ELIGIBILITY:

To be considered for these scholarships, applicants must:

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 2027.

By September 2027, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)*.

Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.

Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

*The CSC recognises that disabled people have often faced and overcome challenges or barriers in their education journey which have prevented them achieving the academic requirement for a Commonwealth Scholarship. Disabled applicants who can demonstrate their potential to contribute to international development but who do not hold a 2:1 Undergraduate degree may be considered for a contextualised nomination through the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum nominator. For more information, please contact CDPF directly using the details on our NGOs and charitable body nominators page.

The CSC aims to identify talented individuals who have the potential to make change. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants. For further information on the support available to scholars who share that they have a disability, see the CSC disability support statement.

There is no age limit for CSC applications. Applicants are advised to confirm with their employers any age restrictions on leave entitlement they may have in place.

The CSC has a preference for applicants who have already completed their undergraduate degrees and would not normally fund a second Master’s degree. If applying for a second Master’s degree, applicants must provide justification as to why they wish to undertake this study. Applicants who have already studied at Master’s level at a UK institution, or have already received a Commonwealth Scholarship at Master’s level will not be considered eligible.

All Commonwealth Scholars commit to returning home following the end of their scholarships to contribute to the development of their home countries. Switching to a graduate or other visa to remain in the UK is not permitted.  

BENEFIT:

Each scholarship provides:

Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before the award is confirmed).

Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by an 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 £1,712 per month, or £2,000 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).

Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.

If a Scholar has children and is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, they receive a child allowance of £622 per month for the first child and £154 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16 if their children are living with them at the same address in the UK.

If a Scholar shares that they have a disability, a full assessment of their needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.

The CSC’s family allowances are intended to be only a contribution towards the cost of maintaining a Scholar’s family in the UK. The true costs are likely to be considerably higher, and Scholars must be able to supplement these allowances to support any family members who accompany them to the UK.

For more information, see the current Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows. 

Please note that the conditions outlined in the Handbook are subject to change.