Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships for Developing Commonwealth Countries, 2023-2024
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United Kingdom
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.
Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Master’s 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.
Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are for candidates from eligible low and middle income Commonwealth countries, to undertake full-time taught Master’s study at a UK university.
Summary of the scholarship
- Host Institution(s): UK universities
- Study in: UK
- Level/Field(s) of study: Master
- Number of Scholarships: Not specified
- Funding: See "Scholarship value/inclusions" section.
- Target group: Candidates from eligible Commonwealth country
- Deadline: 18 October 2022.
Host Institution(s)
UK universities
Level/Field(s) of study
Eligible Masters Degree Programme at a UK University.
Number of Scholarships
Not specified.
Target group
Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are for candidates from eligible low and middle income Commonwealth countries, to undertake full-time taught Master’s study at a UK university.
So, candidate must be citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country.
Scholarship value/inclusions
Each scholarship provides:
- Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before your award is confirmed)
- 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)
- Warm clothing allowance, where applicable
- Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable
- Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas
- If you 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 you are accompanied by your children and they are living with you at the same address in the UK (rates quoted at current levels)
- If you share that you have a disability, a full assessment of your needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC
Eligibility criteria
To apply for these scholarships, candidates must:
- 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 academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2023
- By September 2023, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a second class degree (2:2) and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)*. The CSC would not normally fund a second UK Master’s degree. If you are applying for a second UK Master’s degree, you will need to provide justification as to why you wish to undertake this study
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship
- Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format
Application instructions
Applications must be made using the CSC’s online application system.
In the application form, candidates will be 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 each job is relevant to the programme to be undertaken in the UK
- Provide a statement on the relevance of previous work experience to the proposed Scholarship
- List names and positions of three referees who are qualified to comment on both capacity to benefit from the proposed Scholarship in the UK and the candidate’s ability to deliver development impact afterwards. One of your referees must be a current employer (if applicable)
- Provide a Development Impact statement in 4 parts.
In the first part you should explain how your proposed Scholarship relates to:
a) development issues at the global, national, and local level
b) development issues connected to your chosen CSC development theme and the wider sector
In the second part you should explain how you intend to apply your new skills once your Scholarship ends.
In the third part you should outline what you expect will change in development terms following your Scholarship, including:
a) the outcomes that you aim to achieve
b) the timeframe for their implementation
c) who the beneficiaries will be
In the fourth part you should:
a) Write about how the impact of your work could be best measured
b) Confirm what your award objectives are and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programme
c) Confirm what your objectives are for the next two years and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programme
d) Confirm what your objectives are in the longer term and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programme
e) Provide a personal statement to summarise the ways in which your personal background has encouraged you to want to make an impact in your home country. You should indicate areas in which you have already contributed, such as having overcome any personal or community barriers to your chosen career
f) Summarise the ways in which you have engaged in voluntary activities and the opportunities you have had to demonstrate leadership
Official links and website
Official Scholarship Website: https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/scholarships/commonwealth-masters-scholarships/
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