Applications are invited for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship 2024 in UK. The last date of application is 17 October.

About Commonwealth Scholarship

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and offers a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth.

By attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to become leaders and innovators on returning to their home countries, the CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration.

Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for these scholarships, applicants must:

  • Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
  • Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
  • Be available to start academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2024.
  • By September 2024, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)*. The CSC would not normally fund a second Master’s degree. If applying for a second Master’s degree, applicants must provide justification as to why they wish to undertake this study.
  • Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
  • Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

Selection Process

Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:

  • Academic merit
  • Quality of research proposal
  • Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s come country

For further details, see the Commonwealth Scholarships selection criteria.

Applicants should note the criteria carefully and link their answers in the application form to each point listed.

Application

Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system.

In the application form, applicants are asked to:

  • List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications obtained.
  • List up to 10 publications and prizes.
  • Provide details of employment history and explain how the experience gained supports and is relevant to the programme to be undertaken in the UK.
  • List names and positions of three referees who are qualified to comment on both their capacity to benefit from the proposed Scholarship in the UK and their ability to deliver development impact afterwards. One of the referees must be a current employer (if applicable) and at least two references must be included with the application.
  • Provide a Development Impact statement in four parts.

Important dates

Applications for Commonwealth Master’s scholarships for the 2023/24 academic year are now open. The deadline for submitting an application is 17:00 hours BST (16:00 GMT) on 17 October 2023. The scholarships are for study in the UK beginning in September/October 2024.

Financial Assistance

Each scholarship provides:

  • Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before the award is confirmed).
  • Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by agreement between the CSC and the UK university, and Scholars are not liable to pay for any part of the tuition fee.
  • Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,347 per month, or £1,652 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
  • Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
  • Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
  • If a Scholar has children and is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of child allowance of £576.61 per month for the first child, and £143 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if their children are living with them at the same address in the UK.

FAQs

I do not currently have an offer letter from a UK university. Can I apply?

If you are applying for the following programmes a university admission/offer letter is not required at the application stage of the scholarship application process and is not an eligibility requirement for the CSC.
Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship
Commonwealth PhD Scholarship
Commonwealth Shared Master’s Scholarship
Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarship
Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship
 However, if you are applying through a nominating agency you should check the eligibility requirements of your nominating agency, they may include additional eligibility criteria which you must meet. You are strongly advised to seek admission to your proposed UK university at the time of, or as soon as possible after submitting your CSC application.
If you are applying for a PhD Scholarship (for high-income countries) you may be required to submit an offer letter at time of application. Please see the programme page for more information.

I have an offer letter for the current academic year. Can I apply?

Applicants can only apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship for the following academic year of study.
Universities may agree to defer your offer whilst you apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship to fund your studies. This is at the individual University’s discretion, applicants should contact the University directly for further information.

My agency deadline is before the CSC deadline.

For application to the Master’s and PhD Scholarship programmes, you may find that the deadlines and criteria advertised by your nominating agency are different to those advertised by the CSC. You must meet both the nominating agency criteria/deadline and the CSC criteria/deadline to be eligible to apply for these awards.

Do I require an IELTS certificate?

It is not necessary to have IELTS or any other English language certificate to apply for a CSC scholarship. However, UK universities require candidates from some countries to demonstrate their proficiency in English language by taking the IELTS or another English language certificate. It is your responsibility to check the requirements directly with the university.

Contact

You can email directly through the Contact Us form.

Click here to view the official notification of Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship 2024.