Commonwealth Scholarships for Developing Countries

Brief description:

The Commonwealth Scholarships are for students from developing Commonwealth countries for Master’s (one-year), PhD, and split-site PhD study in the UK. These scholarships are funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).

Host Institution(s):

There is a nominating agency for Commonwealth Scholarships in each Commonwealth country. In addition, universities and university bodies in a number of developing Commonwealth countries are invited to nominate candidates to the CSC.

Field(s) of study:

All subject areas are eligible, although the CSC’s selection criteria give priority to those applications that demonstrate strong relevance to development. You are requested to apply for a course of study at a UK universities which has agreed to offer a tuition fee contribution for 2014-2015.

Number of Scholarships:

Approximately 200-230 scholarships are awarded each year.

Target group:

The scholarships are targeted to Developing Commonwealth Countries (Anguilla,  Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands,  Fiji, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn, St. Helena, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent, Seychelles *,  Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Tristan da Cunha, Turks and Caicos,  Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Western Samoa, Zambia).

The Commission wishes to promote equal opportunity, gender equity and cultural exchange. Applications are encouraged from a diverse range of candidates.

Scholarship value/inclusions:

Each Scholarship provides:

• Student concessionary or other approved airfare to the United Kingdom and return on expiry of the Scholarship (the cost of journeys made before final award confirmation will not normally be reimbursed, nor can fares be paid for a Scholar’s dependants)
• Approved tuition and examination fees
• A personal maintenance allowance at the rate of £917 per month (£1134 per month for those studying at institutions in the London Metropolitan area)
• A grant towards the expenses of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable
• An initial arrival allowance, incorporating an initial clothing grant for Scholars from tropical countries
• A grant for expenses for approved travel within the United Kingdom or overseas
• A grant towards fieldwork costs for those Scholars undertaking doctoral studies for whom a case has been made for fieldwork outside the United Kingdom. This shall not normally exceed one economy class return airfare to the fieldwork location
• A paid mid-term fare to their home country for Scholars on three year doctoral awards. Scholars for whom fieldwork fares are provided to their home country shall not be entitled to a mid-term fare home, nor Scholars who have claimed (or intend to claim) spouse or child allowances for more than 12 months during their award.
• For married scholars and/or scholars with children, allowance(s) are provided.

Eligibility:

To apply for the awards covered in this prospectus, candidates should:

• Be Commonwealth citizens, refugees, or British protected persons
• Be permanently resident in a Commonwealth country other than the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
• Be available to commence their academic studies in the United Kingdom by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2014
• Hold, by October 2014, a first degree of upper second class Honours standard (or above); or a second class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification, which will normally be a Master’s degree.

Application instructions:

All inquiries and applications must be made through nominating agency/university/university body in your home country. You must check with them in the first instance for specific advice on how to make an application and for their own closing dates. The CSC cannot accept any applications direct from candidates.

Deadline for applications is around 3 December 2013. The CSC will not accept any applications which are not submitted via the Electronic Application System (EAS) to the nominating agency/university/university body in the candidate’s home country.