Borrin Foundation Te Pae Tawhiti Postgraduate Scholarship

Applications are open. Applications close 12pm April 3.

Pool of funding available: $120,000 (to be split between multiple scholars)

The title of this scholarship is inspired by the well known whakataukī (Māori proverb):

Whāia te pae tawhiti kia whakatata mai rā. E ko te pae tata, whakamaua kia tina!

Pursue the distant horizon and bring it closer. As for the close horizon, secure it and holdfast!

At the Borrin Foundation we believe in an Aotearoa New Zealand that is just, inclusive tolerant, and free. We aim to help build capacity in the legal community, and promote a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive legal world.

We recognise that while many students aspire to pursue a postgraduate degree in law, structural inequalities, adverse conditions, financial need, and complex personal circumstances may make it more challenging for talented individuals to succeed.

We want to recognise and support law graduates to pursue postgraduate study in law despite financial obstacles and complex life circumstances.

The pool will be split between multiple scholars. We invite proposals from law graduates demonstrating financial need who wish to obtain a postgraduate degree in law overseas or domestically.

 

Eligibility  

  • Be a New Zealand citizen or Permanent Resident
  • Be an LLB graduate from a New Zealand institution (or in your final year) who wishes to advance their law studies
  • Demonstrate financial need that cannot reasonably be met from other sources of funding

How it would work

  • Particular consideration will be given to applicants who:
  1. Belong to a community that is underrepresented in the legal profession, courts, and/or academia, and having a strong connection to this community
  2. Have more complex life circumstances affecting their ability to undertake further study (for example: working several jobs to support siblings, parents, wider family, caring for a parent who is elderly, disabled or mentally ill, or other complex circumstances)
  • The aim of the scholarship is to support scholars meeting the above eligibility criteria to pursue a post-graduate degree in law at a New Zealand university or at an overseas institution (any jurisdiction) including multi-year degree programmes.
  • Funding can be used for costs such as course fees, living expenses, and economy class airfares.
  • While funding cannot be provided retrospectively, if you have already started your postgraduate degree you may apply to cover costs not already met for the remainder of your study.
  • Preference will be given to candidates who are working to ensure access to justice for underserved communities in New Zealand, or working in an under-resourced area of law, or working in the Foundation’s strategic focus areas of criminal justice, family law or access to civil justice.
  • Candidates who are eligible to apply for postgraduate study funding under other Borrin Scholarships or Fellowships[1] are encouraged to do so. That will often be the more appropriate avenue. However, candidates who are eligible to apply for other Borrin Scholarships or Fellowships may apply for a Postgraduate Equity Scholarship if they meet the criteria for this scholarship

[1] Borrin Foundation – Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Postgraduate Scholarship, Borrin Foundation Women Leaders in Law Fellowship, Borrin Foundation – Community Law Fellowship

 

Application dates

Applications open: 1 March 2023

Applications close: 3 April 2023

Decisions confirmed: June 2023

Earliest Scholarship could start: August 2023

 

How to apply

To apply you need to prepare all your paperwork first, then submit this information through our online application. The proposal template and application form are available when we are accepting applications.

  1. Complete the Borrin Foundation Te Pae Tawhiti Postgraduate Scholarship proposal template including your proposal and personal statement. This document should be no more than 7 pages with max 5 pages for your proposal and max 2 pages for your personal statement. If you are applying for an LLM by coursework only, where the proposal template asks about your planned research, explain your plan for your degree and what your focus of study will be.
  2. Prepare your CV or resume (max 3 pages).
  3. Ensure you have a copy of your academic transcripts.
  4. Ask two people for permission for the Borrin Foundation to contact them directly to provide a written reference – you can use our template to request written references.
  5. Once all your paperwork is ready, complete our online application and upload your proposal, CV and academic transcripts as PDF files.

If you have any questions contact Oli at admin@borrinfoundation.nz.

Application Guide
Apply now