The Commonwealth Scholarships are prestigious, fully funded awards offered by the UK’s Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC), under the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). They support postgraduate study (Master’s and PhD) for talented individuals from low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries who are unlikely to afford to study in the UK otherwise. These scholarships emphasize academic excellence and alignment with development priorities.
Location (Country/City)
- Scholars study at participating publicly funded UK higher education institutions.
- University and course selection is flexible, as long as the institution is CSC-approved.
Funding
These scholarships are comprehensively funded. Benefits typically include:
- Full tuition fees
- Approved airfare (return travel)
- Monthly living allowance (stipend)
- Warm clothing allowance (if needed)
- Study travel grant for academic-related travel
- Thesis/dissertation allowance (where applicable)
- Child allowance, and for disabled scholars, additional support
Eligibility Criteria
To qualify, applicants must:
- Be a citizen of (or have refugee/protected status in) an eligible developing Commonwealth country, with permanent residency there.
- Hold a bachelor’s degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) or a lower second-class plus a relevant postgraduate qualification.
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK without a scholarship.
- Be available to start studies by September 2026.
- Applications must align with at least one of CSC's development themes, such as health systems, climate resilience, innovation, inclusion, etc.
Application Date & Deadlines
- The Application Portal Opens: around 2 September 2025.
- Applications Close: around 14 October 2025.
- Note: Applicants must also apply through their country’s Nominating Agency (e.g., Ministry of Education), with country-specific deadlines e.g., Kenya’s deadline: 16 October 2025 at 17:00 EAT.
Duration of Program
- Master’s Scholarships: Typically one year of full-time taught study in the UK.
- PhD Scholarships: Generally three years of full-time research study.
Both options require scholars to return home upon completion to contribute to their country’s development.
Application Process
- Apply to CSC via its official online portal, entering personal, educational, and financial information including a development impact statement.
- Apply through a Nominating Agency in your country (mandatory stage).
- In some cases, apply to UK universities to secure an unconditional offer especially for PhD applicants.
- Selection Factors include academic merit, alignment with development themes, and potential impact on the applicant’s home country.
Application Website
