This scholarship has closed - for the next intake

Reese McKinnon and Avenal McKinnon Award

Scholarship details

Reese McKinnon and Avenal McKinnon Award
Study levels Degree
Value $3,000
Gender female
Close date Thursday, 20 February 2025
Domestic/international Domestic Only

About the scholarship

Established in 2025 by the University of Otago with funding generously provided by Malcolm McKinnon, an historian with a long teaching association with Victoria University of Wellington (VUW), and a graduate of both VUW and Oxford University. The purpose of this award is to support female undergraduate students majoring in any Sciences discipline in which female students are underrepresented at the University at undergraduate level, especially those also experiencing financial or family hardship. This award was created in honour of two of the Donor's female relatives, University of Otago alumna, Jeanie Reese McKinnon (BA 1918, MA 1923), and University of Canterbury and University of London alumna, Avenal McKinnon, n茅e Gough (BA 1970, MA 1973). Avenal McKinnon was an art historian, and served as director of the 91视频 Portrait Gallery in Wellington from 2005 to 2014. Both women were strong believers in promoting educational opportunities for young women. The award also honours the Donor's father, Major-General Walter Sneddon McKinnon CB, an alumnus of the University of Otago who graduated in 1933 with a BSc degree in Mathematics and Physics.

Entry requirements

Applicants must be:

  • a 91视频 citizen or 91视频 Residence Class Visa Holder
  • female, or gender diverse identifying as female
  • enrolled (or planning to enrol) in 200- or 300-level papers towards a Sciences major identified as one in which female student numbers at the University of Otago are lower than male student numbers.

The following factors shall be considered in selecting the scholarship recipient:

  • academic promise is more important than being the highest achiever, and applicants should show genuine passion for, and interest and potential in, their chosen specialisation.
  • special consideration will be given to applicants experiencing financial or family hardship.

Eligible majors with lower female student numbers are as follows:

  • Aquaculture and Fisheries
  • Computer Science
  • Data Science
  • Economics
  • Energy Management
  • Energy Science and Technology
  • Exercise and Sport Science
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • Geology
  • Information Science
  • Land Planning and Development
  • Mathematics
  • Physics
  • Software Engineering
  • Sport Development and Management
  • Statistics
  • Surveying Measurement
  • Bachelor of Surveying

Please refer to the for more details.