Good news! Applications for the Commonwealth Scholarship are now open. This article will explain the scholarship, its benefits, and the application process in detail.
The Commonwealth Scholarship 2026-2027 is a fully funded scholarship for international students pursuing a Master’s or Ph.D. degree. It covers university tuition fees, a monthly living allowance of £1,347, an economy class return airfare to the UK, and additional grants to help cover essential costs.
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) manages the UK government scholarship program with a focus on international development. It operates under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and demonstrates the UK’s ongoing commitment to the Commonwealth. The CSC aims to attract talented individuals from diverse backgrounds and supports them to become leaders and innovators, promoting sustainable development and international collaboration.
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships are for applicants from least developed countries and fragile states, as classified by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC). These scholarships support full-time doctoral study at a UK university.
Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships provide talented individuals with the knowledge and skills for sustainable development. They are intended for those who cannot afford to study in the UK.
Also funded by the FCDO, Commonwealth PhD Scholarships support research that will have a positive impact on the development of Commonwealth countries. These scholarships help enhance teaching and research capacity in these countries, promote international partnerships, and attract high-quality international applicants. They are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.
Commonwealth Scholarship Summary
- Level of Study: Master’s / Ph.D.
- Institution(s): UK Universities (see the list on the official website)
- Study Location: UK
- Courses Offered:
- One-year full-time taught Master’s degree program in any subject
- For Ph.D., 36 months of full-time research study in a specific program
- Program Duration: Varies depending on the selected program
- Application Deadline: Currently closed (check the official website for updates)
Commonwealth Scholarship Coverage
The Commonwealth Scholarship provides the following benefits to recipients:
For Master’s Applicants:
- Approved airfare from the scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (Note: CSC will not reimburse airfare for dependents or any travel made before the award is confirmed).
- Approved tuition fees: Full tuition fees are covered by an agreement between the CSC and the UK university, so scholars don’t need to pay for any part of the fees.
- Stipend (living allowance): £1,347 per month, or £1,652 per month for those studying at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates are at current levels).
- Warm clothing allowance (if applicable).
- Study travel grant to help with the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
- Child allowance (if applicable): £576.61 per month for the first child, and £143 per month for the second and third children under 16, if the scholar is widowed, divorced, or a single parent and their children live with them at the same address in the UK.
For Ph.D. Applicants:
The Commonwealth Scholarship provides the following benefits to Ph.D. recipients:
- Approved airfare from the scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (Note: CSC will not reimburse airfare for dependents or any travel made before the award is confirmed).
- Approved tuition fees: Full tuition fees are covered by an agreement between the CSC and the UK university, so scholars do not need to pay for any part of the fees.
- Stipend (living allowance): £1,347 per month, or £1,652 per month for those studying at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates are at current levels).
- Warm clothing allowance (if applicable).
- Study travel grant to help with the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
- Provision for the cost of fieldwork undertaken overseas, including the cost of one economy class return airfare to the fieldwork location, if approved.
- Paid mid-term visit (airfare) to the scholar’s home country, unless the scholar has claimed or plans to claim spouse and/or child allowances or has already received a return airfare to their home country for fieldwork.
Family Allowances:
- If the scholar is accompanied by their spouse but no children: A spouse allowance of £290 per month for a maximum of nine months, if they and their spouse live together at the same address in the UK (unless the spouse also receives a scholarship; other conditions may apply).
- If the scholar is accompanied by their spouse and children: A spouse allowance of £290 per month, and a child allowance of £290 per month for the first child, and £143 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if the spouse and children live with them at the same address in the UK (unless the spouse also receives a scholarship; other conditions may apply).
- If the scholar is accompanied by children but no spouse: A 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 children live with them at the same address in the UK.
- If a scholar discloses a disability, a full assessment of their needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be provided by the CSC.
The family allowances are intended to contribute towards the cost of maintaining a scholar’s family in the UK. However, the actual costs are likely to be higher, and scholars must be able to supplement these allowances to support their family members during their stay in the UK.
Eligibility Criteria for Commonwealth Scholarship
For Master’s Applicants:
- 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 2024.
