Student Grants for Research and Development Projects

PhD and Masters Funded Fellowships

Technology New Zealand (TechNZ) Fellowship funding enables students to complete R&D projects in companies. The fellowship involves the company, a student and a tertiary institution. The benefit to the company is that it gains science and technology skills to help it develop a new product, process or service. The student gains valuable commercial R&D expertise. The university or tertiary institution builds an R&D relationship with the company.

Generally $20,000 is available to the fellow as a stipend and $5,000 is payable to the university or tertiary institution at which the student is studying.


Key Features

TechNZ Fellowship encourages innovative companies to involve postgraduate students in their research and development programmes. This helps the company develop new knowledge that leads to the commercialisation of a new product, process, or service, which has the potential to grow their revenue.

TechNZ Fellowship funding is provided to companies that are capable of mentoring postgraduate research projects. Typically these companies will invest heavily in research and development. The student is expected to perform at least half of the research on the company premises.

TechNZ Fellowship funding provides a tax free payment and travel allowance for the student and a fee for the tertiary institution or university to support their role in the scheme. This funding is paid directly to the university and they pay the student. The company pays the direct costs of having the student on the premises.

TechNZ capability funding is available to businesses at all stages of growth. A business must be a person or entity that is in business and resident in New Zealand.

Vacancies Currently Available

A Masters Postgraduate Fellowship position is currently available with an Auckland company. To learn more download Chemistry Post Grad Fellowship

Undergraduate Internships 2011

The Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI) is offering a grant to encourage innovative companies to employ senior science, technology or engineering students for a research and development project. This year two hundred places are available. The Ministry of Science and Innovation advise that the funding provides $16 per hour for up to 400 hours of work upon proof of payment to the intern. The maximum grant is $7,360 including GST. Funding is available to larger companies as well as smaller companies that are developing their first innovative product.

Criteria

•    An R&D project must be defined for the student, general work experience is not acceptable.
•    The project can be process or efficiency based.
•    The student does not need to be identified prior to registering interest.
•    The student must be studying science, technology or engineering at a NZ University.
•    The student must have completed their final year of study towards an undergraduate degree.
•    The student must be a NZ citizen or have a current work permit. 


Key Dates

Applications due, 12 pm 27 September 2011.
Businesses notified of funding decisions, 9 November 2011.
Final date for intern to be in place, 2 December 2011.


Advertising the Student Position

If your business is approved funding you can advertise the position at nzunicareerhub after 7 November 2011.

Ministry of Science and Innovation Post Graduate Internships

In May 2011 the Ministry of Science and Innovation (MSI) funded 50 innovative New Zealand businesses to employ a postgraduate intern for six months. Applications closed at the end of May 2011.

The scheme was described as follows: “The programme is open to businesses of all sizes that have a focus on research and development, and to all science, technology or engineering postgraduate students. The programme aims to give New Zealand’s future innovators a head start through experience in a commercial research environment. Postgraduate Internship funding provides support for potential high growth companies to employ a recent Masters or PhD postgraduate from a New Zealand university for a maximum period of six months. Companies must be able to demonstrate that the postgraduate will be working on a challenging research and development project or helping to develop a new product, process or service for the company.

Based upon a maximum annual salary of $60,000, MSI will provide companies with $30,000 (plus GST) to cover the salary of the postgraduate for the first six months. The postgraduate must be employed by the company or engaged by a fixed term contract of at least 6 months duration. MSI will only cover the salary of the postgraduate (not any oncosts or project related costs), and if postgraduates are paid less than $60,000, then this amount will decrease accordingly”.

Applying for Student Grants

The applications forms are different for each of the student grant schemes described here. As part of your application you will be asked to describe the project and its expected outcomes. You may be asked to provide financial records, including summary accounts or full financial statements as a condition of the grant application. Applied Support Services can assist you prepare and submit your application forms.

Our Experience

Applied Support Services has over 20 years experience assisting companies obtain government grants. For help applying for government business grants contact us.

Descriptions of the undergraduate and postgraduate student grants are summarised from information sourced from the Ministry of Science and Innovation.



Useful Links:

Sources of business funding and support.
Government business grant templates.
Ministry of Science and Innovation R&D grants.
NZ University graduate recruitment website, nzunicareerhub
Government business support.
Network of commercialisation units of Universities and Crown Research Institutes (Kiwinet).
Research and development project services.
Applied Support Services home page.


More Information about Business Grants:

Find out how New Zealand government business grants work.
Small Research & Development grants.
Large Research & Development grants.
Student grants for Research and Development.
Technology Transfer Vouchers for Research & Development.
Agricultural grants.
Energy grants.


 

This page was last updated on 24 November 2011

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