Qualifications and standards

2017 Top Scholarship Award winners

NZQA celebrated the success of the highest-achieving New Zealand Scholarship students at the annual Top Scholar Awards Ceremony hosted at Parliament.

The awards recognised the elite students who make up the 2017 Premier Award and Top Subject Scholarship Award winners.

Prime Minister's Award for Academic Excellence

The recipient of the 2017 award was announced by the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern at Parliament – former Scots College student, Andrew Tang.

Andrew Tang and the Prime Minister

Winner of the 2017 Prime Minister's Award, Andrew Tang with the Prime Minister, Jacinda Ardern.

Andrew achieved Outstanding Scholarships in Accounting, Chemistry, Economics, Geography, Physical Education and Physics, and Scholarships in Agricultural and Horticultural Science, Biology, Calculus, English, Media Studies and Statistics. He was Top Subject Scholar for Economics.

Premier Scholarship Award winners

Shih-Hao (Samuel) Chen* Pakuranga College	Roman Dunford Wellington College
Isabella Gregory* Rangi Ruru Girls' School	Janice Mei Ung Ho Macleans College
Finlay McRae* Palmerston North Boys' High School	Michael O'Brien* Wellington College
Barnard Patel Wellington College	Andrew Tang* Scots College
Alec van Helsdingen St Peter's College (Auckland)	Hamish Weir* Onslow College
Yibin (Ben) Zhang* Macleans College

*Also a Top Subject Scholarship Award winner

Top Subject Scholarship Award winners

Accounting	Shekinah Blaikie Waikato Diocesan School for Girls
Agricultural and Horticultural Science	William Robertson Hamilton Boys' High School
Art History	Isabella Gregory Rangi Ruru Girls' School
Biology	Sophie St Clair Napier Girls' High School
Calculus	Shih-Hao (Samuel) Chen Pakuranga College
Chemistry	Yibin (Ben) Zhang Macleans College
Chinese	Zijin (Monica) Ping Rangitoto College
Classical Studies	Michael O'Brien Wellington College
Dance	Liana Sabetian Rutherford College
Design	Xanthe Copeland St Cuthbert's College
Design and Visual Communications	Tessa Van den Beuken Wellington Girls' College
Drama	Max Beal King' High School
Earth and Space Science	Benjamin (Ben) Ripley Nelson College
Economics	Andrew Tang Scots College
English	Henry Frear Green Bay High School
French	Hannah Prior Wellington Girls' College
Geography	Karan Kalsi Lynfield College
German	Kevin Guttmann Christ's College
History	Madeleine Law Diocesan School for Girls (Auckland)
Japanese	Jessica Kwong Macleans College
Latin	Felix Marcon Swadel Auckland Grammar School
Media Studies	Cameron Kelso Glendowie College
Music	Isabella Gregory Rangi Ruru Girls' School
Painting	Jessica Budd Howick College
Photography	Benjamin (Benji) Hartfield Scots College
Physical Education	Zhicheng (Charlie) Wang Rangitoto College
Physics	Finlay McRae Palmerston North Boys' High School
Printmaking	Charlotte Bowman Rangi Ruru Girls' School
Samoan	Fagaesea Matavao Otahuhu College
Sculpture	Mostyn Lee Spotswood College
Spanish	Aadhya Lahoty Diocesan School for Girls (Auckland)
Statistics	Hamish Weir Onslow College
Te Reo Māori	Ruamano Te Koi Ngā Taiātea Wharekura
Te Reo Rangatira	Mei Manaia Matiaha-Warakihi-Stevens Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Hoani Waititi
Technology	Hayley Rutter Carmel College