DEADLINE: 13 DECEMBER 2022
The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship programme is one of three Master’s programmes offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Shared 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.
SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS
Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are jointly funded by the CSC and participating UK universities.
Each scholarship provides:
Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of their Scholarship (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependents, nor the cost of journeys made before the award is confirmed) – funded by the CSC
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 £1,236 per month, or £1,516 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels) – paid and funded by the university
Warm clothing allowance, where applicable – paid and funded by the university
Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable – claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC
Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas – claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC
Contribution towards the cost of a mandatory tuberculosis (TB) test, where required for a visa application (receipts must be supplied) – claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC
If Scholars have children and are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £529 per month for the first child, and £131 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if Scholars are accompanied by their children and they are living with them at the same address in the UK (rates quoted at current levels)
If Scholars share 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 only be used as a contribution towards the cost of maintaining a Scholar’s family in the UK. The true costs are likely to be considerably higher. Scholars must be able to supplement these allowances to support any family members who come to the UK with them.
ELIGIBILITY
Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:
Academic merit of the candidate
Quality of the plan of study
Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s home country
To apply for these scholarships, candidates must:
By September 2023, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree (2:2) and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)
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 their academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2023
Not have studied or worked for one (academic) year or more in a high-income country
Be unable to afford to study in the UK university without this Scholarship
Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format
SELECTING A COURSE
There are over 100 courses that are eligible from over 50 select universities. These are grouped under 6 thematic areas. Here are some examples:
Access, inclusion and opportunity:
LLM International Human Rights Law
MA Disability Studies
MSc Gender, Development and Globalisation
MSc Education (Policy and International Development)
MPhil Education Leadership and Improvement (ELSI)
Promoting global prosperity
MSc Agroecology, Water and Food Sovereignty
MSc Local Economic Development
MSc Development Economics
MSc Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Technology
MSc Investment Analysis
Science and technology for development
MSc Renewable Energy Engineering
MSc Civil Engineering
MSc IT Security
MSc Satellite Data Science (SDS)
MSc Health Data Science
Strengthening global peace, security and governance
MSc Defence, Development and Diplomacy
MA Applied Human Rights
LLM Law
MPP Public Policy
MLitt Terrorism and Political Violence
Strengthening health systems and capacity
MSc Public Health and Health Promotion
MRes Clinical Research
MSc Public Mental Health
MSc Epidemiology
MSc Healthcare Operational Management
Strengthening resilience and response to crises
MSc Disaster Management and Resilience
MSc International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies
MSc Migration, Mobility and Development
MSc Family and Child Psychology
MSc Environment, Politics and Development
HOW TO APPLY
Applications for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships must be made using the CSC’s online application system. Candidates must apply and secure admission to study an approved Master’s course at a participating UK university in addition to applying for a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship via the CSC’s online application system.
Candidates can apply for more than one course and to more than one university, however they may only accept one offer of a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship. Note that Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are only for Master’s courses and not for undergraduate or PhD study.
Commonwealth Shared Scholarship applications will be shared with UK universities, who will nominate their chosen candidates to receive a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship in March 2023. The CSC then checks that the candidates nominated meet the CSC’s eligibility criteria. Universities inform candidates if they have successfully been awarded a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship by July 2023.