New Zealand Scholarship exams enable students to be assessed against challenging standards, and are demanding for the most able students in each subject. Scholarship students are expected to demonstrate high-level critical thinking, abstraction and generalization, and to integrate, synthesise and apply knowledge, skills, understanding and ideas to complex situations.

Premier Award

In 2008 there were 10 Premier Awardees, each of whom obtained at least four scholarships at "Outstanding" level. Each of these awardees will receive $10,000 a year for up to three years, provided they maintain at least a 'B' grade average in their New Zealand tertiary studies.

Top Subject Scholar (multiple awards)

The top candidate in each Scholarship subject is awarded a Top Subject Scholar Award. Each awardee will receive $2,000 each year for up to three years, provided they maintain at least a 'B' grade average in their New Zealand tertiary study.