looking to study in UK but concerned about high costs, I am sharing with you a great opportunity for international students. As Applications are open to apply for Commonwealth Scholarship for 2025 intake. Commonwealth Scholarships are for students from low and middle-income Commonwealth countries, its purpose is to support talented individuals to acquire the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development. This is a fully-funded scholarship opportunity for students from commonwealth countries to study in universities or Higher Education Institutions in the UK for Masters and Ph.D. programs. The duration of a Master’s degree 2 years and PhD degree is 4 years.
Commonwealth Postgraduate Scholarship in the UK is funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and it is a unique opportunity to study for Masters and Ph.D. degrees in the low or middle-income country of the Commonwealth. Candidates can apply to all the top universities in the UK under Commonwealth Scholarship. Monthly stipend is given to cover living expenses of students, travel allowance, Accommodation, Research grant, Free Cloths, Family and other perks are given to the selected scholar.
Through cultural exchange and academic collaboration, Commonwealth Scholars help bring about positive change and find solutions to the shared challenges we face, both in their home countries and those that host them. As an active part of the Commonwealth network, scholars will help shape its future. Fully funded scholarships by UK Government Chevening Scholarship is also open for International Students.
Details
| Country | United Kingdom (UK) |
| Organization | The Association of Commonwealth Universities |
| Financial Coverage | Fully Funded |
| Scholarships for | Commonwealth Member Countries |
| Degree Level | Masters, PhD |
| Deadline | 15 October 2024 |
Commonwealth Member Countries list
For Masters
Only students from following commonwealth member countries are eligible to apply for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships,
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bangladesh
- Belize
- Botswana
- Cameroon
- Dominica
- Eswatini
- Fiji
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Maldives
- Mauritius
- Montserrat
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- St Helena
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Tanzania
- The Gambia
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
International students can still Apply for Fully Funded Scholarships at Cambridge University Gates Cambridge Scholarship
For PhD
Students from following countries can apply for PhD studies under Commonwealth scholarship program,
- Bangladesh
- Cameroon
- The Gambia
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Rwanda
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- Tanzania
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Zambia
Universities List
Universities who have signed MOU with Common Wealth Commission are eligible for Commonwealth scholarship for Masters, PhD and Split-Site Scholarship. Following are the list of universities under Common Wealth Scholarship,
| Universities |
| Aberystwyth University |
| Aston University |
| Bangor University |
| Bishop Grosseteste University |
| Bath Spa University |
| Birkbeck, University of London |
| Bournemouth University |
| Brunel University London |
| Cardiff University |
| City, University of London |
| Coventry University |
| Cranfield University |
| De Montfort University |
| Durham University |
| Edinburgh Napier University |
| Glasgow Caledonian University |
| Goldsmiths, University of London |
| Harper Adams University |
| Heriot-Watt University |
| Imperial College London |
| Keele University |
| King’s College London |
| Kingston University |
| Lancaster University |
| Leeds Beckett University |
| Liverpool Hope University |
| Liverpool John Moores University |
| Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine |
| London School of Economics and Political Science |
| London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine |
| London South Bank University |
| Loughborough University |
| Manchester Metropolitan University |
| Newcastle University |
| Northumbria University |
| Nottingham Trent University |
| Open University |
| Oxford Brookes University |
| Plymouth University |
| Queen Mary, University of London |
| Queen’s University Belfast |
| Robert Gordon University |
| Royal Agricultural University |
| Royal Holloway, University of London |
| Royal Veterinary College |
| Sheffield Hallam University |
| SOAS, University of London |
| St George’s, University of London |
| Swansea University |
| Teesside University |
| Ulster University |
| University College London |
| University of Aberdeen |
| University of Bath |
| University of Birmingham |
| University of Bradford |
| University of Brighton |
| University of Bristol |
| University of Cambridge |
| University of Central Lancashire |
| University of Chester |
| University of Dundee |
| University of East Anglia |
| University of Edinburgh |
| University of Essex |
| University of Exeter |
| University of Glasgow |
| University of Greenwich |
| University of Hertfordshire |
| University of Huddersfield |
| University of Hull |
| University of Kent |
| University of Leeds |
| University of Leicester |
| University of Lincoln |
| University of Liverpool |
| University of Manchester |
| University of Northampton |
| University of Nottingham |
| University of Oxford |
| University of Portsmouth |
| University of Reading |
| University of Roehampton |
| University of St Andrews |
| University of Salford |
| University of Sheffield |
| University of Southampton |
| University of Stirling |
| University of Strathclyde |
| University of Surrey |
| University of Sussex |
| University of the West of England |
| University of Warwick |
| University of Westminster |
| University of West London |
| University of the West of Scotland |
| University of Wolverhampton |
| University of Worcester |
| University of York |
Scholarship Themes
Commonwealth scholarships are awarded under following six development themes, keeping in view to contribute to sustainable development in your home countries,
- Science and technology for development
- Strengthening health systems and capacity
- Promoting global prosperity
- Strengthening global peace, security and governance
- Strengthening resilience and response to crises
- Access, inclusion and opportunity
Benefits and Coverage:
Commonwealth Postgraduate Scholarships offers following
- Full Tuition Fees.
- Living Expenses Allowance (Stipend) at the rate of rate of £1,133 per month, or £1,390 per month for the duration of the award.
- Accommodation Allowance
- Warm clothing allowance
- Return Economy Flights to their host Country.
- Study related travel allowance
- An Arrival Allowance.
- Research Support Grant – on request only; subject to approval.
- Child allowance of for windowed, divorced or single parent worth £485 per month for the first child, and £120 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16.
- Disability allowance
- Paid mid term leave
Eligibility Criteria and Requirements:
Following are the application requirements for Commonwealth scholarships,
- 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 your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2022
- By September 2021, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a second class degree (2:2) and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree). The CSC would not normally fund a second UK Master’s degree. If you are applying for a second UK Master’s degree, you will need to provide justification as to why you 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
Required Documents:
- Proof that you are a citizen or have refugee status of an eligible Commonwealth country
- Transcript and certificates.
- Two references – preferably academic.
- Scan of passport or national ID card.
- Proof of English language ability if English is not your first language.
Deadline:
Application for the year 2024-2025 will open from 1st September and the deadline for Commonwealth Scholarships For Masters and PhD is 15 October 2024.
How to Apply
- You cannot apply directly for Commonwealth Scholarships, Applications are only accepted from nominating agencies
- Either apply through country’s National Nominating Agencies or through Selected non-governmental organizations and charitable bodies
- These nominating agencies have their own selection criteria
Commonwealth Nominating Agencies
You have to apply through a National nominating Agencies of a country or through selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies .
My department is food science and technology I want to done master degree in UK in any subject that would be related to my field
The process of selecting awardees in developing nations of the commonwealth is devastating and rapidly killing the target of the commonwealth, because the nominating agencies for example, the Ministry of Technical and Higher Education in Sierra Leone is so bias in their selection process.
I suggest an international nominating agency be selected to check the awardees and possibly access MTHE data base for qualified applicants who have been segregated due to their inablility to meeting the price of the scholarship stated by MTHE.