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The New Zealand Centre at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi (India) invites your expression of interest for its first Prime Minister Scholarship for Asia (PMSA) programme that will take place in 2026 in India.

About the Programme

This six-week customised programme that will be focused on Sustainable Development, Social Entrepreneurship, and Innovation aims to deepen institutional, economic, and people-to-people connections between New Zealand and India.

Two students will be selected from each of the eight universities in New Zealand. The sixteen participants will engage in intensive experiential learning, participating in lectures, expert-led workshops, collaborative lab sessions, and vibrant peer exchanges. At IIT Delhi, this collaborative learning experience will culminate in a public Presentation and Pitch Day, providing a platform for participants to showcase jointly developed projects and innovative sustainable solutions.

During the six weeks, the students will also travel to IIT Madras (Chennai) and IIT Bombay (Mumbai) to further broaden their institutional engagement and soak into India's most dynamic innovation ecosystems. At each IIT, visits to startup incubators and R&D parks will allow students to directly experience best practices in innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology transfer, enhancing their capacity to implement these learnings within New Zealand institutions.

The programme is built to include cultural engagements in diverse locations in India that will enable cultural awareness, emotional intelligence, and a global perspective. Throughout the programme, New Zealand students will serve as cultural ambassadors, raising awareness of the quality of New Zealand's education system.

The participants will:

• Strengthen institutional connections through structured engagements at prestigious IIT campuses.
• Promote New Zealand's education system through student ambassadorship and active social media coverage (10 m+ Indians reached during the PMSA Reimagining India programme).
• Improve international workforce skills via exposure to India's leading institutions, startups and corporations, and the digital public goods infrastructure.
• Build people-to-people connections through intensive collaborative projects and cultural immersion experiences.
• Improve understanding of Indian business practices and cultures via corporate and entrepreneurial site visits and policy-oriented interactions.

The candidates will be expected to submit a final report to the Centre at the completion of the programme.

No academic credit will be transferred to the student’s university; however, full participation is required.

Selection Criteria

Universities are responsible for announcing the programme and selecting two students for the PMSA programme. The standard criteria for selection across the board include:

• Eligible students will include undergraduate and postgraduate students with a demonstrated interest in Sustainable Development, Social Entrepreneurship, and Innovation.
• Applicants must have completed at least one year of full-time study and be in good academic standing. It is one of the prerequisites of the Prime Minister's Scholarship eligibility criteria.

The Universities will work with relevant faculties, related networks and student outlets to promote the PMSA opportunity, with the aim of garnering as much interest from students as possible, including Māori and Pacific students. Also of consideration is prioritising students who identify as a member of a group that has experienced prejudice, discrimination, intolerance, underrepresentation, or who have been historically excluded; and those who have not previously had a learning abroad experience (at university or otherwise).

As part of the application process, students must include their GPA (indicating academic performance), degree of study and leadership activities. Some institutions may request an internal academic transcript and a reference letter from a lecturer or mentor.

Application questions will prompt applicants to share their motivations for applying for the IIT Delhi NZ Centre PMSA; the relevance of the programme to their future aspirations; their ability to serve as an ambassador for their respective university, ENZ and Aotearoa New Zealand; and their capacity to navigate cross-cultural differences and collaborate effectively with others.

Applications will be reviewed by a selection committee, ideally comprised of at least one member from each respective International/Global Engagement Office, one to two academics (nominated by the NZ Centre Advisory Board) and the IndoGenius Course Director. Each university will strive to include at least one Māori academic or professional staff member on this panel. Where possible, shortlisted candidates will be interviewed in person by panel members, who will further screen for overall fit, maturity, independence, professionalism and team skills.

In summary, the selection criteria will include:

• Academic merit (particularly related to relevant disciplines)
• Leadership & Ambassadorship
• Global Mindset & Cross-Cultural Competence
• Relevance to Future Aspirations
• Interpersonal Collaboration Skills
• Resilience & Adaptability

This selection process ensures that selected representatives are highly capable and aligned with the values of the Prime Minister's Scholarship, effectively promoting New Zealand's education and fostering strong partnerships with India.

