Scholarship Ethnicity Verification for Māori

There are a range of scholarships at Waipapa Taumata Rau that are specifically for Māori, and require a verification of ethnicity as part of the application process.

This webpage goes over what to expect, and how we can help if you are missing details or a connection to your whakapapa. 

Once you have selected that you are Māori, you will have another section added to your scholarship application where you will be asked for your parents' and grandparents' details, as well as your iwi, hapū and marae.

You will also be asked to request an endorsement from a kaumatua, marae representative or authorised person from your iwi or runanga to verify that you are of New Zealand Māori descent. You can opt to not include your whakapapa details, and instead share proof of your ethnicity directly with your verifier. 

Alternatively, you can nominate a professional person of Māori descent within your community. Examples include a school staff member (e.g., career adviser, sports coach or teacher), or a professional person from your community (e.g., priest or pastor if you are a member of a church community, a lawyer, doctor, or any other professional person).      

The verifier must be of New Zealand Māori descent, know you and/or your family well, and cannot be a close family member such as your sibling, spouse, uncle/aunt, cousin, parent or grandparent. 

You can also opt to not include these details, and share proof of your ethnicity directly with your verifier. 

Once your details are added, you will go to the 'Request' section of your scholarship application to push a request to your verifier, which will send an email to your verifier. Your application can only be submitted once your verifier has completed the request. It is your responsibility to follow up with your verifier. 

There are many situations where an applicant may not have all the details of their whakapapa, or a person to act as their verifier.

The Office of the Pro-Vice Chancellor Māori is here to support you to complete the process, and has the authority to use alternate methods of verification such as family trees, birth certificates, photographs and testimony of lost connections (i.e. whāngai). 

For a confidential kōrero, contact pvc.maori@auckland.ac.nz.

I don't have many details about my history, or haven't been involved in Te Ao Māori

If you whakapapa Māori, you are Māori. Ethnicity verification is a process to confirm the criteria outlined in the regulation of a scholarship, and is not seeking to account for anything else. There are many reasons why an applicant may not know their whakapapa, and we have tikanga to support other ways of verifying your ethnicity. 

Other questions in a scholarship application may ask about your taha Māori or involvement in Te Ao Māori; they are separate criteria and not present in all scholarships for Māori. 

I'm trying to connect, but it's taking a long time

Āe, yes discovering your whakapapa is a lifelong process. Often the process to become registered with your iwi can take longer than you have to apply for a scholarship. We have other options to support you in the short term. 

I am applying for an iwi or Māori Education Trust scholarship, and need to verify my enrolment

To confirm that you are a currently enrolled student, visit your nearest Student Hub. 

Why is there an ethnicity verification? 

There is a limited number of scholarships available, and there have been examples globally of individuals who falsely claim indigeneity. The University has a responsibility to ensure that scholarships are going to individuals for whom they are intended. 

I am Māori and Pacific, can I apply for both scholarships?

Yes!