At a total cost of $126,000, the $2500 scholarships are available to year-13 pupils in Central Otago aiming for tertiary education.
Trust chief executive Paul Allison said the growing population, quality of pupils, and increasing demand were all factors in the number of scholarships made available.
The recently approved funding brought the total amount provided by the trust to $549,500, he said.
Secondary schools within the trust boundary were allocated a number of the scholarships based on the size of their roll.
In the past, the trust had interviewed and selected recipients itself, but had since changed the format so that schools could choose suitable pupils, based on some criteria provided by the trust, Mr Allison said.
About 50% of the recipients were selected based on academic performance, and others on factors such as financial need and community involvement, he said.
Previously, the largest number of scholarships handed out by the trust in one year was 42, in 2013.
In the first year of the programme, 13 scholarships at a total cost of $20,000 were awarded, and since 2007, a total of 194 pupils had received scholarships.
Mr Allison said during that period, he knew of only two recipients who had not completed their studies.
A small amount of additional funding was available for pupils within the trust's boundary who attended a boarding school within New Zealand.
- Leith Huffadine
