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Prime Ministers Athlete Scholarships (PMAS)

The purpose of Prime Minister’s Athlete Scholarships is to enable emerging and talented New Zealanders to concurrently pursue tertiary study and elite level sport development.

The scholarships are managed by SPARC and administrated by the NZ Academy of Sport.  They allow athletes to have their fees paid to a maximum of $10,000 per annum and, if eligible, receive a living allowance up to $6,000.  The living allowance payment is determined by your official sport performance in the 12 months prior to the national application closing date (1 December).

Applicants must satisfy all of the following criteria to be eligible for a scholarship:

  • Be capable of impacting SPARC’s high performance mission, More New Zealanders winning on the world stage.  Any athlete from any sport may be able to impact this mission.  Carded athletes in the supported sports and athletes receiving PEGs are already recognised as being able to impact SPARC’s high performance mission.
  • Submit a complete application.
  • Be endorsed by their NSO leading up to and during the scholarship.
  • Have met all athlete requirements whilst studying under scholarship in the previous 12 months, unless the NZAS agrees otherwise (athletes re-applying for a scholarship only).

With the funds available, it is unlikely that all applicants will receive a scholarship.  Therefore applications will be assessed and prioritised by SPARC using an assessment panel.  The following table outlines the selection criteria and the likely recipients of scholarships for 2008.

Key Selection Criteria Considered                                               

Past

  • Receipt and impact of previous scholarships          
  • Adherence to the programme’s athlete requirements
  • Contribution (value, commitment and/or longevity) to the NSO

Present

  • Endorsement and ranking by NSO
  • Course work load is appropriate to meet sport performance goals
  • Ability to adhere to the programme’s athlete requirements
  • Impact  on SPARC’s high performance mission
Future
  • Impact on SPARC’s high performance mission

Likely Selection Priorities

  1. World class athletes and/or athletes receiving PEGs
  2. Level 1 carded athletes
  3. Level 2 carded athletes
  4. Level 3 carded athletes
  5. Level 4 carded athletes and other athletes who have the potential to impact SPARC’s high performance mission
If you wish to study at any stage during the 2008 calendar year, you may apply for a scholarship by completing the application form found in the High Performance Sport section at www.sparc.org.nz.  Please return your completed application form to Clive Rushton by 16 November 2007.

Swimming New Zealand will prioritise the applications received by the deadline above and send endorsed applications to the NZ Academy of Sport.  Successful applicants will be notified by the NZ Academy of Sport no later than 24 December.

Further information about Prime Minister’s Athlete Scholarships can be found at the High Performance Sport section at www.sparc.org.nz