Commonwealth Scholarships for Master’s and PhD study in the UK are offered for citizens of developing Commonwealth countries. These scholarships are funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), with the aim of contributing to the UK’s international development aims and wider overseas interests, supporting excellence in UK higher education, and sustaining the principles of the Commonwealth.
Students from developing countries who would not otherwise be able to study in the UK can apply for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for Master’s study, jointly supported by UK universities.
Purpose: To contribute to development needs of Commonwealth countries by providing training for skilled and qualified professionals and academics who would not otherwise have been able to study in the UK. Intended beneficiaries: High-quality postgraduate
students who have not studied extensively overseas before, who would not otherwise have the opportunity to study in the UK, and who have the potential to enhance the development of their home countries with the knowledge and leadership skills they acquire.
students who have not studied extensively overseas before, who would not otherwise have the opportunity to study in the UK, and who have the potential to enhance the development of their home countries with the knowledge and leadership skills they acquire.
Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are offered for selected taught Master’s courses, and are usually tenable for one year only. These scholarships do not cover undergraduate courses, PhD study, or any pre-sessional English language teaching.
Eligibility
- To apply for these scholarships, you must:
- Be a Commonwealth citizen, refugee, or British protected person
- Be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country
- Be available to start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2016
- By August 2016, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours
standard - Not have studied or worked for one (academic) year or more in a developed country
- Be unable, either yourself or through your family, to pay to study in the UK
The CSC promotes equal opportunity, gender equity, and cultural
exchange. Applications are encouraged from a diverse range of candidates. The
CSC is committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships
in a fair and transparent manner
exchange. Applications are encouraged from a diverse range of candidates. The
CSC is committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships
in a fair and transparent manner
How to apply
You should apply to study an eligible Master’s course at a UK university that is participating in the Shared Scholarship scheme.
Click here for a list of
participating universities and eligible courses
participating universities and eligible courses
Before applying, you must check with your UK university for their specific advice and rules for applying, and for their own closing date for applications. Click here for a list of contact
details
details
You can apply for more than one course and/or to more than one university, but you may only accept one offer of a Shared Scholarship. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the EAS to your UK university or applications directly from individuals.
All applications must be submitted by 23.59 (BST) on 1 April 2016 at the latest. Each university has its own closing date for applications, and most fall before 1 April 2016. You must submit your application by the date advised by your UK university.
Applications for 2016 Shared Scholarships will close temporarily from 5th November – 19th November 2015 inclusive due to high traffic on the Electronic Application System (EAS) at this time. During this period, you will not be able to access any saved applications nor make any new applications on the EAS.
If you have submitted a completed application in the EAS before 5th November this will not be affected and you will not need to re-submit the application. If you have started and saved a Shared Scholarship application before 5th November, your saved application will be available unchanged on 20th November. Shared Scholarship Applications will re-open on 20th November 2015.
