A Commonwealth Shared Scholarship is a scholarship offered by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) that enables outstanding and motivated individuals to gain the skills and knowledge required for sustainable development. These scholarships are offered to individuals who are otherwise unable to afford to study in the UK.
In the United Kingdom, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) administers the government scholarship programme that is guided by international development goals. CSFP (Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan) operates within the framework of the United Kingdom’s longstanding commitment to the Commonwealth.
The CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK’s national interest and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration by attracting individuals with exceptional talent and observable potential from all backgrounds and assisting them in becoming leaders and innovators upon their return to their home countries.
Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Eligibility
- 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 their academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2023.
- By September 2023, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree (2:2) and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree).
- Not have studied or worked for one (academic) year or more in a high-income country.
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK university without this Scholarship.
- Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.
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
Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Benefits
Each scholarship provides:
- Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of their Scholarship (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before the award is confirmed) – funded by the CSC
- 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 £1,236 per month, or £1,516 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels) – paid and funded by the university
- Warm clothing allowance, where applicable – paid and funded by the university
- Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable – claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC
- Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas – claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC
- Contribution towards the cost of a mandatory tuberculosis (TB) test, where required for a visa application (receipts must be supplied) – claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC
- If Scholars have children and are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £529 per month for the first child, and £131 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if Scholars are accompanied by their children and they are living with them at the same address in the UK (rates quoted at current levels)
- If Scholars share that they have a disability, a full assessment of their needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.
Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Selection Criteria
Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:
- Academic merit of the candidate
- Quality of the plan of study
- Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s home country
How to Apply for Commonwealth Shared Scholarship
Candidates must apply and secure admission to study an approved Master’s course at a participating UK university in addition to applying for a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship via the CSC’s online application system.
The closing date for applications is December 13, 2022, at 16:00 GMT.
