MFAT Postgraduate Development Field Research Awards

MFAT's Postgraduate Development Field Research Awards support Master's and doctoral students at New Zealand institutions who are researching development issues tied to New Zealand's cooperation priorities. The Pacific is the clearest focus, and the program is run by DevNet on MFAT's behalf. It is a postgraduate research route, not an organizational grant line, and it is aimed at individual students whose fieldwork can generate practical policy insight. Applications are advertised near the end of each calendar year. The award value is set each round, the funds cover research costs, and applicants apply through DevNet rather than MFAT directly. Eligibility is limited to NZ-based Master's or doctorate research, with the award framed around development cooperation and field research. The strongest applications have a specific field site, a clear development question, and a close match to Pacific or other NZ IDC priorities. Because the program is annual and round-specific, timing and adherence to the regulations matter as much as topic quality. It suits students who can show why the research needs fieldwork and how the findings will be useful beyond the thesis.

No upcoming rounds verified. Cadence: Annual.