Other funding and scholarships
Last updated 27 September 2026
Plenty of funding for primary and community care teams comes from outside the Workforce Hub. Te Whatu Ora, professional bodies, and universities all offer scholarships and grants. We've gathered the ones most useful to people working in primary care.
We don't run these schemes, so we can't tell you if you're eligible or how an application is going. Each link takes you to the organisation that runs the scheme. Check their page for the full criteria and closing dates before you apply.
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NZREX primary care pathway
Check with provider
Te Whatu Ora funds a two-year pathway to full registration for up to 100 overseas-trained doctors living in New Zealand. You spend the first 6 to 12 months in hospital, then 12 to 18 months in community-based primary care.
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NZNO scholarships and grants
Dates vary
The New Zealand Nurses Organisation offers a range of scholarships and grants, including grants for primary health care nurses. -
Postgraduate funding for pharmacists
Open
For pharmacists in primary and community care who want to build their clinical skills. -
Postgraduate funding for paramedics
Open
For paramedics employed in primary and community roles who are studying towards a qualification in Extended Care Paramedicine. -
Postgraduate funding for physiotherapists
Opens 2027
For experienced musculoskeletal physiotherapists employed in primary and community care who want to develop their advanced assessment and clinical decision-making skills. The funding is there to build the primary care workforce. -
University and other scholarships
Dates vary
Universities that teach postgraduate nursing, including the University of Auckland, AUT, and Massey University, have scholarships that primary and community nurses can apply for. Te Whatu Ora keeps a list of these, along with scholarships from other organisations. -
Te Whatu Ora Voluntary Bonding Scheme
Closed for 2026
The scheme makes payments to newly qualified health professionals who work in hard-to-staff professions or places. The 2026 intake prioritised primary and community care, including nurse practitioners, nurses, pharmacists, general practice trainees, midwives, and several allied health professions. Registrations ran from 27 August to 23 September 2026. -
Postgraduate funding in mental health and addiction
Open
Te Whatu Ora funds postgraduate courses in mental health and addiction for nurses, allied health professionals, and talking therapy practitioners. Funding is arranged through each course, so check with the course co-ordinator that it's open and that you meet the criteria. -
Registered nurse primary care scholarship
Closed for 2026
Te Whatu Ora offers 120 scholarships a year to registered nurses who work at least 0.4 FTE in primary or community care. They pay your course fees, help with study costs, and fund your employer for backfill and study days. This year's round ran from 10 August to 27 September 2026.