AFS New Zealand Global Ambassador Grants & Scholarship - AFS Aotearoa Nga Karahipi Kaitiaki O Te Ao

AFS New Zealand, through the support of the AFS Educational Trust, and donors, will offer grants and scholarships for Northern Hemisphere 2024 to ensure diversity and inclusion of applicants facing financial hardship, as well as diversity of destinations as sought by AFS International.

Scholarships for 2024 programmes are now Closed

Grant & Scholarship Decisions : Sunday 31st March 2024

Descriptions of Grants

From $500 - $8,000

Empowerment - Whakamanaia

These grants are awarded to applicants requiring financial assistance who fit within any of the following:

Māori and Pasifika students and/or;
Students with a Refugee background and/or;
Students experiencing social disadvantage and/or;
Students experiencing challenging life situations.

Evidence is required

Spirit of AFS - Wairua o AFS / Diversity - Kanorau

These grants celebrate students who require financial assistance but also have the courage to go somewhere quite different and embrace the spirit of AFS.

These diversity AFS countries are:

Europe – Poland, Iceland, Hungary, Greece, Turkey, Czech Republic
Asia – India, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Korea
Africa – Tunisia, South Africa
In Central & South America – Ecuador, Peru, Colombia, Mexico, Paraguay

Description of Scholarship

From $500 - $5,000

Ginny Radford Scholarship

This scholarship is enabled by a generous donation by Ginny Radford. She received new Year’s Honours for a life dedicated to the Girl Guides Movement. Ginny is herself a Returnee (USA 1968-69) and wishes to make the opportunity that she had available for applicants today.

Awarded to a an all round student who has demonstrated leadership qualities, shows a need for financial assistance, is involved in Scouting or Guiding and who will be an excellent ambassador for AFS NZ.

Evidence is required

South Auckland Counties Scholarship

Awarded to a South Auckland Counties student requiring financial assistance, who will be an excellent ambassador for both the area and AFS NZ and can show involvement in some form of community service.

Evidence required

Thames Valley Scholarship

Awarded to a Thames Valley student requiring financial assistance, who will be an excellent ambassador for both the area and AFS NZ and can show involvement in some form of community service.

Evidence required

Information about AFS Scholarships/Grants

Every programme destination offered by AFS is unique and all participants are able to become active global citizens regardless of the destination chosen. However, for the scholarship applications the focus is on diversity and inclusion of applicants as well as diversity of destinations as stated.

WHO IS ABLE TO APPLY?

Grant or Scholarships will be available for students who:

Meet the grant / scholarship criteria.
Have completed the full AFS New Zealand Online Application (OA)
Have been accepted by AFS New Zealand for their AFS experience.
Have paid the $450.00 deposit.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applicants may apply for the grant(s) or scholarship they meet the criteria for.

Please note:

Only ONE grant or scholarship will be allocated by the scholarship selection panel to each applicant.
Grant or scholarships granted are only partial.

IMPORTANT PLEASE READ

AFS NEW ZEALAND REQUIREMENTS FOR GRANT OR SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS:

Each AFS student selected, becomes an ambassador throughout their AFS experience for their school, community, AFS and New Zealand. This includes your general attitude, engagement in school and community, and striving for excellence in all that you do.
Should any application be incomplete or submitted later than the deadline, this may disqualify you from being considered for a grant or scholarship.
AFS grants or scholarships are not redeemable in cash or transferable to another programme, unless there are extenuating circumstances.

IN ACCEPTING THE GRANT OR SCHOLARSHIP THERE ARE AFS EXPECTATIONS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

All students selected and placed to have an AFS experience in another country:

As stated in the Participation Agreement it is compulsory to attend any pre departure orientation meetings held, whether this be in person or where necessary online.
Your school must continue to endorse you up until the time of your departure. This includes an expectation that you will strive to do the best possible at your NZ school prior to your departure.
Attending school in another country and adapting to a new culture and probably another language has challenges. AFS expects participants to fully engage in school life and strive to achieve the best academic results possible in that context.

