The Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are scholarships funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in the United Kingdom. These scholarships are designed to provide financial support to students from Commonwealth countries who wish to pursue a Master’s degree in the United Kingdom.
Here are some key points about the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships:
Eligibility
These scholarships are typically available to citizens of Commonwealth countries, including countries in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and the Pacific. 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 2024.
*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.
Level of Study: Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are specifically for Master’s degree programs. They are not available for undergraduate or doctoral studies.
Fields of Study: The scholarship covers a wide range of academic disciplines, so applicants from various fields can apply. The specific fields and courses may vary from year to year.
Funding
The scholarships cover various expenses, including tuition fees, travel costs, a living allowance, and other related expenses. The exact details of what is covered can vary from year to year and depend on the terms and conditions set by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.
Application Process
To apply for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships, prospective students typically need to apply directly to the universities in the UK for their chosen Master’s programs. They should also apply separately for the Commonwealth Scholarship through the CSC’s online application system. In the application form, applicants are asked to:
- List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications obtained.
- List up to 10 publications and prizes.
- Provide details of employment history and explain how the experience gained supports and is relevant to the programme to be undertaken in the UK.
- List names and positions of three referees who are qualified to comment on both their capacity to benefit from the proposed Scholarship in the UK and their ability to deliver development impact afterwards. One of the referees must be a current employer (if applicable) and at least two references must be included with the application.
- Provide a Development Impact statement in four parts.
In the first part applicants should explain how the proposed scholarship relates to:
- Development issues at the global, national, and local level
- Development issues connected to the chosen CSC development theme and the wider sector
Duration:
The scholarships are usually awarded for the full duration of the Master’s program, which is typically one year for most courses, and longer for certain programs.
Return to Home Country: After completing their studies, scholars are usually expected to return to their home countries and contribute to the development of their nation. This is one of the key principles of Commonwealth Scholarships.
How to Apply
Applications for Commonwealth Master’s scholarships for the 2024/25 academic year are now closed. Agencies will nominate scholarship candidates to the CSC by December 2023. Applicants can expect to hear the outcome by July 2024. We will contact all applicants by email, and they should ensure all folders of their email accounts are monitored, including junk mail and spam folders. A scholarship offer may be withdrawn if a scholarship candidate is emailed but does not respond within a specified time.