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.
The agency-nominated Master’s programme is one of three Master’s programmes offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.
Funding
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).
- Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
- 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).
- 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.
- 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.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
- Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
- 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.
Application process
- Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system.
2. 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
- Selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies
5. Nominating agencies put forward scholarship candidates to the CSC for consideration. The CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships.
5. 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. Nominating agencies may set their own closing dates for applications. Agencies will nominate scholarship candidates to the CSC by December 2023.
Application deadline
Applications for Commonwealth Master’s scholarships for the 2024/25 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.
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.
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