University of Waikato and Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic students can become entrepreneurs this summer.

Start-Up Waikato and Project Ignite will run in Hamilton and Tauranga, respectively, to help students get their business or project ideas off the ground.

Waiariki Bay of Plenty Polytechnic students can become entrepreneurs this summer. File Photo.

The programmes run for 10 weeks from November to February. Students receive a $5000 scholarship, mentoring from a professional start-up coach and access to a shared working space.

Students from last year's programme managed to start their own businesses as a result. Nikki Kennedy started a designer homewares company to help revitalise the Māori language and Mitchell McNae started a retail business which supplied frozen lemon wedges to local bottle stores.

Applications for the 2016/17 summer programmes close October 7.

For more information visit the University of Waikato's website at: www.waikato.ac.nz/go/start-up and www.waikato.ac.nz/go/project-ignite