Join the Sea Ice Group

Information for Students

The Sea Ice Group at the University of Otago, New Zealand, has openings in PhD and MSc programmes, both experimental and theoretical. The group collaborates internationally and is well funded. The University of Otago is New Zealand's oldest university with a high profile in both education and research, and is located towards the south of the beautiful South Island of New Zealand. Interested students should contact Pat Langhorne in the first instance to informally discuss available projects.

Scholarship Funding

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) offers scholarships of NZ$25,000 plus tuition and conference expenses under the Bright Future Scheme. Doctoral scholarships are available to New Zealand residents and citizens and to Australian citizens (deadlines are in April and in December).

For candidates with an appropriate academic background, Postgraduate Scholarships are available from the University of Otago. The PhD scholarships provide a stipend of NZ$20,000 per annum (or NZ$25,000 for students with an outstanding academic record) and cover tuition fees for a period of three years (closing date for applications is in October). The scholarships are open to international and domestic students.

In addition, specific scholarships are offered by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR), by Antarctica New Zealand, by organisations mentioned on the University of Otago Scholarships web page and listed in the University of Otago Scholarship Database, and possibly from project specific scholarship funding.

International Students from Australia, France and Germany

Due to reciprocal agreements between governments, postgraduate students from Australia, France and Germany pay domestic fees.

All International Students

All international doctoral students (PhD students) enrolling from 2006 for the first time will need to pay only domestic tuition fees. Further, partners of postgraduate students are generally eligible to apply for an open work permit valid for the duration of the student's course of study (see New Zealand Immigration), and the dependants of all international PhD students can attend school without paying international student fees (see http://www.otago.ac.nz/international/fees.html).

Postgraduate scholarships are available for international students. With the exception of the postgraduate scholarships available from the University of Otago, eligibility is partly based on the country of origin. The Ministry of Education offers New Zealand International Doctoral Research Scholarships (NZIDR) for students from many countries (closing date for applications is in July). Students from a Commonwealth country may be eligible to apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship, which includes an allowance for dependants. Students from targeted countries may be eligible to apply for a range of NZAID postgraduate scholarships of the New Zealand government. The scholarships have a developmental focus, and are designed to aid the social and economic development of eligible countries.

Information for Postdoctoral Researchers

Antarctic Research

The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) offers the SCAR Fellowship Programme. The award is for postgraduate and/or post-doctoral researchers from within the 32 SCAR Member countries, and will be limited to scientists younger than 35 on the day of the deadline for applications (usually in May).
The Fellowships are intended to allow researchers to undertake short term visits to major international laboratories, field facilities, and/or home institutions in or operated by other SCAR Member countries, so as to become acquainted with recent advances in research and/or to develop long-term scientific links and partnerships. The work shall be carried out in a research group of a SCAR nation different from that of the applicant’s origin.

ISAT Bilateral Research Activities Programme

The Bilateral Research Activities Programme (BRAP) is a part of the International Science and Technology (ISAT) Linkages Fund of the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology. BRAP is a Government funded programme designed to support international science and technology links between New Zealand and the world. There are two calls for applications to BRAP annually.

New Zealand–Japan Bilateral Coorperation Programme

The Ministry of Research, Science and Technology sponsors international bilateral exchange programmes for postdocs and researchers. Information on the New Zealand–Japan Bilateral Coorperation Programme is provided by the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology (MoRST) and by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS).

New Zealand/Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) Programme

The broad purpose of the programme is to foster exchange of researchers between New Zealand and Germany. The focus of this programme changes from year to year. See the ISAT web page for up-to-date information.

Fulbright Awards

Fulbright New Zealand hosts a range of visiting scholars and professionals from the US.

Outgoing Fellowships Programme

The Royal Society's Outgoing Fellowships Programme aims to enable young and outstanding postdoctoral scientists from the UK to conduct cutting-edge research with their overseas counterparts. The Fellowships to Australia, Canada and New Zealand are particularly aimed at young postdoctoral scientists early stages of their careers.

New Zealand Researchers

For New Zealand residents who have a PhD and wish to return from overseas to conduct research, postdoctoral fellowships are available from the Foundation for Research, Science and Technology (FRS&T).

If you qualify to apply for one of these fellowships and would like to undertake research with the Sea Ice Group, then please contact us.