Commonwealth Scholarships for Master’s and PhD study in the UK are offered for citizens of
developing Commonwealth countries. These scholarships are funded by the UK
Department for International Development (DFID), with
the aim of contributing to the UK’s international development aims and
wider overseas interests, supporting excellence in UK higher education,
and sustaining the principles of the Commonwealth. For information on
other scholarships offered by the CSC, visit our
Apply page.
You can apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship for the following levels of study:
- Master’s (one-year courses only)
- PhD
All subject areas are eligible, although the CSC’s selection criteria
give priority to applications that demonstrate the strongest relevance
to development.
You should apply to study at a UK university with which the CSC has a part funding agreement. Click here for a
list of UK universities which have part funding agreements with the CSC
Eligibility
To apply for these scholarships, you must:
- Be a Commonwealth citizen, refugee, or British protected person
- Be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country
- Be available to start your 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)
The CSC promotes equal opportunity, gender equity, and cultural
exchange. Applications are encouraged from a diverse range of
candidates. The CSC is committed to administering and managing its
scholarships and fellowships in a fair and transparent manner – for more
information, see the
CSC anti-fraud policy.
Terms and conditions
For full terms and conditions, see the
Commonwealth Scholarships 2016 prospectus
Selection process
Each year, the CSC invites selected nominating bodies to submit a
specific number of nominations. The deadline for nominating bodies to
submit nominations to the CSC is 17 December 2015.
The CSC invites around three times more nominations than scholarships
available – therefore, nominated candidates are not guaranteed to be
awarded a scholarship. There are no quotas for scholarships for any
individual country. Candidates nominated by national nominating agencies
are in competition with those nominated by other nominating bodies, and
the same standards will be applied to applications made through either
channel.
Each nominated candidate’s application is first considered by a
member of the CSC’s panel of advisers with expertise in the subject area
concerned, and then by the CSC’s selection committee in competition
with other candidates.
Applications are considered according to the following selection criteria:
- Academic merit of the candidate
- Quality of the proposal
- Potential impact of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country
For further details, see the
Selection criteria for 2016 Commonwealth Scholarships for developing Commonwealth country citizens
You may also find the
Feedback for unsuccessful candidates useful.
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:
All applications
must be made through your
nominating body in your home country. 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, and
for 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 your application using the CSC’s Electronic Application System (EAS). Click here for
full information on how to use the EAS, including detailed guides. www.scholarship-nigeria.com
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 to a nominating body in
your home country.
All applications must be submitted by
19 November 2015 at the latest. Please note that this is an earlier deadline than in previous years.
