UK Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme

Brief description:

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The UK Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme provides scholarships for international students from developing Commonwealth countries who wants to study a postgraduate degree in UK Universities.  It is a joint initiative between the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (with funding from DFID), and UK universities.

The Scheme allows them to contribute toward the development of their home countries. Awards are for taught masters courses only. No awards will be made for undergraduate or doctoral study.

Participating Universities(s):

Scholarships are only available at participating universities in the UK.  See the Booklet for 2013 Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Prospectus for details of the UK institutions offering Scholarships joint-funded with the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in 2012.

Fields of study:

Shared Scholarship Scheme (SSS) Awards are offered only for subjects relating to the economic, social and technological development of a candidate’s country.  Additional details of the eligible courses (or departments) offered by the institutions is found at the 2013 Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Prospectus (link above).

Number of Scholarships:

It is envisaged that around 170 Scholarships will be offered distributed to the participating institutions.

Target group:

Nationals of Commonwealth Developing Countries (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda Nauru, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana,  British Virgin Islands, Namibia, Cameroon, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana,  India,  Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati,  Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia,  Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guineas, Pitcairn, Rwanda, St Helena,  St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa,  Sri Lanka,  Swaziland, Tanzania,Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tristan da Cunha, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, and Zambia)

Scholarship value/inclusions:

DFID and participating United Kingdom institutions will jointly meet the full costs of an award holder’s study in the United Kingdom including air fares to and from the United Kingdom. Maintenance allowance is paid by the scholar’s host institution, at the level set by the UK Government: £1,134 per month for scholars based in London and £917 per month for the rest of the UK. (July 2012 figures).

A grant of up to £225 to cover thesis (Master’s) costs is available; also available is £200 for study travel. The cost of up to 10 Kilograms of excess baggage (books only) is available for scholars returning home at the end of their awards.  No additional allowances are paid for spouses or other dependents.

Eligibility:

Candidates are normally expected to hold a first degree at either first class or upper second-class level. Sponsoring institutions must confirm that candidates are sufficiently fluent in written and oral English to pursue their proposed studies immediately, as no pre-course English Language Teaching is available under these awards.

Applicants should:

a. be nationals of (or permanently domiciled in) a Commonwealth developing country, and not currently be living or studying in a developed country (please see the booklet for a list of eligible countries);

b. hold a first degree at either first or upper second class level;

c . be sufficiently fluent in English to pursue the course;

d. have not previously studied for one year or more in a developed country;

e. not be employed by a government department (at national level) or a parastatal organisation (employees of universities are normally acceptable, however);

f. be able to confirm in writing that neither they or their families would otherwise be able to pay for the proposed course of study; and

g. be willing to confirm that they will return to their home country as soon as their period of study is complete.

Application instructions:

Applications should be made directly to the institutions at which candidates wish to study. The sponsoring institutions will be the judges of academic calibre and will forward their nominations to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission for its agreement.

The specific deadlines set by the participating institutions varies but is around February-May of each year (see 2013 Prospectus for exact deadlines).  Candidates should note that institutions are asked to forward their nominations to the CSC no later than 30 April 2013; where institutions have not specified a closing date candidates, you should contact the institution so as to ascertain the latest date that the institution is willing to accept applications.

It is important to read the 2013 Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Prospectus and visit the official website (link found below) for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

Contact information:

All enquiries should be addressed to the University at which you wish to study.  Contact details of each institution can also be found at the 2013 Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Prospectus.

Website:

Official Scholarship Website:  http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/apply/shared-scholarships/