Zac Madsen is benefiting from EIT programmes being flexible.

Zac Madsen will never forget Labour Day 2018. The Hawke’s Bay football ace who plays for Napier City Rovers, was scouted by Waikato University to play at the President’s tournament in Phoenix, Arizona. Being one of the most prestigious football youth tournaments in the world, it is a once in a life time chance for the upcoming football professional.

Not long after he agreed to go to Phoenix, the 17-year-old future EIT Bachelor of Business student found out that he was one of the lucky Year 13 scholarships recipients. Normal requirements for Y13 is that students start in Term one or Semester one immediately after they finish school.  Going to the States, however, would have affected his starting date.

Luckily for Zac, Business school programme coordinator Nick Cordery left no stones unturned so Zac can keep his scholarship and start successfully. Nick advised him that it would be better for him to start in Term Two in May to avoid missing out on a lot of content. Nick assured him that the programme would be flexible enough so that he can start with only three months delay.

Zac has also been offered an American University Scholarship by NSR (USA scholarships abroad). This covered university education and football. He had decided to turn this down prior to being approached by Waikato University Football Academy. “I prefer to stay and study in Hawke’s Bay and that’s why I have chosen EIT over America twice. My grandmother is very sick and I just want to stay close to her and my family,” says Zac.