This fellowship provides support for outstanding graduates who have recently completed a degree at doctoral level and who propose to conduct research in any discipline related to improving the health and economic outcomes of Pacific peoples. The value of this fellowship is based on a salary capped at $100,000 per year, for up to 4 years, and includes up to $100,000 for research expenses, an annual allowance of $2,500 to travel to a scientific meeting and a Tufungatika allowance of $5,000 over the tenure of the fellowship.

Eligibility criteria

To be eligible for this Postdoctoral Fellowship, you'll need to be a New Zealand citizen or hold residency in New Zealand and be of indigenous Pacific descent.

You'll also need to have a proven track record of research in the area of Pacific health development, hold a degree of Doctor of Philosophy (or an equivalent degree), and not have had more than five years of postdoctoral experience. If you haven't received the results of your thesis examination, you can still apply - any scholarship you may receive will be conditional on you being awarded the degree.

New: The Sir Thomas Davis Scholarship won’t be offered this year.

How do I apply?

First, you’ll need to ensure that you have an up-to-date profile on HRC Gateway. You’ll then need to complete an online registration form via HRC Gateway to signal your intention to apply for this fellowship. Following registration, you’ll need to submit a full application online via HRC Gateway using the forms available below. Application guidelines are also available below. Ensure that you have read the guidelines as they contain information that is essential to consider when writing your application.

Got a question?

Please send an email to info@hrc.govt.nz and one of our team will be in touch.

Documents

Guidelines

2027 Pacific Health Research Career Development Awards Application Guidelines
28 May, 2026 11:16am - 367KB

2027 Peer Review Manual CDA
28 May, 2026 1:07pm - 886KB

Forms

2027 Career Development Awards Budget Form
28 May, 2026 11:00am - 37KB

2027 Pacific Health Research Career Development Awards Application Form
28 May, 2026 11:03am - 112KB