Commonwealth Scholarships for students from developing Commonwealth countries are offered for Master’s, PhD, and split-site (PhD) study in the UK. These scholarships are funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

Approximately 300 scholarships are awarded each year, the CSC invites each nominating agency/university/university body to forward a specific number of nominations. Each nominating agency/university/university body is responsible for its own selection process, and in most cases, they will set their own closing date, which will be before the CSC’s deadline for nominations.

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 independent and equal sovereign states. It is home to 2.4 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-one of our members are small states, many of which are island nations.

Study Subject(s): All academic disciplines – including medicine, dentistry, and allied sciences – primarily for formal postgraduate study in preparation for a university degree or diploma (such as MSc, PhD, DPH). In medicine and dentistry, scholarships may be awarded for six months of clinical training

Course Level: Master’s and PhD

Scholarship Provider: BIS, UK Aid, The Scottish government, Foreign and Commonwealth office

Scholarship can be taken in the UK

Scholarship Open for International Students: Yes

Scholarship Open for Students of Following Countries: Developing Commonwealth Countries

Numbers of Award: Approximately 300 scholarships are awarded each year.

What it covers:

• Student concessionary or other approved airfare to the United Kingdom and return on expiry of the Scholarship (the cost of journeys made before final award confirmation will not normally be reimbursed, nor can fares be paid for a Scholar’s dependants)
• Approved tuition and examination fees
• A personal maintenance allowance at the rate of £917 per month (£1,134 per month for those studying at institutions in the London Metropolitan area)
• A grant towards the expenses of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable
• An initial arrival allowance, incorporating an initial clothing grant for Scholars from tropical countries
• A grant for expenses for approved travel within the United Kingdom or overseas

Nominating Agency:

• There is a nominating agency for Commonwealth Scholarships in each Commonwealth country. In addition, universities and university bodies in a number of developing Commonwealth countries are invited to nominate candidates to the CSC.
• National nominating agencies invited to nominate candidates, including contact details.
• Universities/university bodies invited to nominate candidates for split-site (PhD) study.
• Universities/university bodies invited to nominate their own academic staff for Master’s, PhD, and split-site (PhD) study.

Who can Apply?

To apply for the awards covered in this prospectus, candidates should:

• Be Commonwealth citizens, refugees, or British protected persons.
• Be permanently resident in a Commonwealth country other than the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man.
• Be available to commence their academic studies in the United Kingdom by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2017.
• Hold, by October 2017, the first degree of upper second class Honours standard (or above); or a second class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification.

How to Apply: 

• All applications must be made through your nominating body in your home country. 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, and for their own closing date for applications. The CSC does not impose any age limit on applicants, but nominating bodies may do so in line with their own priorities.
• You must make your application using the CSC’s Electronic Application System (EAS) – information on how to use the EAS, including detailed guides, is available at http://bit.ly/cscuk-scholarships-developing-cw.
• Your application must be submitted to and endorsed by one of the approved nominating bodies listed above. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the EAS to a nominating body in your home country.

Application Deadline: November 15, 2016

Scholarship Link