How to Apply | Commonwealth Scholarships, UK – 2024
Start your educational journey in the UK. happy news The Commonwealth Scholarship is open right now. We shall go into great detail about this scholarship in this article, including its application advantages and detailed application instructions.
For international students pursuing master’s and doctoral degrees, the Commonwealth award 2024–2025 is a fully financed award. The Commonwealth Scholarship covers the cost of tuition at an accredited university, a monthly living allowance of £1,347, a return economy flight to the UK, as well as additional grants and allowances for other necessary expenses.
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission offers three Master’s degree programs, one of which was nominated by the agency.
The UK government’s scholarship program is run by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC), with a focus on goals for international development. It functions within the parameters of the CSFP (Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan) and provides a striking illustration of the UK’s ongoing dedication to the Commonwealth. The CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and creates opportunities for global partnerships and collaboration by attracting people from all backgrounds with exceptional talent and discernible potential and assisting them in becoming leaders and innovators upon returning to their home countries.
For candidates from the Commonwealth’s least developed nations and fragile states, as defined by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), Commonwealth PhD Scholarships are available for full-time doctoral study at a UK university.
The UK government’s scholarship program is run by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC), with a focus on goals for international development. It functions within the parameters of the CSFP (Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan) and provides a striking illustration of the UK’s ongoing dedication to the Commonwealth. The CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and creates opportunities for global partnerships and collaboration by attracting people from all backgrounds with exceptional talent and discernible potential and assisting them in becoming leaders and innovators upon returning to their home countries.
The Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are intended for those who would not otherwise be able to afford to study in the UK and are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). These brilliant and motivated students are able to acquire the information and skills necessary for sustainable development through these scholarships.
Commonwealth PhD scholarships, which are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), promote research that will benefit the development of Commonwealth nations. Aimed at those who would not otherwise be able to afford it, they also improve individual teaching and research capacity, increasing institutional capacity in academic and other sectors in Commonwealth nations. They will also support UK higher education and research by luring top-tier international applicants and fostering links and collaboration.
Summary of Commonwealth Scholarship
- Level of Study: Masters / Ph.D.
- Institution(s): UK Universities. See List here.
- Study in: UK
- Courses Offered: One year Full-time taught Masters Degree Program in any subject. and for Ph.D. 36 months of full-time study in a specific programme of research
- Program Period: Depends on the selected program
- Commonwealth Scholarship Deadline: October 17, 2023
- 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.
Commonwealth Scholarship Coverage
The following advantages are offered to the winner of a Commonwealth Scholarship:
Those seeking Master’s Degrees:
Flights from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and back at the conclusion of the award that have been approved (the CSC will not cover the cost of flights for dependents or trips taken before the award is confirmed).
Approved tuition costs: The CSC and the UK institution have an agreement that covers all costs; Scholars are not required to pay any portion of the tuition costs.
Stipend (living allowance) of £1,347 per month or, for those attending universities in the London metropolitan area, £1,652 per month (rates indicated at current levels).
If appropriate, a clothing allowance for warmth.
Grant for study-related travel for the purpose of paying for domestic or international travel expenses.
If a Scholar has children and is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, they are eligible for a child allowance of £576.61 for the first child and £143 for each additional kid under the age of 16 who lives with them at the same UK location.
PhD Candidates:
- Flights from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and back at the conclusion of the award that have been approved (the CSC will not cover the cost of flights for dependents or trips taken before the award is confirmed).
- Approved tuition costs: The CSC and the UK institution have an agreement that covers all costs; Scholars are not required to pay any portion of the tuition costs.
- Stipend (living allowance) of £1,347 per month or, for those attending universities in the London metropolitan area, £1,652 per month (rates indicated at current levels).
- If appropriate, a clothing allowance for warmth.
- Grant for study-related travel for the purpose of paying for domestic or international travel expenses.
- When permitted, a contribution is made toward the expense of conducting fieldwork abroad (the price of one round-trip ticket in economy).
- Airfare for a paid midterm visit to the scholar’s home country, unless they have already obtained a return ticket for fieldwork or have plans to claim spouse and/or child allowances during their scholarship.
Following are family allowances (rates quoted at current levels):
- If a Scholar is traveling with their spouse but no children, they will get a spouse allowance of £290 per month for a maximum of nine months as long as they both reside at the same address in the UK (other restrictions apply if the spouse is not also receiving a scholarship).
- If a Scholar is traveling with their spouse and children in the UK, they will receive a spouse allowance of £290 per month, a child allowance of £290 per month for the first child and a child allowance of $143 per month for the second and third children under the age of 16 (unless their spouse is also receiving a scholarship; other conditions apply).
- Kid allowance of £576.61 per month for the first kid and £143 per month for the second and third children under the age of sixteen if they are living with the Scholar at the same location in the UK but without their spouse.
- The CSC will offer a complete assessment of a Scholar’s needs and eligibility for additional financial help if they disclose they have a handicap.
- The family allowances provided by the CSC are only meant to cover a portion of the expense of supporting a scholar’s family while they are studying in the UK. The actual expenses would most certainly be far greater; thus scholars must be able to supplement these allowances to help any family members they bring to the UK.
Criteria for Commonwealth Scholarship Eligibility
The following requirements must be met by applicants in order to be eligible for Commonwealth Scholarships:
Those seeking master’s degrees:
- Being a citizen of, or having received refugee status from, a Commonwealth nation that qualifies, or being a British Protected Person.
- Occupy a permanent residence in a Commonwealth nation.
- Be able to begin academic courses in the UK by September 2024, the commencement of the UK academic year.
- Possess a first degree with at least an upper second-class (2:1) honors standard by September 2024, or a lower second-class degree plus an appropriate postgraduate degree (often a Master’s degree)*. A second Master’s degree would not typically be funded by the CSC. Applicants who are requesting a second Master’s degree must explain why they want to pursue this course of study.
- If not for this scholarship, be unable to pay to attend school in the UK.
- Have delivered the necessary supplementary materials in the required format.
PhD Candidates
- Being a citizen of, or having received refugee status from, a Commonwealth nation that qualifies, or being a British Protected Person.
- Occupy a permanent residence in a Commonwealth nation.
- Be able to begin academic courses in the UK by September 2024, the commencement of the UK academic year.
- Possess a first degree with at least an upper second-class (2:1) honors standard by September 2024, or a lower second-class degree plus an appropriate postgraduate degree (often a Master’s degree)*.
- Not be enrolled in a PhD program or an MPhil that leads to a PhD before September or October 2024 at a UK university or in their home country.
- If not for this scholarship, be unable to pay to attend school in the UK.
- Have delivered the necessary supplementary materials in the required format.
How Do You Apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship?
To apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship, please adhere to the directions below:
For Maters Applicants:
- Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system.
- In the application form, applicants are asked to:
- Include a list of all undergraduate and graduate degrees earned.
- List up to 10 publications and prizes.
- Details of employment history should be included, together with an explanation of how any experience supports and relates to the UK program.
- 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.
- Supporting Documents:
- 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.
For Ph.D. Applicants:
- Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system.
- n 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.
- Supporting Documents:
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- 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.
- A supporting statement, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details, from a proposed supervisor in the UK from at least one of the institutions named on the application form.
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