Launched by the New Zealand Government in 2000 (with the first recipients taking up their Athlete Scholarships in 2001), the programme was established to invest in educational opportunities, supporting athletes to develop holistically in ways that contribute towards their post-athletic career, while enabling them to reach or continue to reach their potential in high performance sport.
Head of High Performance Investment, Chris McCarthy, says the programme is world leading for Government investment into supporting high performance athletes with their education.
“In the most recent 2022-2024 Investment Cycle leading into the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, nearly 1,000 athlete scholarships were awarded to high performance athletes, from new HP athletes starting out on their journeys in sport and life, to more established HP athletes starting to move towards what is next when they retire from elite sport” says Chris.
“This represents an investment of more than $6 million in the last three years alone, and includes Athlete Gold Scholarships, an additional category of scholarship which can be earned through podium success at pinnacle events.”
Over the years scholarships have been awarded to athletes to study a wide range of tertiary qualifications from university degrees through to specialised short course workshops.
Applications will close at 12pm on Friday 29 November.
For information and how to apply: https://hpsnz.org.nz/funding-and-investment/prime-ministers-scholarships/#PMAS
