Application Deadline:18 October 2022 at 16:00 GMT.

Applications for Commonwealth Master’s scholarships for the 2023/24 academic year are now open.

The agency-nominated Master’s programme is one of three Master’s programmes offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and offers a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth.

By attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to become leaders and innovators on returning to their home countries, the CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration.

Purpose: 

Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), 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.

Intended Beneficiaries: 

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are for candidates from eligible low and middle income Commonwealth countries, to undertake full-time taught Master’s study at a UK university.

Eligibility Requirements:

To apply for these scholarships, candidates 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 2023
• By September 2023, 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

Scholarship Worth:

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 the cost of journeys made before your award is confirmed)
• 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)
• 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 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 you are accompanied by your children and they are living with you at the same address in the UK (rates quoted at current levels)
• If you share that you have a disability, a full assessment of your needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC

Tenure and Placement

• Scholarships are made in respect of full-time study only and no other course of study may be undertaken at the same time.
• The CSC funds one-year taught Master’s programmes only and does not fund MBAs.

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:

• Applications must be made using the CSC’s online application system.

Candidates must apply to one of the following nominating agencies as well as to the CSC. Nominating agencies will then put forward candidates to the CSC. The CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships:

• National nominating agencies – this is the main route of applications
• Selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies

Each nominating agency oversees  its own selection process and may have additional eligibility criteria. Candidates must check with the nominating agency for their specific advice and rules for applying, and their own eligibility criteria. Nominating agencies may set their own closing date for applications.

 The CSC is unable to accept any applications that are not submitted via the online application system.

 Agencies will nominate candidates to the CSC by December 2022.

Candidates are advised to complete and submit applications as early as possible as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.

Supporting documentation
The references must be uploaded to the application system by the deadline for applications and we are unable to accept references any other way or after this date.

Candidates must upload the following documents with the application:

• Proof that the applicant is a citizen or has refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) showing a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship
• Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications, including to-date transcripts for any courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English
• References from at least two individuals on institutional letterhead

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2023/2024