If you’d like to apply for a scholarship for the 2025 intake, or to get more information please contact Josh Thompson, or see the information on Lincoln University’s website. Applicants should submit game film of themselves playing to Josh. Please note, these scholarships are for NZ/Australian citizens or Permanent Residents only, and close on 15 August 2025.

In 2013 Basketball was included as a full scholarship sport at Lincoln University for the first time. LU’s Basketball Sports Scholarships cover $6,000 in tuition fees for a full-time course of study each year, as well as providing intensive, sport-specific training delivered by the University’s Sport Scholarship team, and specialist Basketball Coaches. Accommodation and textbooks/course related costs are the responsibility of the applicant if successful.

Other services included in the Basketball Sports Scholarship programme are strength and conditioning, nutrition for sporting performance, mental skills and sports specific skill coaching. Lincoln University Sport Scholars also receive individual performance planning – including technical and tactical development, game analysis, goal setting and long-term career planning services. Accommodation and textbooks/course related costs are the responsibility of the applicant if successful, but with the Government’s “Fees Free” initiative, accepted students will receive funding through this avenue in addition to their sports scholarship.

The university says its basketball scholarships can be quite flexible, with athletes able to compete (including for teams in the National or Tauihi Basketball Leagues) and study. 2022 saw ten current or former LU scholars signed and playing for a team in their respective National League. In 2021 Lincoln had their first ever basketball scholar selected for a NZ National Team, with Lauryn Hippolite (above) travelling to Jordan to compete in the FIBA Asia Cup. 

The LU basketball teams have experienced multiple international trips representing the university. In 2022, the men’s 3×3 team travelled to Japan to compete in the 3X3.EXE Playoffs, while the women’s team went to Turkey and represented NZ in the FISU University World Cup.

A list of previous and graduated basketball scholars can be seen here.

Lincoln University offers sports scholarships in cricket, netball, hockey, rowing and rugby.  In addition there is the ‘elite’ scholarship awarded to strong individual athletes competing in other sporting codes.

Peter Magson of Lincoln University’s sports programme says “we are continuously watching what all sporting codes are doing and assessing our programmes against what is needed at the representative level.  We initiated talks around the basketball scholarship in response to a general increase in awareness and interest in the sport, as well as because we were seeing a number of sports scholars coming through who are very strong basketball players.”

Lincoln University has the longest-running university sports scholarship programme in New Zealand and can claim Lauryn Hippolite (Basketball), Richie McCaw (rugby), Sam Whitelock (rugby), Kyle Jamieson (cricket), and Amy Satterthwaite (cricket) amongst previous students who have been through the scholarship programme.

Applications for these basketball scholarships normally open in May each year at the Lincoln University, and close on 15 August 2025.