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National funding for postgraduate study

National funding is available for postgraduate study for 2025, for eligible students as follows:

Physiotherapy

Experienced physiotherapists working in musculoskeletal services who are employed in primary and community settings and are seeking to develop their advanced clinical assessment and decision-making skills may be eligible to have a post graduate paper funded by Health New Zealand.

The purpose of this funding is to support the developing partnerships across the health system to create the capacity for the physiotherapy workforce to implement the National Hospital and Specialist Services Orthopaedic Musculoskeletal Pathway.

The funding is limited to a specified paper at either the University of Otago or Auckland University of Technology (link to paper) and covers the paper and compulsory student services fees. As a primary care workforce development initiative, Health New Zealand employees are not eligible for this funding.

For further information, please contact the Chief Allied Health, Scientific and Technical in your region.

Find the list of regions and district on the Health New Zealand map.

Northern Region:

Te Manawa Taki - Midland Region:

Te Ikaroa - Central Region:

Te Waipounamu Region: 

Paramedicine

Paramedics who are employed in primary and community roles who are studying towards a qualification in Extended Care Paramedicine may be eligible to have a post graduate paper funded by Health New Zealand.

For further information, please contact:

Auckland University of Technology:

Whitireia Polytechnic:

Pharmacy

Pharmacists working in primary and community settings who are seeking to develop their clinical skills may be eligible to have fees for a post graduate paper funded by Health New Zealand. The purpose of the funding is to support pharmacists working in these settings to increase their critical appraisal skills, clinical knowledge and clinical reasoning through the certificate or diploma on the career pathway to becoming a pharmacist prescriber.

For further information, please contact:

University of Auckland:

University of Otago:

Regionally funded workforce development for primary and community care workforces

Funding may be available at a regional level to train, supervise and mentor people including those who have not have previously worked in primary and community health settings, to deliver new services and to support service integration through the following initiatives:

  • Funding for postgraduate study and vocational training courses that support skills development for a broader range of roles within primary care settings 
  • Funding for release time, supervision, and other costs such as travel to support health workers to access postgraduate study and vocational training.
  • Within regions, there will be engagement with primary and community providers to identify the training needs of eligible primary and community care health workers employed by PHOs, GP practices, Hauora Māori, and Pacific providers across the region.

Regional contacts for funded workforce development

For further information, contact the following:

Northland region: 

Midland | Te Manawa Taki region: 

Central | Te Ikaroa region: 

South Island | Te Waipounamu region:

Find list of regions and district on the Health New Zealand map.