Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for Master’s Courses in UK, 2017

Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC) in partnership with UK universities offers Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for students from developing Commonwealth countries. Shared Scholarships are usually tenable for one-year Master’s courses only.

The purpose of the scholarship is to contribute to development needs of Commonwealth countries by providing training for skilled and qualified professionals and academics who would not otherwise have been able to study in the UK.

The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) is one of the largest and most prestigious scholarship schemes for international study in the world. Since it was established in 1959, around 30,000 individuals have benefited – 25,000 of them have held awards funded by the UK government, managed by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC).

If applicants require a Tier 4 visa to come to the UK to study, they may be required to take an approved English language test and/or be screened for tuberculosis for your visa application. These regulations are subject to change at any time.

Course Level: Scholarships are available for pursuing master’s degree program at UK Institutions.

Study Subject: Scholarships are awarded to study subjects related to the development of their home country at participating UK universities only.

Scholarship Award: Shared Scholarships are jointly funded by the CSC and participating UK universities. Each Scholarship provides:

Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award (arranged by the university; funded by the CSC)

Approved tuition and examination fees (funded by the CSC)

Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,043 per month, or £1,279 per month for those studying at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2016-2017 levels) (paid and funded by the university)

Warm clothing allowance (paid and funded by the university)

Study travel grant towards the costs of study-related travel within the UK or overseas (claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC)

Excess baggage allowance, up to an annual approved limit, when returning home (claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC)

Scholarship can be taken in the UK

Eligibility: To apply for these scholarships, applicants 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 2017

By August 2017, hold a first degree of either first or upper second class (2:1) classification, or lower second class (2:2) classification plus a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)

Not have studied or worked for one (academic) year or more in a developed country

Be unable, either yourself or through your family, to pay to study in the UK

The CSC promotes equal opportunity, gender equity, and cultural exchange. Applications are encouraged from a diverse range of candidates.

Nationality: Students of developing Commonwealth countries can apply for these Commonwealth Shared Scholarships.

List of Countries: Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Virgin Islands (British), Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn  Islands, Rwanda, St Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Seychelles, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe

College Admission Requirement

Entrance Requirements: In order to be eligible applicants must hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard.

English language Requirements: If applicants require a Tier 4 visa to come to the UK to study, they may be required to take an approved English language test and/or be screened for tuberculosis for your visa application. These regulations are subject to change at any time.

How to Apply: Applicants should apply to study an eligible Master’s course at a UK university that is participating in the Shared Scholarship scheme. Click here for a list of participating universities and eligible courses

Applicants must make their application using the CSC’s Electronic Application System (EAS). Click here for full information on how to use the EAS, including detailed guides. The EAS will open for Shared Scholarship applications on 17 November 2016.

Before applying, applicants must check with your UK university for their specific advice, admission requirements, and rules for applying. Some universities may require you to complete their own admissions application form as well, which may have a separate closing date. They must take the necessary steps to secure admission to your chosen course(s) at your preferred university/universities at the same time as applying for a Shared Scholarship.

Applicants can apply for more than one course and/or to more than one university, but you may only accept one offer of a Shared Scholarship. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the EAS to your UK university or applications directly from individuals.

Online Application

List of participating universities and eligible courses

Application Deadline: All applications must be submitted by 23.59 (BST) on March 29, 2017 at the latest. Each university has its own closing date for applications, and most are before March 29, 2017.

Scholarship Link