Toloa Scholarships

Toloa Scholarships aim to encourage Pacific students to pursue learning Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

The scholarships are available at both secondary and tertiary levels, along with a community fund to foster STEM engagement across Pacific communities.

How much financial assistance is provided

• Secondary students will receive $1,000(excluding GST) towards their school fees, school uniforms, stationery, STEM school trips, and STEM programmes/courses organised by your school. This year’s secondary scholarships will no longer include digital devices as part of the non-monetary benefits, unlike in previous years.

• Tertiary students in STEM courses can receive up to $10,000 for one year of full-time study. This may cover tuition, compulsory course- related costs, accommodation expenses for university halls, and for PhD students, research or fieldwork expenses.

Who can apply

The scholarship is open only to New Zealand citizens or permanent residents of Pacific Islands descent.

Secondary Students

To be eligible, you must:

• demonstrate a genuine interest and commitment to Pacific culture, languages, identities, and communities
• be enrolled in a New Zealand secondary school, alternative education or verified home school
• provide school reports and academic results from the past 12 months (2024 academic year)
• be enrolled in at least two STEM subjects for Year 9/10 and three STEM subjects for Year 11-13 in 2025 academic year. Evidence will be required for Year 11-13 students.

Tertiary Students

To be eligible, you must:

• demonstrate a genuine interest and commitment to Pacific culture, languages, identities, and communities
• be enrolled full-time in a STEM-related programme in 2025 and provide proof of enrolment.

How to apply

To apply, please visit Toloa Scholarships - Le Va

1. Register an account on Le Va’s application portal.
2. Answer eligibility questions to confirm your eligibility.
3. If eligible, select the Toloa scholarship year level and complete the application.
4. Agree to the declaration and complete the final checklist, ensuring all required documents are uploaded and responses are accurate.
5. Submit your application.

See Le Va's how to guide for more detailed information:

Applying for Toloa Scholarships: 'How to' guide (PDF 260 KB)

Important Information

• If you are submitting applications for multiple children, please note that each child requires a separate application, with a unique email and profile.
• You can return to your application anytime before submission by logging in and selecting the "Apply" tab.
• Incomplete applications will not be successfully submitted - incomplete tabs and fields will be highlighted red.

Get in touch

For any questions about your application, contact the Le Va team by emailing [email protected]

Toloa Scholarship recipients 

Find lists of previous scholarship recipients: 

Toloa Scholarship Recipients 2024