Applications for the 2018 Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship program are now being accepted
Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are for candidates from low and middle income Commonwealth countries, for full-time Master’s study at a UK university.
Funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK. These scholarships are offered under six themes:
- 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
Eligibility
To apply for these scholarships, you 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 your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2018
- By October 2018, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a 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
Eligible Commonwealth countries
- Antigua and Barbuda
- Bangladesh
- Belize
- Botswana
- Cameroon
- Dominica
- Fiji
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Mauritius
- Montserrat
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Pitcairn Islands
- Rwanda
- Samoa
- Seychelles
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- St Helena
- St Lucia
- St Vincent and the Grenadines
- Swaziland
- Tanzania
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
Each scholarship provides:
- Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor usually the cost of journeys made before your award is finally confirmed)
- Approved tuition fees
- Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,065 per month, or £1,306 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2017-2018 levels)
- Warm clothing allowance, where applicable
- Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable
- Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas
- If you are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £458 per month for the first child, and £112 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if you are accompanied by your children and they are living with you at the same address in the UK
How to apply
You must apply to one of the following nominating bodies in the first instance – the CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships:
- National nominating agencies – this is the main route of application
- Selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies
All applications must be made through one of these nominating bodies. Each nominating body is responsible for its own selection process. You must check with your nominating body for their specific advice and rules for applying, their own eligibility criteria, and their own closing date for applications.The CSC does not impose any age limit on applicants, but nominating bodies may do so in line with their own priorities.
You must make an application using the CSC’s Electronic Application System (EAS), in addition to any other application that you are required to complete by your nominating body.
Your application must be submitted to and endorsed by one of the approved nominating bodies listed above. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the EAS.
All applications, including full transcripts detailing all your higher education qualifications, must be submitted by 23.59 (GMT) on 22 February 2018 at the latest.
You are advised to complete and submit your application as soon as possible, as the EAS will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.
You must provide references from at least two individuals, which must be received by the CSC by 23.59 (GMT) on 22 March 2018 in order for your application to be eligible for consideration.
Before you start your application, you should read the step-by-step guide on How to apply for a Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship (1.7 MB) and the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Applicants (206 KB).
Please note that the CSC does not charge candidates to apply for any of its scholarships or fellowships through its Electronic Application System (EAS), and it does not charge organisations to nominate candidates.
Choosing a university/course
You may find the following resources useful when researching your choices of institution and course of study in the UK:
- Study UK – British Council website, with guidance for international students and a course and institution search
- Postgrad.com – information for postgraduate students, with a course search
- Prospects – information on postgraduate study in the UK
- Research Excellent Framework 2014 results – results of a system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions
- Steps to Postgraduate Study – a guide to asking the right questions about taught postgraduate study in the UK
- UCAS Postgraduate – guidance on how to find and apply for a postgraduate course
- Unistats – the official website for comparing UK higher education course data
- UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs) – advice for international students on choosing a course of study
For More Information and to apply:
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