Deadline: April 25, 2025
Applications are now open for the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme 2025, an initiative inspired by King Charles III to support PhD candidates from Small Island Developing States (SIDS). This program enables scholars to pursue their doctoral studies in their home countries while collaborating with an international university within the Commonwealth.
As part of this fellowship, participants will work on their PhD research at a local university while benefiting from joint supervision by a partner university in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. They will also take part in academic training and research programs at the partner institution. This opportunity is available to professionals and academic faculty members who have completed a master’s degree or possess equivalent expertise in climate change, education, engineering, or health sciences.
Available Research Fields
The fellowship provides funding for PhD studies in:
- Climate Change & Environment
- Education
- Engineering
- Health
What the Fellowship Covers
- GBP 30,000 research funding over six years (GBP 5,000 per year), supporting research activities and visits to the assigned partner university.
- Tuition fee waivers for periods of study at the partner university.
- Access to academic resources, such as digital libraries and research databases.
- GBP 12,000 research grant (GBP 2,000 per year) to support PhD work.
- 20% employer salary contribution for the fellow’s organization during the six-year fellowship.
- Guidance from two supervisors—one from the home institution and one from the international partner university.
- Training opportunities through the King’s Fellows network, including professional skills development in communication, policy engagement, and research funding applications.
Who Can Apply?
- Education Requirement: Must hold a master’s degree or have equivalent experience.
- PhD Enrollment: Must be currently enrolled or planning to enroll in a PhD program at an ACU SIDS member university for the 2025/26 academic session.
- Research Relevance: The PhD research must fall under one of the four focus areas (Climate Change, Education, Engineering, Health).
- Residency: Applicants must be citizens or have refugee status in one of the following Commonwealth SIDS nations:
Africa: Mauritius, Seychelles
Asia: The Maldives
Caribbean & Americas: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago
Pacific: Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
Applicants from indigenous communities are strongly encouraged to apply, though this is not a strict requirement.
How to Apply
Applications must be submitted online before April 25, 2025 (13:00 UTC).
For more details, visit the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship website.
