Prizes and Scholarships

Harold Turner Prize in Religious Studies

Established in 1991 by the Stuart Residence Halls Council Incorporated, the governing body of Arana and Carrington Halls, to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Council's foundation and to honour Dr H.W. Turner, founder of the Council, first Warden of Arana Hall, and distinguished scholar of world religions.

The $200 prize is awarded annually to the student with the highest standard of achievement in Religious Studies papers at 300-level worth at least 72 points. .

Undergraduate Scholarships in Buddhist Studies

Two scholarships (one for $2500 and one for $1500) are awarded annually to the two students who achieve the highest marks in RELS102 (Introduction to Hinduism and Buddhism). A condition of receiving the scholarship is that the student take at least one other paper in Buddhist Studies at Otago.

Prizes of $500 are also given to students with the highest marks in the following papers: Mahayana Buddhism (RELS 226/326), Zen Buddhism (RELS216/316), Buddhist Thought (RELS227/327), Life of the Buddha (RELS328/428), and Buddhism, State and Society (RELS 336/436).

Scholarships and prizes are funded by the 60th Dhammachai Education Foundation of Australia and New Zealand. These scholarships are designed to support the study of Buddhism at Otago.

Postgraduate Scholarships

The University of Otago offers a range of scholarships for students from New Zealand and overseas. Further information about these scholarships is available elsewhere on the University website.

Past Recipients

Harold Turner Prize in Religious Studies


2023 Wendy Rapp

2022 Hayley Bryan-Brett

2021 Katie Ryan

2020 Luka Johnston

2019 Beth Garey

2018 Lucy Wilson

2017 Molly Farrell

2015 Hollie Guyton

2014 Mikhaila Howse

2013 Laura McLauchlan

2012 Ali Idris

2011 Chris Arnison

2009 Kristina Baird

2008 Isara Treesahakiat and Tane Welton

2007 Elizabeth Young

2004 Sam Stevens

2002 Ann Ramathas

2001 Racheal Fabish

University of Otago Religious Studies Programme