Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships in the United Kingdom

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The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s (CSC) Master Program Scholarships are specifically designed for candidates from low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries. These scholarships enable talented and motivated candidates to pursue full-time master’s studies at a British university without the burden of tuition fees and living expenses. The primary aim of these scholarships in the UK is to empower recipients with the skills and knowledge needed to contribute to the sustainable development of their home countries.

The Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships is an initiative funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). These scholarships are both an opportunity for students and a chance for the UK to strengthen educational and cultural ties with Commonwealth countries. They provide the opportunity to train future leaders, researchers, and professionals who, upon their return to their home countries, can make significant contributions to growth and sustainable development.

About the Commonwealth Scholarships

DEADLINE : October 17, 2023.
LEVEL OF STUDY: Master.
FINANCING: Fully funded.
ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES: Some of the Commonwealth countries.

Benefits of the Commonwealth Scholarship

Each scholarship includes the following elements:

1. Reimbursement of travel expenses from the home country to the UK and back to the home country.
2. Full coverage of tuition fees.
3. Monthly stipend of £1,347 per month, or £1,652 per month for scholars studying in the London metropolitan area.
4. An allowance for warm clothing.
5. A grant to cover travel expenses related to academic field trips, whether within the UK or abroad.
6. Child allowance of £576.61 per month for the first child, and £143 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16 if the scholar is widowed, divorced, or a single dad/mom.
7. Full support and additional financial assistance for scholars with disabilities.

Eligibility of Candidates

To be eligible for a Commonwealth Scholarship, candidates must:

1. Be a citizen of an eligible Commonwealth country or have refugee status in one of these countries, or be a British-Protected Person.
2. Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
3. Be available to commence their academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2024.
4. By September 2024, 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 Master’s degree. If applying for a second Master’s degree, applicants must provide justification as to why they wish to undertake this study.
5. Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.

There is no age limit for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship applications.

Please note that only candidates from the eligible countries listed below can apply for Commonwealth Master’s 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, Zambia.

Eligible Universities

Commonwealth Scholarships are tenable at any approved UK university or higher education institution with which the CSC has a part-funding agreement for a specific program of study. For the full list, please refer to the following link: cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/uk-universities

Application Procedure

Applications for this UK scholarship must follow these steps:

1. Use the CSC’s online application system to submit your scholarship application along with the required documents.
2. Simultaneously, apply for nomination through a nominating agency.
3. At the same time, apply for a master’s program at an eligible UK university.

Regarding nominating agencies, there are two types of Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships:

1. National nominating agencies, which are typically the ministries responsible for higher education and serve as the main route of application.
2. Selected non-governmental organizations and charitable bodies.

Each nominating agency oversees its own selection process and may have additional eligibility criteria. Applicants should inquire with the nominating agency for specific guidance, application instructions, and particular eligibility criteria.

Nominating agencies may set their own closing dates for applications.

The scholarship application and admission to a university of your choice are two separate procedures. However, a university admission/offer letter is not required during the scholarship application phase, and it is not an eligibility criterion. Nevertheless, it is highly recommended to seek university admission in the UK as soon as possible after submitting your application to the CSC.

If a candidate is selected for a scholarship without having already submitted an accepted admission application for a study program, they may not be able to proceed with the scholarship.

For any questions not addressed on the official website of the offer, please consider using this form to contact them.

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