Applications for Nelson College Scholarship Now Open

09.23.2026HS Boys

2026 Nelson College Scholarship Recipients Benneit Glock, Alex Drury, and Kolo Kahanu (who was asked back for a second year).and

Author: GRR Staff

The US Rugby Foundation has opened the applications for the Nelson College scholarship for 2027.

This all-boys boarding school located in Nelson on New Zealand’s South Island was founded in 1856 and is New Zealand’s oldest secondary school.

The scholarship program has sent promising young rugby players to New Zealand in each of the last four years, and twice players have been asked back by the school for a second year.

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The Rugby Curriculum

Nelson College is a highly acclaimed academic institution where students carry a full course workload. What sets it apart - their point of difference - is their unique, even by New Zealand standards, Rugby Curriculum.

Of the 1,000 students enrolled at Nelson College, 260 play rugby across 16 teams. “Pathways players” participate in a formal rugby curriculum where Rugby Academy technique classes are run daily for three different age groups Year 10 boys (U15), Year 12 boys (U17) and Year 13 boys (U18).

Rugby Academy classes are based around the following six pillars of player development: Technical; Tactical; Strength and Conditioning; Nutrition; Mental Skills; and Personal Development.

A perennial rugby powerhouse, the Nelson College Rugby Program has developed five All-Blacks over the last ten years and twenty-three All-Blacks overall. Fifteen current New Zealand Super Rugby players and thirty current National Provincial Championship (NPC) players are graduates of Nelson College.

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When

The scholarship is for a 4-1/2-month stay at Nelson College from, roughly, early-March to mid-August 2027, which coincides with the start of the Nelson College rugby training and runs through the end of the Nelson College rugby season. The USRF President will announce the scholarship award winner(s) at the start of 2027.

Who

The USRF is accepting applications from U.S. high school male rugby players who are in good standing with their rugby team and their school. Applicants must have been born in 2009 or later.

The Nelson College coaching staff is looking for players who “are mature, are coachable with a positive attitude, have a strong work ethic, and are resilient under pressure.”

What the Scholarship Covers

The scholarship covers the cost of attending Nelson College, including tuition; boarding either at the school or in a homestay; travel and medical insurance; uniforms; extracurricular activities; and NZ government and administrative fees. Airfare for the student to and from New Zealand is also included.

Application Requirements

Each application must be accompanied by a letter of recommendation from the applicant’s rugby coach(es), his high school transcript and other relevant information explained in the on-line application. Finalists will be interviewed virtually by the Nelson College Scholarship Committee. Completed applications and all recommendations are due by Saturday, November 28th, 2026.

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Once our scholarship recipient is selected and admitted, the school’s International Dept. will liaise with him and his family about all education, boarding, passport, visas, etc. The Rugby Dept. will look after the rugby side. While at Nelson, the student will meet regularly with both groups for progress checkups.

The student will have a normal high school course workload (core subjects and electives), in addition to the rugby curriculum. Nelson College will work with the student’s U.S. high school regarding academic synchronization and the transfer of academic credits to ensure no loss of academic standing.