Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Awards are for promising New Zealand graduate students to undertake postgraduate study or research at US institutions in any field.
Approximately seven awards are granted annually, valued at up to US$50,000 (plus NZ$4,000 travel funding) for up to one year of study or research in the US. Students undertaking multi-year Masters or PhD degrees have the opportunity to apply for additional funding of up to US$40,000 towards their second year of study.
These awards are available for study or research in any field not covered by one of our other, field-specific Fulbright New Zealand graduate awards.
Fulbright New Zealand Graduate Awards can be used towards a Masters or PhD programme, or grantees can participate as a Visiting Student Researcher (VSR). A VSR allows grantees to spend between 6-12 months studying or researching a topic or proposed project in the US, usually as part of a degree programme within New Zealand. This can be an attractive option for those pursuing a graduate degree at a New Zealand institution, when research in the US would supplement or aid their programme. A VSR does not require full graduate school admission into a US institution, and instead requires a letter of invitation from a host institution.
Note: Recipients of this award are eligible for the Robin W. and Avril Flockton Winks Award. Find out more below.
Bonita Bigham (Ngāruahine, Te Atiawa)
Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Award
Bonita Bigham from Manaia, Taranaki will research impacts of laws and conventions on the retrieval and use of marine mammal resources for artistic purposes, in Aotearoa and Hawai’i.
Bonita is studying for a PhD in Fine Arts at Massey University.
She graduated with a Diploma in Print Journalism at Western Institute of Technology at Taranaki in 2002, a Master of Fine Arts in 2019 and a Master of Māori Visual Arts in 2021 from Massey University, and Toi Paematua Raranga – Diploma in Māori Arts at Te Wānanga o Aotearoa in 2021.
Bonita is a Taranaki Regional Councillor, artist and passionate community and Māori arts advocate.
Timothy (Tim) Lawler
Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Award
Tim Lawler from Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland will research rights protection in presidential counter-terrorism policy at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and at George Washington University in Washington DC.
Tim graduated with a BA in Politics in 2019 and a Master of International Studies (Dist) from the University of Otago in 2020.
Te Maiora Rurehe (Tūhoe / Te Arawa)
Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Award
Te Maiora Rurehe from Tūhoe/Te Arawa will complete a Master of Environmental Laws at Pace University in White Plains, New York.
Te Maiora graduated with an LLB and a BA in Te Reo Māori from the University of Waikato in 2021.
James (Jimmy) Toebes
Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Award
Jimmy Toebes from Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington will complete a Master of Laws with a focus on criminal law and theory, therapeutic jurisprudence, and the implementation of its principles via the Te Ao M?rama model at New York University in New York City, New York.
Jimmy graduated with an LLB (Hons) and a BA in Politics and International Relations from the University of Auckland in 2017.
Leah Thomas
Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Award
Leah Thomas from Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington will complete a Master of Arts Management and Entrepreneurship at the New School in New York City, New York.
Leah graduated with a BMus (Hons First Class) from Te Kōkī – the New Zealand School of Music in 2021 and an LLB from Victoria University of Wellington in 2023.
Katherine (Kat) Werry
Fulbright New Zealand General Graduate Award
Kat Werry from Te Whanganui-a-Tara Wellington will complete a Master of Laws specialising in Criminal Justice at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Kat graduated with an LLB (Hons) and a BA in Politics and Philosophy from the University of Auckland in 2020.