Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
Eligible Degree
- Master’s programs in development-focused fields at UK universities
Brief Overview
- The Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) to enable talented students from least developed and middle-income Commonwealth countries to pursue Master’s studies in the UK. The program supports sustainable development objectives and aims to empower individuals to contribute to their home countries’ growth.
Eligible Countries
Bangladesh
Belize
Botswana
Cameroon
Dominica
Eswatini
Fiji
Gabon
Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
India
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Rwanda
Saint Helena
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and The Grenadines
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
The Gambia
Togo
Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Zambia
Eligibility Requirements
- Applicants must:
- Be a citizen or have refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Be a permanent resident of an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Be ready to start academic studies in the UK by September 2025.
- Hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honors standard, or a lower second-class degree with a relevant postgraduate qualification.
- Not have studied or worked for more than one academic year in a high-income country.
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
- Provide all required documentation.
Scholarship Values
- Covers:
- Round-trip airfare to the UK.
- Full tuition fees.
- Monthly living allowance (£1,378 or £1,690 for those in London).
- Warm clothing allowance, if applicable.
- Thesis grant, if applicable.
- Study travel grant for research-related travel.
- Contribution for mandatory tuberculosis (TB) test.
- Child allowance for single parents or those with disabilities.
Note: Additional support is provided for scholars with disabilities.
Commonwealth Shared Scholarships Participating University
| University |
Number of Scholarships |
| Brunel University London |
2 |
| Imperial College London |
2 |
| Liverpool Hope University |
2 |
| London School of Economics |
4 |
| London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine |
3 |
| Queen’s University Belfast |
2 |
| Robert Gordon University |
1 |
| Royal Agricultural University |
2 |
| Royal Veterinary College |
2 |
| Sheffield Hallam University |
2 |
| SOAS, University of London |
3 |
| Solent University, Southampton |
2 |
| St Mary’s University, Twickenham |
2 |
| University College London |
8 |
| University of Birmingham |
2 |
| University of Cambridge |
4 |
| University of Edinburgh |
3 |
| University of Liverpool |
2 |
| University of Nottingham |
6 |
| University of Southampton |
4 |
| University of St Andrews |
6 |
| University of Strathclyde |
8 |
| University of Wolverhampton |
2 |
Required Documents
- Undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.
- List of up to 10 publications and prizes.
- Employment history and its relevance to the proposed study.
- Three references (one from a current employer, if applicable).
- Development Impact statement, covering:
- Scholarship relevance to global, national, and local development issues.
- How new skills will be applied post-Scholarship.
- Expected development outcomes and timeframe.
- How to measure the impact.
- Personal statement on background and motivation.
- Summary of leadership and voluntary activities.
How to Apply for the Scholarships
- Apply for the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship through the CSC’s online application system by December 12, 2024, at 16:00 GMT.
- Apply for an eligible Master’s course at a participating UK university.
- Complete all university-specific requirements for admission alongside the scholarship application.
- Ensure all application steps are completed early, as systems may be busy closer to the deadline.
Note: Applicants can apply to multiple courses and universities but may only accept one scholarship offer.
Deadline
- Application deadline: December 12, 2024, at 16:00 GMT