Other pre-requisites:

• At least 18 years old on the date of application.
• Either a citizen or a permanent resident of New Zealand.
• Have been a resident in New Zealand for at least 12 of the previous 24 months.
• Not an immediate relative of an Education New Zealand staff member or selection panel member.
• Medically fit to travel (successful applicants must agree to complete any routine medical tests performed at the border).
• Able to attend the full duration of the programme, including all scheduled pre-departure activities.
• Have not previously received a Prime Minister's Scholarship for group travel.
• Students who are offered and accept a place in the programme will be expected to sign and agree to the programme’s Terms and Conditions.

Fees & Funding

Students who are awarded a Prime Minister's Scholarship will be covered by funding administered by the Scholarship for this programme, which will cover the cost of return economy international airfares, all in-country expenses related to the programme (including the cost of the programme), travel insurance, and visa application costs.

All Group Programme participants will be required to travel together as a group for the programme, which takes place from *10 January to 22 February 2026 (tentative).

*(Note: actual travel dates may vary subject to flight and seat availability, as travel bookings can only be made once all programme participants have been confirmed. Students should be prepared to travel up to a couple of days before/after the above dates.)

Upon receiving an offer of place, recipients will be asked for a student contribution fee of $500 to confirm commitment to the programme.

Equity, Diversity & Inclusion

The New Zealand Centre at IIT Delhi and all the participating universities are committed to meeting the responsibilities to the principles of Te Tiriti o Waitangi and achieving equity outcomes for Māori as well as Equity groups. The Centre ensures that learning abroad opportunities are available and accessible to students from diverse backgrounds and disciplines.

Overall selection will be based on the strength of your responses to the questions in the application; however, if there are more qualified applicants than available places, we may take this information into further consideration during the selection process.

Timeline

• Last date for submitting your application: 12^th September 2025
• Pre-departure orientation: 08^th November 2025
• Programme dates: 10^th January – 22^nd February 2026
• Submission of post-programme report: 20^th March 2026

Pre-departure

Prior to leaving Aotearoa, all participants will take part in a structured pre-departure programme coordinated jointly by the eight universities and IndoGenius, the India-based delivery partner. The pre-departure includes:

• Health, safety, and cultural briefings: covering risk awareness, food and water safety, local laws and customs, and intercultural sensitivity—tailored to India.
• Academic orientation: introducing the academic focus of the programme, expectations for the pitch/presentation day, and collaborative group work with IIT peers.
• Wellbeing and resilience training: to help students prepare emotionally and psychologically for the challenges of international travel, culture shock, and intensive group dynamics.
• Logistical planning: including visa support, packing lists, insurance requirements, and digital access (SIM cards, connectivity apps, etc.).
• Community building: online cohort meetups will begin a month in advance to build rapport and familiarity. Peer support starts early and extends throughout the experience.

All students will also complete a Code of Conduct agreement and Emergency Contact Plan, ensuring they know what to do and who to contact if issues arise. Students with specific needs will be supported through a confidential support plan tailored to their situation.

The travel arrangements and insurance will be coordinated by the 360 International team at the University of Auckland for all selected candidates.

For more information about the programme, register for an online info session:

Please note the primary contact at your university:

About the Centre

The New Zealand Centre is a first-of-its-kind joint initiative by the eight New Zealand universities and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Delhi. The eight universities of New Zealand feature in the top 3% worldwide according to the QS World. IIT Delhi is one of the top technology institutes in India and holds the special status of Institution of Eminence (IoE) by the Government of India.

The purpose of the Centre is to promote relationships of understanding and cooperation across diverse fields of academic and other sector engagement in New Zealand.

The Centre:

• Promotes joint research projects among IIT Delhi and New Zealand universities in thematic areas of research important for both countries.
• Provides a forum for India-New Zealand dialogue among different sectors (government, academia, and business) in education, cultural exchange and cooperation, economic transformation, innovation and national growth strategies, and other topics of mutual interest.
• Undertakes special projects to enhance New Zealand-India understanding and cooperation in research, teaching, publication, patents, and start-up ventures.

About IndoGenius

IndoGenius is an organisation focused on enhancing knowledge exchange and collaboration between India and the rest of the world, particularly through educational programs and cultural immersion experiences. They facilitate programs for students from various countries, including the UK, USA, and Australia, to experience India's culture and innovation, often involving internships and study abroad opportunities. They have previously partnered with us for the cultural immersion programmes under PMSA in India.

Nick Booker is the founder of IndoGenius, who lives in India and will be on the selection panel.