The Barrington Miller Educational Trust Fund

This round will open at 9:00AM 1 July 2026 (NZST) for submissions.

The Barrington Miller Educational Trust Fund 2026

IMPORTANT: Please read information below to assist you in completing your application online.

Public Trust is the Trustee of The Barrington Miller Educational Trust Fund. Mr William Barrington Miller lived in Gisborne for most of his life. He stated that this was the best and happiest part of his life and that he owes a great deal to the people of Gisborne and the surrounding districts for the kindness, help, support and encouragement he received during his time there. Because of this, he established a Charitable Trust via deed signed 9 March 1943, to provide financial assistance to boys desiring to further their education after High School. The term ‘higher learning’ is to be considered in a broad and liberal sense. Consideration is to be given any form of training to equip the student for earning a livelihood in any area of life, including trade or profession, or as an artisan or mechanic (for example) as well as a New Zealand University education.

Who is eligible: Grants will be open to boys attending High School in the area governed by the Gisborne District Council. A map of this area can be found here.

Preference will be given to applicants who can demonstrate the following:

  • are boys of good character
  • residency in the Gisborne Region for at least ten years
  • proven intellectual ability and scholastic achievement
  • a fondness for outdoor sports

How much funding is available: A number of scholarships will be awarded at a maximum of $5,000 for one year only.

What can the funds be used for: Funds can be applied towards your course fees, student loan, accommodation costs, or other expenses relating to your study (including laptop, stationery, tools, travel expenses etc). It is the preference of the Trustee to have payments made to a provider rather than an individual.

The scholarship cannot be used towards the purchase of a car or cell phone.

How to apply: Complete the application form via Public Trust online Granting System ‘Smarty Grants’. A full application will require you to fill in the form and upload the required documents this includes providing academic details, proposed course of study, supporting documents including references. You can save the form as you go and log back in at any time to complete and submit before the date of 31st August 2026.

Terms and Conditions: The following terms and conditions apply:

  • The course of study must be delivered by a recognised Tertiary Institution and must be at least one year in duration.
  • In most instances, payment will be made direct to the education provider on proof/confirmation of enrolment. If you require part of the payment to allow you to purchase books, accommodation, computer, tools, stationery, travel etc. this will need to be broken down and clearly shown in your application.

The decision of the Trustee is final and no further discussion will be entered into.

Important dates

  • Applications are open from 9am on the 1st of July 2026 to 5pm on 31st August 2026.
  • Applicants will be advised of the outcome by 31st October 2026.

Late applications will not be accepted

Contact us: Any questions should be directed to Public Trust either by emailing us at funding@publictrust.co.nz or calling us on 0800 371 471.

IMPORTANT: Please read the information below to assist you in completing your application online.

Step 1: Determine eligibility

  • Please ensure you have read the Trust’s criteria
  • If you are unsure if you are eligible to apply please contact Public Trust 

Step 2: Register or login to apply online

  • First time users will need to register.

Note: Please store your login details in a safe place for future reference.

  • Once registered, you can login to the system and start your application.

Step 3: Complete your Application

  • The application is best viewed/completed on a non-mobile device.
  • Complete all of the required questions – mandatory questions are marked with an *
  • Attach all required supporting documents.

Note: Our preferred format for attachments is PDF, Excel, Word or JPG. Supporting materials cannot exceed 25MB in size, as files exceeding this will not upload.

Hint: Save your work regularly so it is not lost if you time out or lose your connection.

You can save your application at any stage and return to it later. Make sure the spell checker is switched on in your browser to prevent spelling errors.

Step 4: Review and submit your Application

  • When you are satisfied with your application press the review button to ensure that all required sections of the application have been completed (you must do this before the submit button is enabled).
  • Submit your application.

  Note: Once you have submitted your application no further editing or uploading of supporting documents is possible.

Step 5: What happens next?

  • You will receive an automated email confirming your submission with a copy of your application attached and information about how/when your Application will be assessed. This will be sent to the email you used to register. 

If you do not receive a confirmation email then your Application has not been successfully submitted (don’t forget to check your spam email folder when looking for the email).

  • We will contact you if we require any further information to consider your Application.

If you need more help using this form, download the Help Guide for Applicants or check out Applicant Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's)

For technical assistance:

For scholarship information: