The agency-nominated Master’s programme is one of three Master’s programmes offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.
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.
Purpose: Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.
Intended Beneficiaries: Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are for candidates from eligible low and middle income Commonwealth countries, to undertake full-time taught Master’s study at a UK university.
These scholarships are offered under the six CSC development themes.
Benefits
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.
If a Scholar shares that they have a disability, a full assessment of their needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.
The CSC’s family allowances are intended to be only a contribution towards the cost of maintaining a Scholar’s family in the UK. The true costs are likely to be considerably higher, and Scholars must be able to supplement these allowances to support any family members who accompany them to the UK.
For more information, see the current Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars.
Please note that the conditions outlined in the Handbook are subject to change.
Requirements
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.
The CSC recognises that disabled people have often faced and overcome challenges or barriers in their education journey which have prevented them achieving the academic requirement for a Commonwealth Scholarship. Disabled applicants who can demonstrate their potential to contribute to international development but who do not hold a 2:1 Undergraduate degree may be considered for a contextualised nomination through the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum nominator. For more information, please contact CDPF directly using the details on our NGOs and charitable body nominators page.
The CSC aims to identify talented individuals who have the potential to make change. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants. For further information on the support available to scholars who share that they have a disability, see the CSC disability support statement.
There is no age limit for CSC applications. Applicants are advised to confirm with their employers any age restrictions on leave entitlement they may have in place.
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 home 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.
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.
In the first part applicants should explain how the proposed scholarship relates to:
- Development issues at the global, national, and local level
- Development issues connected to the chosen CSC development theme and the wider sector
The second part should explain how they intend to apply their new skills once the Scholarship ends.
The third part should outline what they expect will change in development terms following the Scholarship, including:
- The outcomes that they aim to achieve
- The timeframe for their implementation
- Who the beneficiaries will be
In the fourth part applicants should write about how the impact of their work could be best measured and evidenced.
Applicants are also asked to:
- Confirm what their award objectives are and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programme.
- Confirm what their career plans are for the 5 years following the Scholarship.
- Confirm their long-term career plans.
- Provide a detailed plan of study.
- Provide a personal statement to summarise the ways in which their personal background has encouraged them to want to make an impact in their home country. Applicants may wish to highlight any areas where they have already made significant contributions, including overcoming personal or community barriers in accessing higher education or within their field.
- Summarise the ways in which they have engaged in voluntary activities and the opportunities they have had to demonstrate leadership.
Application Documents
Applications must include supporting documentation to be eligible.
Please note that applicants are required to collect references, on institution letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details, from referees then upload them in PDF format to the application system with their other supporting documentation.
The references must be uploaded to the application system by the deadline for applications and we are unable to accept references any other way or after this date.
Applicants must upload the following documents with the application:
- Proof that they are a citizen or have refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) showing a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship.
- Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications, including to-date transcripts for any courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English. Where any transcripts are missing or do not include all pages, the application will be considered ineligible.
- References from at least two individuals, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details.
Applications will be considered ineligible if any of the required documentation is not included by the closing date.
The CSC will not accept supporting documentation submitted outside the online application system.
When completing the references, referees should be asked to comment as fully as possible on the applicant, keeping in mind the following points for inclusion, as appropriate:
- How long, and in what capacity, the referee has known the applicant.
- The referee’s views on the applicant’s suitability for the proposed Scholarship and the need for the particular subject of study in the UK.
- Information on how, and to what extent, the applicant has shown ability in terms of capability to grasp concepts and reason analytically; capacity for original thought; and motivation and perseverance in achieving objectives.
- Assessment of the applicant’s particular strengths and weaknesses.
- The applicant’s potential to impact development in their home country.
- Any other general qualities which the referee considers would make the applicant a good recipient of a Scholarship.
Please note that the CSC does not charge apply for any of its scholarships or fellowships through its online application system.
Method of Application
Click Here to Apply
NB: Applications for the 2025 academic year are expected to open on 10 September.
Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system.
The CSC is unable to accept any applications or documentation not submitted via the online application system.
Applicants are advised to complete and submit applications as early as possible, as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.
As well as applying to the CSC, applicants must apply to a nominating agency.
There are two types of nominating agency for Master’s scholarships:
- National nominating agencies – this is the main route of application.
- Selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies.
Nominating agencies put forward candidates to the CSC for consideration. The CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships.
Each nominating agency oversees its own selection process and may have additional eligibility criteria. Applicants must check with the nominating agency for their specific advice and rules for applying, and their own eligibility criteria.
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