Tertiary Education, Skills and Employment Minister Paul Goldsmith has today announced the latest round of successful recipients of the Prime Minister's Scholarship for Asia (PMSA).

A total of 156 New Zealand students have been selected to study, carry out internships or conduct research at top institutions throughout Asia as part of the first 2016/17 scholarship round. Successful applications came from universities, institutes of technology and polytechnics, and private training establishments.

"The PMSA is designed to encourage New Zealand students to study in Asian countries and experience the benefits of international education for themselves.

"Since the establishment of the PMSA programme in 2013, 907 New Zealand students have been awarded a scholarship to study in a variety of Asian countries," says Mr Goldsmith.

Students will study in 11 countries, with China, India and Japan the top three destinations this round.

Of the successful recipients, 69 students will take part in a variety of programmes ranging from a Long Term Chinese Language Programme at Beijing Language and Culture University, a one-year exchange to Kwansei Gakuin University in Japan, and an Internship at the United Nations Assistance to the Khmer Rouge Trials in Cambodia.

A further 87 students were awarded a scholarship as part of seven group applications.

Funding for the PMSA of $9 million over five years was initially provided in Budget 2013 as part of the Government's Internationally Focused Growth Package. Additional funding was granted in Budget 2016 of $1m for each of 2016/17 and 2017/18, and $1.5 million per year from 2018/19. The total awarded this round was $1,401,657.

Applications for round two of the 2017 PSMA opened mid-December 2016, and close 30 March 2017.

Further information, including the names of the scholarship recipients, is available here: Education New Zealand website.