Sir Murray Brennan Entrance Rowing Scholarship

Information

Established in 2025 from the generous donation of funds from Sir Murray Brennan, this scholarship assists students who have demonstrated an outstanding level of merit in performance rowing to attend the University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka.

General eligibility criteria

Application for all Entrance Scholarships are normally open to students who meet the requirements of 1.1 or 1.2, and 2. Those who fit within 3 are ineligible.

1.1 Are New Zealand citizens, New Zealand Residence Class Visa Holders, Australian citizens or Australian permanent residents with domestic fee status;

Or

1.2 International students who have completed Year 12 and/or have completed or are in the process of completing Year 13 at a New Zealand school, or an equivalent foundation level course at a New Zealand tertiary institution.

And

2 Are intending to enrol or have enrolled for the first time for first-year (100-level papers), full-time degree-level, undergraduate study at the University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka.

But

3 Those who have studied more than 0.4 EFTs at any University or tertiary institution at degree-level or higher are not normally* eligible.

*Exceptions to 0.4 EFTS or less are considered when all previous University or tertiary level study has been undertaken whilst concurrently enrolled at secondary school.

Application process

All applications for Entrance Scholarships are done through eVision, the University's student management system. In order to apply for a scholarship, you will be required to go through the first stages of enrolment at the University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka to access the Entrance Scholarship online application.

In the Entrance Scholarship application, it is recommended that to be considered for this scholarship, you should have completed the Performance section of the application.

• Visit the Apply for an entrance scholarship webpage for more information on the application process, as well as step-by-step instructions.

Before going through the application process, it is important to ensure that you are adequately prepared to begin the application. What you will need to prepare for your application is listed on the scholarship application preparation webpage.

• Scholarship application preparation

Selection of recipients

The Selection Panel consisting of the Manager of Undergraduate Entrance Scholarships, the Director of Alumni Relations and Development, and the University of Otago Rowing Club Manager, or their nominees, shall consider the following factors in awarding the scholarship:

• Academic ability (a minimum of NCEA Level 2 awarded with merit, or equivalent, is normally required for consideration).
• Demonstratable extremely high ability in rowing (including athletes, coxswains and coaches), preferably at New Zealand Junior level.
• Potential and motivation to succeed at university.

Additional considerations

Those studying towards a Health Sciences qualification will be given first preference for this award.

Scholarship detail

View scholarship terms and conditions

In addition, the following applies to this Scholarship, subject to the specific provisions of the offer letter for the recipient:

• Standard value of NZ$10,000.
• Standard tenure is one year.
• For those accepting a place in a Residential College as listed at the link below, it will be paid as an accommodation fee waiver, paid directly to your Residential College (the scholarship is not able to be used for payment or part-payment of Residential College placement, deposit, activity or equivalent fees due prior to studying).
  University of Otago Residential Colleges
• For those living in the local community (boarding, flatting or living at home), it will normally consist of a payment, firstly towards tuition and student services fees, if applicable. Any remaining balance will be paid to the recipient’s bank account in two lump-sum payments in May and September.
• Payment of this scholarship will only be made once a copy of a message of appreciation from the scholarship recipient to the donor has been received by the Development and Alumni Relations Office.
• Recipients must be an active full-time and financial member of the University Rowing club, and be available to compete for the Otago provincial rowing team.
• This scholarship may be held concurrently with any other University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka Undergraduate Entrance Scholarship at the discretion of the selection panel.
• Recipients agree to reasonable requests from the University of Otago - Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka to appropriately represent the University, the University of Otago Rowing Club, and the scholarship.

Downloads

• Download the Sir Murray Brennan Entrance Rowing Scholarship Regulations (PDF)