Call for Applications: Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships

Deadline Date: October 15, 2024

 Donor Name: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission

 Grant Size: $1000 to $10,000

The Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development and are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.

The agency-nominated Master’s programme is one of three Master’s programmes offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. 

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and offers a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth. By attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to become leaders and innovators on returning to their home countries, the CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration.

Themes

• Science and technology for development: Commonwealth Scholarships are offered in any area of science or technology (including, for example, agriculture, veterinary science, or forestry), to develop knowledge and/or skills that are directly related to the specific needs of a low or middle-income country. 
• Strengthening health systems and capacity: In order to improve health provision or outcomes for disadvantaged groups in low and middle income countries, Commonwealth Scholarships support the development of knowledge and/or skills across a range of approaches. 
• Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship: Commonwealth Scholarships help to support economic prosperity in low and middle-income countries.
• Strengthening global peace, security and governance: Commonwealth Scholarships develop knowledge and/or skills that will strengthen peace and security at national, regional, or international levels. 
• Strengthening resilience and response to crises: Commonwealth Scholarships are awarded in subjects that address a broad range of threats, including natural and physical disasters; long-term threats such as climate change; interruptions to the supply of key resources; and sudden economic or technological disruption and developing new treatments.
• Access, inclusion and opportunity: Commonwealth Scholarships help to promote opportunity amongst historically disadvantaged groups in low and middle-income countries.

Benefits

• Each scholarship provides:
  • Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before the award is confirmed).
  • Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by agreement between the CSC and the UK university and Scholars are not liable to pay for any part of the tuition fee.
  • Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,378 per month, or £1,690 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
  • Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
  • Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
  • If a Scholar has children and is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of child allowance of £590 per month for the first child, and £146 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if their children are living with them at the same address in the UK.
• If a Scholar shares that they have a disability, a full assessment of their needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.

Eligible Countries

• Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, 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, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia.

Eligibility Criteria

• To be considered for these scholarships, applicants 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 academic studies 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 Master’s degree. If applying for a second Master’s degree, applicants must provide justification as to why they wish to undertake this study.
  • Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
  • Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

For more information, visit Commonwealth Scholarships Commission.