ELIGIBILITY:

Candidates should be commencing a course in September 2025.

Candidates must also certify that they:

are nationals of a Commonwealth developing country, and not at present living or studying in a developed country;

have not undertaken studies lasting one year or more in a developed country;

are themselves, or through their families, unable to pay to study in the United Kingdom;

agree to return to their own country to work or study as soon as the award ends. The commission will only consider requests to extend leave to remain in the UK post-award for those wishing to move from Masters to PhD study. Strict conditions will apply.

DFID requires that the University certifies when submitting its shortlist of candidates that they are sufficiently proficient in the English language to cope with the course for which they have applied. This will normally mean that you will have to have satisfied any requirements concerning competence in the English language which are a condition of your offer of admission.

You can read more about the eligibility criteria by visiting the Commonwealth Scholarship Comission’s website.

Candidates must also have been offered a place at the University of Birmingham on one of the following postgraduate programme:

MA Africa and Development

MSc Development Policy and Politics

MSc Conflict, Security and Development

MSc Clinical Oncology

MSc Environment, Development and Politics

BENEFIT:

The award is financed jointly by the University and the DFID. The award will cover:

Full tuition fees

Maintenance stipend

Air fare to and from the United Kingdom

Immigration Health Surcharge costs 

A one-off arrival allowance payment 

Thesis expenses 

Study travel grant

Full details of the award are listed on the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship website.