Kick start your tech career with Catalyst's Open Source Scholarship

At Catalyst, we are committed to supporting more aspiring open source and tech enthusiasts to join our industry. That’s why each year, we offer two students a scholarship to help cover study-related expenses.

Female student wearing glasses and a blue beanie hat smiling

Applications for the 2025 Catalyst Open Source Scholarship are now closed 

If you're interested in applying for our 2026 opportunity, keep a look out for updates on this page and our LinkedIn page for updates next year.

Applied for our scholarship this year?

We're currently reviewing applications and our selection process. Over the next few weeks, we'll contact you with an outcome on your application. If you have a question about your application, you can contact us.

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With a total payment of $6000 over three years ($2000 granted in March each year), our scholarship is designed to ease the financial burden of pursuing higher education and empower you to focus on your studies and future career goals. You'll also get an internship 20 January - 14 February 2025 which can elevate your CV post-study.

If you are passionate about computer science or related fields, check back next year for a chance to apply for one of our scholarships.

To apply, you'll need to:

  • be over 16 years of age at the start of your study
  • be a New Zealand citizen or permanent resident
  • be enrolled in a full-time, full-year programme of study at a University, Polytechnic or Wānanga
  • have met the entry requirements for your desired programme of study.

Applicants will be chosen because they:

  • show a genuine desire to succeed in their chosen IT field
  • are committed to completing their study programme
  • are keen to get employment in an IT related industry or field
  • show commitment to open source technologies.

Our selection panel chooses a shortlist of applicants based on all applications received, so make sure you spend some time creating a quality application and completing all the information. Shortlisted applicants are one step closer to turning their aspirations into reality. If you’re shortlisted, we may invite you for an interview session.

  • Scholarships will be awarded on the basis that the information supplied is true and correct. Catalyst can withdraw the scholarship if the information is proved to be inaccurate.
  • If you turn down the scholarship, or do not accept the scholarship by the required date, the selection panel may offer the scholarship to another applicant.
  • If a recipient withdraws or transfers to another programme that is not IT related, it is expected that the scholarship will be repaid to Catalyst.
  • The decision of the selection panel is final.

Aleisha was one of the first recipients of our scholarship when it started. Today she is Technical Lead of Rōpū kohinga at Catalyst.

In 2022, the caliber of applications was so high we found it hard to pick two. So, we awarded five scholarships instead.

Discover how the $2000 per year open source scholarship payments helped two aspiring tech students in 2020.