Please note these important changes to the way clergy and laity apply for scholarships for study/sabbatical.
As of 2025, scholarship applications are no longer made directly to the St John’s College Trust Board (SJCTB) but are now bulk funded to the dioceses/hui amorangi, who will each administer their own application and payment process.
Clergy seeking a scholarship for sabbatical now apply for the funds via the sabbatical application form. Sabbatical funding may be sought in the same calendar year as the sabbatical is taken (i.e. they are not limited to the deadlines outlined above). As per the Financial Regulations Statute (34), sabbatical applications should be made three months in advance of the intended leave.
Financial Regulations Statute 2000
Click here to download a copy of the sabbatical application questions, to see what information you need to prepare. When you are ready to apply, click the button below to open the sabbatical application form link (in SurveyMonkey).
Those wishing to undertake study in 2026 now need to apply through the diocesan process. A scholarship committee is in the process of being established to receive the applications and make recommendations to Diocesan Council (as the recipient of the SJCTB grant). Diocesan Council will consider the recommendations and report back to the Scholarship Committee, who will notify the applicants.
At the appropriate time, funds will be paid directly to the recipients. As with the SJCTB process, multiyear scholarship recipients will need to apply for a continuation each year.
Clergy wishing to apply for a study scholarship are welcome to contact the Diocesan Ministry Educator Sarah Moss.
Laity wishing to apply for a scholarship are welcome to contact the Diocesan Lay Ministry Developer Karen Spoelstra.
Please note the following timeline for making an application for study in 2026:
19 September – Applications open
19 October – Applications close
Scholarship Committee meets and makes recommendations to Diocesan Council
30 October – Diocesan Council meeting considers recommendations & reports to the Scholarship Committee
First week November – Applicants notified application outcomes.
We are aware that the 2025 application process is, by necessity, later in the year than is ideal. From 2026 on, the application process will take place between August and October.
Applications for 2026 are now closed.