SCHOLARSHIPS
AND AWARDS
There are many different scholarships and awards available for people planning to study forestry or related topics.
Some of these are very broad, while others relate only to certain courses, or to people from a particular region.
Some awards are for academic study; others are to assist people doing practical training.
WHERE TO FIND INFORMATION
- If you already know what course you plan to take, contact the course administrator and ask about what scholarships are available.
- Several websites are available to help you look for scholarships and awards. Examples are:
A quick search under 'Forestry' generates over thirty examples of scholarships for starters.
Don't forget to look at sectors related to forestry such as science, environment, primary industries, engineering, transport, and health and safety.
AWARDS FOR PRACTICAL TRAINING
If you are thinking about practical training, ask your local training provider whether any awards are available.
Many training courses are now 'fees free'; many also provide free or subsidised personal protection equipment (PPE) and other assistance such as free transport to training centres.
EXAMPLES OF FORESTRY SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS
Three of the main forestry scholarship providers for degree/post-graduate study are MPI/Te Uru Rakau, the WIDE Trust, and the NZ Institute of Forestry Foundation.
1. MPI/Te Uru Rakau Scholarships
MPI is offering scholarships for Māori and/or female students enrolling in a Bachelor of Forestry Science or Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Forest Engineering.
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is offering 6 Forestry Scholarships in 2019 to
- develop skills in the forestry industry
- encourage more Māori and women to work in the industry.
The scholarships are open to eligible students enrolled in either a:
- Bachelor of Forestry Science or
- Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) in Forest Engineering
Scholarship value
Each scholarship recipient gets:
- $8,000 a year for 4 years (the length of the degree) to help with tuition fees and living costs
- a paid internship of between 4 to 10 weeks with an appropriate employer in the forestry sector.
Applications for 2019 are now closed: 2020 applications open in June 2019.
Full details and application procedure
2. The WIDE Trust Scholarships
The WIDE Trust was set up in 2018, and has a range of awards and scholarships on offer, including for tertiary, post-graduate and vocational studies.
Full details and application procedure
3. NZ Institute of Forestry Foundation Scholarships
These are offered yearly and in 2018 had a total value of $44,500.
In 2018, some of the awards offered were:
- New Zealand Redwood Company Scholarship of $5,000 for an undergraduate scholarship at the University of Canterbury School Forestry
- Invercargill City Forests Awards of up to $5,000 to assist a resident of Invercargill with forestry related study, research or travel relevant to forests or forestry
- Otago/Southland Award of up to $3,000 to assist a project of relevance to forestry in the Otago/Southland region
- Mary Sutherland Scholarship of $1,000 for a polytechnic student
- University Undergraduate Scholarship of $1,000
- Two Future Forest Scholarships for post graduate research of up to $10,000 each
- Frank Hutchinson Postgraduate scholarship of $1,000.
Information on the 2019 awards has yet to be announced, but it is anticipated that most of the above will be available again.
Full details and application procedure
AWARDS FROM FORESTRY COMPANIES
Some forestry companies liaise directly with tertiary education and training providers to offer financial assistance to students; also a number of forestry companies collaborate with their contractors to encourage and fund training for forestry crew members.
The best advice we can give is to never be afraid to ask your employer or training provider if any awards are available.
MPI POSTGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS
MPI also offers postgraduate science scholarships every 2 years for Masters and PhD students – post-grads working in forestry-related fields have been among those awarded these scholarships in the past. For the year beginning 2020 there will be six scholarships on offer. Applications will open in June and close on 15 August 2019.
The scholarship aims to build capability in the primary industries, particularly where there are current skills and science gaps. Proposed research must be relevant and meet a need for the primary industries.
Full details and application procedure
WOOD COUNCIL SCHOLARSHIPS
Eastland Wood Council
The Eastland Wood Council has two scholarships of $1500 each year for:
- A student enrolled in full time relevant industry tertiary study, or
- An employee within the industry who aspires to further training to improve their skills, knowledge and value to their employer.
Find out more and download an application form.
Southern Wood Council
The Southern Wood Council Forest Products Scholarship is for a student from the Otago/Southland region who is enrolled in the Bachelor of Forestry Science or Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) (Forestry) degrees at the University of Canterbury or a Wood Processing related degree.
The scholarship has been set up by the forest products industry in the lower South Island to encourage and support an outstanding student each year for their final three professional years of study (Years 2 – 4).
The Scholarship is worth $1500 including GST per annum for the three final years of professional study (total scholarship value of $4,500 including GST). In addition, if a Bachelor of Forestry Science or Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) student is required to complete a thesis or research project as part of their study, the Council will work with the student to try and find a suitable project from within the region. There may also be opportunities for summer vacation work with one of the Southern Wood Council member companies.
For more information on the SWC Scholarships visit the Southern Wood Council website or email Brent Apthorp.
LOG TRANSPORT SAFETY COUNCIL TRAINING PATHWAY SCHOLARSHIPS
The Log Transport Safety Council (LTSC) Executive has announced that the LTSC will sponsor 10 Training scholarships for current financial members or their employees.
Scholarship applications close on 3 May 2019.
Download the information sheet about the scholarships here.
Email applications to:
Bruce Nairn
Secretary
Log Transport Safety Council
0274 943695