Deadline: December 19, 2018
Applications are open for the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships. The 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
Scholarship Value
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
- Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,084 per month, or £1,330 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2018-2019 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 £465 per month for the first child, and £114 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 2018-2019 levels)
The CSC’s family allowances are intended to be only a contribution towards the cost of maintaining your family in the UK. The true costs are likely to be considerably higher, and you must be able to supplement these allowances in order to support any family members who come to the UK with you
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 2019
- By October 2019, 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). 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
Eligible Commonwealth countries
Antigua and Barbuda
Bangladesh
Belize
Botswana
Cameroon
Dominica
Eswatini
Fiji
The Gambia
Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
India
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Malawi
Malaysia
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Rwanda
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
St Helena
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Tanzania
Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Zambia
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 of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country
Application
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 and may have additional eligibility criteria. 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.
You must make your application using the CSC’s online application system, in addition to any other application that you are required to complete by your nominating body. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the online application system.
For more information, visit Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships.