ADDITIONAL EXPECTATIONS FOR SCHOLARSHIP STUDENTS:

You must write a letter to the AFS New Zealand Educational Trust (or the provider of a scholarship) within two weeks of receiving notification of a successful application. This notification will set out the focus expected.
As a global ambassador you are required to share your experiences, global learning etc you need to write these dates into your diary. All pieces will be sent to [email protected]

Year Programme participants: Your written pieces along with interesting photos are expected 3 times during your experience. These will occur at approximately 6 weeks; 5 months; and 6 weeks prior to returning home.

For Semester Programme participants: You must communicate twice during your experience. The first at 6 weeks and the second 5 weeks before returning.

Upon return to New Zealand: You are required to write an article which will be published in the National Newsletter.

If possible, AFS New Zealand would like you to return to your New Zealand school and speak at an assembly about your global learning experience.

PLEASE NOTE:

Should anything be raised with AFS NZ prior to your departure that would suggest you are no longer a worthy candidate of a grant or scholarship, AFS NZ reserves the right to withdraw this privilege. (This may include information from your school, your social attitude, failure to write to the AFS NZ Trust / provider or concern over your ability to represent AFS and NZ well, or misrepresentation in the scholarship application or failure to disclose relevant information.
Should you change the length of your programme, AFS New Zealand has the right to change the grant or scholarship amount to fit within the new programme length.
If you programme release or are returned early, for breaking AFS rules, AFS New Zealand reserves the right to seek return of part or all the grant or scholarship funding.

Your Application

Complete the Application Form

2. Video Statement no longer than 4 minutes in length (above 4 minutes may lose points). To cover:

The things you have you done in the past two years which indicate you would make a great global ambassador.
The financial reasons you are applying for a grant or scholarship. ie why you financially need this grant or scholarship and /or what are your financial challenges and / or what has been or is currently your challenging life situation. AND why you feel you really deserve to be selected for the grant or scholarship.
Your reasons for choosing the three countries you have.
Where, if at all, you have travelled within the past two years and if you have, what was the most important thing you learned from the experience(s).
What you will bring to the role of being an AFS global ambassador in New Zealand before you leave on your exchange, during your exchange in your placement country and following your return home to NZ.

3. Complete “My plan to raise funds towards my AFS experience”

Form to download and complete

4. Referees provide the names of two referees who you feel will provide further information to support your grant(s) or scholarship application. Notes:

Referees must not be family members nor teachers from your school, nor your peers.
You should have discussed with your referees that you have been accepted by AFS NZ to go on your AFS experience and why you are applying for your grant or scholarship. If possible your referees may be able to assist the Scholarship panel in understanding your need for financial assistance.
Your referees should be easily contactable by the Scholarship panel.
Your referees should not be same referees used in your Online Application, however, if you have no other option, please contact AFS NZ to discuss this.
Referees could be people such as a family friend (only one of your two referees), a sports coach, your Kaumatua or Kuia, Pastor or other senior member of your church, a cultural group leader, your workplace ‘boss’, the manager of a community service group / voluntary activity you are actively involved in.

Financial Position Declaration Form

Please have your parent(s) / caregiver(s) complete and sign the financial position declaration form. This will be completely confidential to the Scholarship allocation team. Your parent(s) / caregiver(s) can send this directly and separately from the main scholarship application to AFS NZ at [email protected]

Financial Position Declaration Form

EVIDENCE

Maori Applicants (Empowerment Grant only)

Please attach separately evidence of your Whakapapa (this could be your Pepeha).

It would be positive if one of your referees was a person to support you in this area.

Provide evidence of any involvement you have had in Kapahaka (school or community) in the past two years along with your Reo capability.

Pacific Island Applicants (Empowerment Grant only)

Please attach separately evidence of your Pacific Island genealogy.

It would be positive if at least one of your referees was a person to support you in this area.

Provide evidence of any involvement you have had in Polynesian performing groups (school or community) in the past two years along with your Pasifika language capability.

Scholarship Applicants

Provide letter(s) or documents supporting the section(s) you have been involved in.

SCHOLARSHIP ONLINE APPLICATION

Scholarships for 2024 programmes are now closed

Grants & Scholarship Decisions : Sunday 31st March 2024

AFS New Zealand Global Ambassador Grants & Scholarship – AFS Aotearoa Nga Karahipi Kaitiaki O Te Ao

AFS New Zealand is actively looking to support global citizens on their intercultural journeys!