Deadline: 12 December, 2024

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.

Completing the application form

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).
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.

Applicant eligibility

To be considered for these scholarships, applicants must:

Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country.
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 2025.
By September 2025, 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).
Not have studied or worked for more than one (academic) year or more in a high-income country
Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

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.

How to apply

Applications for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for the 2025/26 academic year are now open. The closing date for applications is Thursday 12 December at 16:00 GMT. The scholarships are for study in the UK beginning in September/October 2025.

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.

Applicants must apply to study an approved Master’s course at a participating UK university.

View the full list of approved courses
View details of all participating UK universities

Applicants can apply for more than one course and to more than one university, however they may only accept one offer of a Shared Scholarship. Note these scholarships are only for Master’s courses and not for undergraduate or PhD study.

Applicants must also apply and secure admission for the chosen university course in addition to applying for a Shared Scholarship. Please check with the chosen university for their specific advice on when to apply, admission requirements and rules for applying.

Applications will be shared with the universities who will nominate their chosen candidates to the CSC in March 2025.

Click Here to Apply

Visit the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship to learn more