Applications are now closed.
These awards are for teachers to access learning opportunities to increase their skills for supporting gifted learners or learners with exceptional abilities.
Funding is flexible, enabling access to a range of learning opportunities that suit a teacher's busy schedule. The learning could be a formal qualification or an informal learning opportunity.
Please note we are unable to accept retrospective funding applications for opportunities or qualifications you have already undertaken.
The award money can be used to take part in a formal qualification or an informal learning opportunity – such as a programme, mentorship, spending time with another teacher or other things available in your community.
The types of learning opportunities you want to take part in may be unique, but they should be part of a coherent programme of learning about giftedness and meeting the needs of gifted students.
Please note that if applying for the award as a school/kura, one person would apply on behalf of the school as a school-wide learning opportunity.
NB for the larger Study Awards to support the Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist Teaching with a Gifted endorsement go to: Gifted Study Award
To apply, teachers must be:
• currently registered to teach in New Zealand
• a holder of one of the following practicing certificates: Provisional, Full Practising (Category One), Full Practising (Category Two), and Returning to Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
• permanently employed in a full-time or part-time role at a state or state-integrated school or kura
• New Zealand citizens or New Zealand residents (including permanent residents).
Your application will need to be endorsed by your school principal or tumuaki.
Awards are made once a year. When the application round is open, the link will be available at the top of this page.
To apply for the award, you can submit either a written proposal or a video.
Written applications should not exceed 5 pages of an A4 document. Video clips should not last any longer than 5 minutes. The panel will not consider material that is outside of these limits.
Please contact us with any questions about the application process by email to our awards mailbox: gifted.enquiries@education.govt.nz
Your application/proposal needs to include the following:
• Why you’re interested in this area of work and why you want to take part in the learning opportunity? This will help give us an idea of what you are passionate about.
• An outline of what you will be learning, with whom, where and when.
• The desired outcomes and benefits to the gifted learners you support and your school.
• The anticipated growth to your teaching practice with specific reference to your practice of teaching gifted learners.
• The overall cost of the opportunity you want to pursue and the award amount you are seeking.
Important things to consider for your application:
• Request a colleague or a friend to check your application to make sure it's complete and has all the required information, including your name and contact details.
• Let your passion and enthusiasm shine!
Please make sure your video is clear, concise, and easy to view. We don’t expect you to have professional filming equipment, so using your phone or computer is fine. But we recommend you review your footage before submitting it, to ensure the sound and image quality is sufficient to get your message across. Avoid submitting anything that’s too shaky, loud, or inaudible. We suggest asking a friend or family member to help you with the filming so you can concentrate on telling us your story.
You can upload your video to Vimeo, YouTube or Google Drive. In your application, you will be asked to provide the video URL and password (if applicable). Please ensure the video link will be available for access for 3 months after application.
If uploading through Vimeo, please note you will need to have an upgraded account.
If uploading through YouTube, please ensure your video is unlisted in privacy settings.
If uploading through Google Drive, please ensure your video allows anyone with the link to view.
Your application will need to be endorsed by your school principal or kura tumuaki.
It should include how they think it will benefit the school. We also require confirmation that they will provide teacher release time, if required.
Their support of your application should be included with the information you provide.
For any queries or more information please email: gifted.enquiries@education.govt.nz
We will only contact you if we need more information or any clarification regarding your application.
A panel will then meet to review the applications and recommend awards.
We will get in touch with you to confirm the outcome of your application, approximately 6-8 weeks after the application period closes.
The money you have been awarded will be paid directly into your school’s bank account.
The Ministry of Education (the Ministry) collects the personal information you provide in your application to:
• assess your application and – if you are successful – administer your award, and
• ask if you wish to participate in any gifted award evaluation or promotion.
We may also use collected information to report on the awards, but you will not be identified or identifiable in any such reports.
Some questions in the application are mandatory. You need to answer these questions or provide the required documents before you can submit your application. The Ministry will securely hold the personal information submitted as part of the award application. The information will be confidentially shared with the Gifted Awards Panel members who assess the applications and Ministry employees who administer these awards. The Ministry or a Panel member may contact the Principal you have listed in your application to confirm that they will provide teacher release time, if required.
The Ministry complies with the Government’s Record Management Standards with respect to retention and disposal of your application record.
You have the right to request access to information the Ministry holds about you and to ask to have it corrected if it is wrong. If you would like to access information relevant to your application, or if you have any privacy questions, please contact us at gifted.enquiries@education.govt.nz
How much can I apply for?
There is no fixed amount for the awards because the types of opportunities vary. For an individual teacher, the award can range from $500 to $2,500 and for a group or network of teachers, this can be up to $6,000. The award money can be used to help cover the cost of an opportunity or fund it completely.
My application is longer than recommended, what should I do?
The panel can’t consider material that’s beyond 5 pages of typed A4 or 5 minutes video time. Look over the suggestions in the application information about things to consider - ask someone else to edit out unnecessary information.
Who is eligible to apply for these awards?
To be eligible for these awards, teachers must be:
• currently registered to teach in New Zealand
• holders of one of the following practicing certificates: Provisional, Full Practising (Category One), Full Practising (Category Two), and Returning to Teaching in Aotearoa New Zealand
• permanently employed in a full-time or part-time role at a state or state-integrated school or kura
• New Zealand citizens or New Zealand residents (including permanent residents).
When do the awards open?
The 2023 award round is now closed. Keep an eye on this page for updates.
How often do the awards run?
We have one round of awards per year – opening in October.
How do I apply?
A link will be available at the top of this page when the next round opens.
What sorts of things can I apply to do for this award?
You can apply to learn anything as long as your application includes the following information:
• Why are you interested in this area of work and why do you want to take part in the learning opportunity? This will help give us an idea of what you are passionate about.
• An outline of what you will be learning, with whom, where and when.
• The desired outcomes and benefits to the gifted learners you support and your school.
• The anticipated growth to your teaching practice with specific reference to your practice of teaching gifted learners.
• The overall cost of the opportunity you want to pursue and the award amount you are seeking.
Who can I contact if I have more questions about the awards? gifted.enquiries@education.govt.nz
