To be awarded the NZ Scholarship, students are expected to show a deep understanding of the subject and high-level critical thinking in complex situations. Photo / Jack RiddellTwo of them – Conor McCormack and Nikash Lanka – were from Hamilton Boys’ High School, while Rupert Heslop was at Havelock North High School. They were the only non-Auckland schools to have Premier Scholarship students in 2025. But most of the schools with scholarship students are in the “fewest barriers” EQI band, or private schools. “There’s no reason why that [Auckland scholarship dominance] should be the case.”Derek Cheng is a senior journalist who started at the Herald in 2004.

Source: New Zealand Herald March 01, 2026 18:13 UTC