Commonwealth Master’s and PhD Scholarships for Developing Commonwealth Countries

Brief description:

Commonwealth Scholarships for Master’s or PhD study in the UK are offered for citizens of developing Commonwealth countries. Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth PhD scholarships contribute to the development needs of Commonwealth countries by supporting research that will have a developmental impact.

Host Institution(s):

UK Universties

Level and Field(s) of study:

Eligible Masters Degree or PhD programme at a UK University

Number of Scholarships:

Not specified

Target group:

Citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country:

Commonwealth Masters Scholarships:

Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, and Zambia

Commonwealth PhD Scholarships:

Bangladesh, Cameroon, The Gambia, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, Zambia

Scholarship value/inclusions:

Each scholarship provides airfare to and from United Kingdom, tuition and examination fees, stipend (at the currennt rate of £1,378 per month, or £1,690 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area), study travel grant, warm clothing allowance, among others.

Eligibility:

To apply for both Commonwealth Masters and PhD scholarships, you must:

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.

• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.

• Be available to start your academic studies (Masters or PhD) in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2025.

• By September 2025, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)

The CSC would not normally fund a second UK Master’s degree. If you are applying for a second UK Master’s degree, you will need to provide justification as to why you wish to undertake this study

• Specifically for Commonwealth PhD Scholarships, you must not be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, at a UK university or in their home country before September/October 2025.

• Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship

• Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format

Application instructions:

Applications are currently closed.

The CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships. All applications must be made through one of these nominating bodies: national nominating agencies (this is the main route of application) or selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies. For Commonwealth PhD Scholarships, applicants can also be nominated by Selected universities/university bodies – which can nominate their own academic staff.

Each nominating body is responsible for its own selection process. You must check with your nominating body for their specific advice and rules for applying, their own eligibility criteria, and their own closing date for applications.

You must make your application using the CSC’s Electronic Application System (EAS), in addition to any other application form that you are required to complete by your nominating body. All applications must be submitted by 15 October 2024, 16:00 BST (15:00 GMT) at the latest.

It is important to read to visit the official website (link found below) to access the EAS system and for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Website:

Official Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship Website: https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/scholarships/commonwealth-masters-scholarships/

Official Commonwealth PhD Scholarship Website: https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/scholarships/commonwealth-phd-scholarships-for-least-developed-countries-and-vulnerable-states/