The Graduate Women Wellington Ella C Wilson Music Award in New Zealand is open to female nationals of New Zealand. It is offered for Master's and PhD degrees in the field of music. The deadline for sending an application is 31 Oct 2024. This scholarship is provided by the Victoria University of Wellington.

The award was established in memory of a bequest made by Ella C Wilson, who was a long-serving staff member of Napier Girls’ High School, teaching English and French. She came to Wellington when she retired as Deputy Principal. Ella was a Wellingtonian and completed a Bachelor of Music at Victoria University of Wellington prior to becoming a teacher. Her father died suddenly when she was 24, and her own dreams of doing any postgraduate study were lost at that time. Ella had seen Rachmaninov play when on an overseas trip and counted it a highlight of her life. She is buried at Karori Cemetery.

The award is to support students of the New Zealand School of Music who are enrolled full-time in either an undergraduate or postgraduate music degree and have applied, or be about to apply, to study for a BMusHons, PGDip, MMus, MMA, MTherapy, PhD, or DMA degree in any of the disciplines at the NZSM in the year following the scholarship application, with a preference given to Masters students. Funds will only be awarded upon confirmation of postgraduate enrolment at the NZSM.

Benefits

The successful candidates are awarded a scholarship of NZD 3,000.

Eligibility

Applicants must identify as female, including cis-gendered and trans-gendered at the NZSM.
Applicants must be enrolled in a postgraduate music degree.
Applicants enrolled in master's degrees are given first consideration.
Applicants must be New Zealand citizens or permanent residents.
Applicants may demonstrate financial need.