporting students financially, the idea is that I and the other scholarship recipients will use the skills and knowledge from our studies to go on and positively contribute to our communities - in whatever form that takes.

I’m passionate about behavioural change and that’s why I decided to study communications. I know it can be harnessed for social good, giving groups who are advocating for social equality, diversity and inclusion, a voice. By reducing financial stress, the scholarship has allowed me to focus on opportunities, like internships and work in my community. The networks I have made as result of this and the support from the Freemasons Charity has also been hugely beneficial.

My advice to AUT students is to grab any opportunity like this and just apply. Like a lot of people, when I put my name forward I didn’t think I would get it, but I just went ahead anyway and I’m so glad I did.”

Entry criteria

Applicants must have:

A good academic record
Be a New Zealand citizen or hold a Permanent New Zealand residency
Demonstrate good citizenship
Show leadership potential
Have proven community commitment (can include any of the following: care of a disabled/elderly relative, participation in university groups, volunteer work, working with youth/refugees/equity organisations, sporting involvement e.g. coaching, church/other community group involvement. This commitment does, however, need to be current and show a sustained involvement over 12 months or more.)

Applicants do not need:

A family association with the Freemasonry is not a criterion for the award of a scholarship.

What is the Freemasons Scholarship Programme?

The programme started in 1978. It is the largest privately funded such programme in New Zealand. Now, 39 years later, Freemasons New Zealand has provided over $5 million in scholarship funds to 1,134 of the country’s top scholars.

For further information and to apply, visit AUT’s Scholarships page and enter the keyword “Freemasons” in the search box.

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