Commonwealth Scholarships

Overview

Funded by the UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Department for Education, and administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. It offers PhD, master's, split-site, and distance-learning awards to citizens of Commonwealth countries, with a focus on development-related fields and low- and middle-income countries.

Funding

Full tuition fees, a monthly stipend (£1,378/month, or £1,690 in London), and approved return airfare to the UK

Eligibility

• Citizen of, or refugee resident in, a Commonwealth country
• A first degree of at least upper-second-class (2:1) honours standard
• Unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship (for most award types)
• Application generally routed through a nominating body in the home country
• Specific award category (Master's, PhD, Shared, Distance Learning) has its own criteria

Application Deadline

Annual deadlines are typically in December for the following academic year's Commonwealth Scholarships (with the Commonwealth Shared Scholarships variant sometimes closing in October) Always confirm exact dates on the official site before planning your application, since deadlines shift year to year.

How to Apply

1. Check citizenship eligibility (Commonwealth country or eligible refugee status)
2. Gather a scanned passport, transcripts, degree certificate, two references, and any university admission letter
3. Apply through the CSC's online Commonwealth Scholarships application system, sometimes via a nominating agency in your home country
4. Await nomination and CSC selection panel review
5. Accept the award and complete university enrolment