Opening and Closing Dates
Monday, June 29, 2026, to Monday, July 20, 2026 - 5:00pm
The Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga Māori (NPM) Futures Programme supports promising Māori students as a means to growing an expert and capable Māori researcher workforce for Aotearoa New Zealand. Some of our earlier interns have pursued doctoral and post-doctoral studies; found academic or professional research roles in organisations like universities, research institutions or consultancies.
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PURPOSE
The New Horizons internship programme is for Māori students interested in pursuing a career in research. The award will provide assistance to Māori students enrolled at a NPM tertiary education partner entity to gain research experience and enhance their research skills.
Tauira in legal studies may be eligible for the Borrin Legal Summer Internship award, which supports Māori students with a strong interest in law, justice, and social equity to develop advanced research skills under the guidance of an expert Māori legal researcher.
The students will
- work under the supervision and guidance of a NPM Māori researcher based at any NPM partner entity.
- Complete research activities that align to the NPM Matakitenga research programme and contribute to NPM mission and objectives.
- Participate in the online NPM Māori Futures support programme during the tenure of their award.
TERM
The internship programme will run over 10 weeks, 30 November 2026 – 15 February 2027 summer period, with a one-week break from 21 to 25 December.
ELIGIBILITY
The award is intended for Māori pre-doctoral students who are genuinely interested in advancing their skills and capacity in Indigenous development and research.
- Eligible students are senior undergraduate (3rd year or over) or post graduate Māori students enrolled in 2026 at a NPM tertiary education partner entity.
- Students must not be employed, completing summer school or professional development activities for more than 10 hours per week.
- Students must not be holding any other internship award from any source.
VALUE
$7,500 NZD per award, with 10 internships available for the 2026-2027 summer period. The award will be paid in two equal instalments, with the first payment at the beginning of the internship, and the final instalment at the end.
WHAT INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES ARE THERE?
For a full list of the available projects please download the 26-27 NPMNH Internship Projects file. Full descriptions of the opportunities available, including the supervising researcher, their institution, the project descriptor, objectives and work programme are outlined.
Internships are competitive and for this reason we ask student applicants to indicate their first, second and third choice of internship projects. Once the call for applications closes, we determine the best matches between advertised project and student applications. We then recommend the best match(es) to the supervising researcher for selection and confirmation. Successful interns are expected to begin their internship no later than the week of 30 November 2026.
WHAT INFORMATION IS REQUIRED?
- A completed application form including statements of interest for selected projects.
- CV
- Academic transcript that includes recent grades received in your current and/or previous degree.
- Letter of reference from an academic staff member
FAQ
Q. I am interested in the Raumati Internships, but I am not enrolled at one of the NPM partner entities, can I still apply?
A. Unfortunately, no. To be eligible to apply you must be enrolled at one of our NPM partner entities.
Q. I will be working part-time over the summer, can I still apply for a Raumati Internship?
A. As long as you will not be working more than 10 hours per week and will be available to fully participate in the internship experience you can apply.
Q.I am only interested in one of the Raumati projects advertised, can I apply for one project, or do I have to select three projects?
A. You can apply for only one project, but we would strongly encourage you to select more than one to increase your chances of being selected.
Q. I am working on my application and see we have to include an academic transcript as part of the application-does this need to be an official transcript record?
A. We will accept a PDF of your previous grades, we do not require an official transcript record.
Q. I am preparing my application and see we need to include a letter of support from an academic staff member. I do not know any academic staff members, could I ask someone else to write a letter of support?
A. Letters of support are a critical part of the application, and we prefer these to be from academic staff members. We will consider other letters of support, but these will need to detail your abilities, experience, work ethic and commitment.
Q. I have submitted my Raumati Internship application, when will I find out if my application was successful?
A. We will endeavour to let all student applicants by the 14th of October 2025. All applications are screened for eligibility, and on a case-by-case basis a student applicant will be recommended to the project supervisor. Once the project supervisor has confirmed their preferred applicant, we let that applicant know as soon as possible. These processes can take some time, and sometimes there are delays beyond our control. We appreciate your patience as we complete the process.
Q. I have applied for a Raumati Internship but haven’t heard anything yet. One of my friends also applied and they have received an internship award letter-does this mean my application was unsuccessful?
A. Not necessarily. We recommend student applicants to project supervisors on a case-by-case basis. We work closely with the project supervisor to make sure the student applicants are the best match possible. Once we have received confirmation from project supervisors, that student is advised as soon as possible. These processes take time, and we appreciate your patience as we work through this process.
Q. If I am awarded an Raumati internship, when will I receive the grant payment?
A. The Raumati internship grant is paid in two instalments. The first instalment will be processed for payment in the first week of the NPM Raumati Internship programme, and the final instalment will be processed for payment in the final week of the programme.
INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS
- 26-27 NPM Maori Futures Programme New Horizons Student Internship Application form-for completion and submission.
- 26-27 NPMNH Internship Projects file. For selection of projects
- 26-27 NPFNH Internship General Regulations-for your information.
CONTACT: research@maramatanga.ac.nz