Deadline: 19 November 2015
The UK Department for International Development is funding the Commonwealth Scholarship for Master’s and PhD study in the UK with a motive to contribute to the UK’s international development aims and wider overseas interests, supporting excellence in UK higher education, and sustaining the principles of the Commonwealth.
Scholarship Categories
- Commonwealth PhD Scholarships
- Up to 36 months’ support towards completion of a three-year full-time doctoral postgraduate qualification at an eligible UK university
- Purpose: To enhance individual teaching and research capacity leading to increased institutional capacity in academic and other sectors in Commonwealth countries, and to contribute to UK higher education and research by attracting high-calibre international candidates and encouraging links and collaboration.
- Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship
- 12 months’ support towards completion of a full-time taught postgraduate qualification at an eligible UK university.
- Purpose: To contribute to development needs of Commonwealth countries by providing training for skilled and qualified professionals and academics, and to contribute to UK higher education and foreign policy aims by encouraging collaboration and links.
Benefits and Scholarship Value
- Approved airfare from scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of its award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor usually the cost of journeys made before the award is finally confirmed)
- Approved tuition and examination fees
- Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,034 per month, or £1,268 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2015-2016 levels)
- Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable
- Warm clothing allowance
- Study travel grant towards the costs of study-related travel within the UK or overseas
- For PhD Scholars, fieldwork grant towards the cost of fieldwork undertaken overseas (usually the cost of one economy class return airfare to scholar’s fieldwork location)
- For PhD Scholars, paid mid-term visit (airfare) to their home country (unless they have claimed (or intend to claim) spouse and/or child allowances during your scholarship, or have received a return airfare to their home country for fieldwork)
- If the scholarship is at least 18 months long, the following family allowances:
- Spouse allowance of £222 per month if scholar and its spouse are living together at the same address in the UK (unless the spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship)
- Child allowance of £222 per month for the first child, and £109 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if the scholar is accompanied by its spouse and children and they are living with the scholar at the same address in the UK
- If scholar are widowed, divorced, or a single parent (irrespective of the length of your scholarship), child allowance of £444 per month for the first child, and £109 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if the scholar is accompanied by his children and they are living with him at the same address in the UK
Eligibility Criteria
In order to apply for the scholarship, the applicant must:
- Be a Commonwealth citizen, refugee, or British protected person
- Be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country. For a full list of eligible countries
- Be available to start his/her academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/ October 2016
- By October 2016, 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)
How to Apply
Interested applicants must apply using CSC’s Electronic Application System (EAS).
For more information, please download this PDF.