- By September 2024, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honors standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree). The CSC does not normally fund a second Master’s degree. If applying for a second Master’s degree, applicants must explain 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 Ph.D. Applicants:
- 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 2024.
- By September 2024, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honors standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree).
- Not be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, at a UK university or in their home country before September/October 2024.
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
- Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.
How to Apply for the Commonwealth Scholarship?
Please follow the following instructions to apply for the Commonwealth Scholarship:
Application Process for Masters
Step 1. Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system.
Step 2. In the application form, applicants are asked to:
- List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications obtained.
- List up to 10 publications and prizes.
- Provide details of employment history and explain how the experience gained supports and is relevant to the program to be undertaken in the UK.
- List names and positions of three referees who are qualified to comment on both their capacity to benefit from the proposed Scholarship in the UK and their ability to deliver development impact afterward. One of the referees must be a current employer (if applicable) and at least two references must be included with the application.
Provide a Development Impact statement in four parts.
- In the first part applicants should explain how the proposed scholarship relates to:
- Development issues at the global, national, and local level
- Development issues connected to the chosen CSC development theme and the wider sector
- The second part should explain how they intend to apply their new skills once the Scholarship ends.
- The third part should outline what they expect will change in development terms following the Scholarship, including the outcomes that they aim to achieve, the timeframe for their implementation, and who the beneficiaries will be.
- In the fourth part applicants should write about how the impact of their work could be best measured and evidenced.
Applicants are also asked to:
- Confirm what their award objectives are and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship program.
- Confirm what their career plans are for the 5 years following the Scholarship.
- Confirm their long-term career plans.
- Provide a detailed plan of study.
- Provide a personal statement to summarise how their background has encouraged them to want to make an impact in their home country. Applicants may wish to highlight any areas where they have already made significant contributions, including overcoming personal or community barriers in accessing higher education or within their field.
- Summarise how they have engaged in voluntary activities and the opportunities they have had to demonstrate leadership.
Step 3. Supporting Documents:
- Proof that they are a citizen or have refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) showing a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship.
- Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications, including to-date transcripts for any courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English. Where any transcripts are missing or do not include all pages, the application will be considered ineligible.
- References from at least two individuals, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details.
Application Process for Masters
Step 1. Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system.
Step 2. In the application form, applicants are asked to:
- List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications obtained.
- List up to 10 publications and prizes.
- Provide details of employment history and explain how the experience gained supports and is relevant to the program to be undertaken in the UK.
- List names and positions of three referees who are qualified to comment on both their capacity to benefit from the proposed Scholarship in the UK and their ability to deliver development impact afterward. One of the referees must be a current employer (if applicable) and at least two references must be included with the application.
Provide a Development Impact statement in four parts.
- In the first part applicants should explain how the proposed scholarship relates to:
- Development issues at the global, national, and local level
- Development issues connected to the chosen CSC development theme and the wider sector
- The second part should explain how they intend to apply their new skills once the Scholarship ends.
- The third part should outline what they expect will change in development terms following the Scholarship, including the outcomes that they aim to achieve, the timeframe for their implementation, and who the beneficiaries will be
- In the fourth part applicants should write about how the impact of their work could be best measured and evidenced.
Applicants are also asked to:
- Confirm what their award objectives are and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship program.
- Confirm what their career plans are for the 5 years following the Scholarship.
- Confirm their long-term career plans.
- Provide a detailed plan of study.
- Provide a personal statement to summarise how their background has encouraged them to want to make an impact in their home country. Applicants may wish to highlight any areas where they have already made significant contributions, including overcoming personal or community barriers in accessing higher education or within their field.
- Summarise how they have engaged in voluntary activities and the opportunities they have had to demonstrate leadership.
Step 3. Supporting Documents:
- Proof that they are a citizen or have refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) showing a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship.
- Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications, including to-date transcripts for any courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English. Where any transcripts are missing or do not include all pages, the application will be considered ineligible.
- References from at least two individuals, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details.
- A supporting statement, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details, from a proposed supervisor in the UK from at least one of the institutions named on the application form.
To learn more about Commonwealth Scholarships, please visit the official website: