Apply for Commonwealth Scholarship- Are you from a Commonwealth nation and seriously need scholarships to study in a Commonwealth country? Then applying for a Commonwealth scholarship will be your best bet to achieve your dreams. Commonwealth Scholarships are awarded to talented individuals with the potential to make a positive impact on the global stage.
As part of the UK’s ongoing commitment to the Commonwealth, each year around 700 students are given the chance to undertake postgraduate degrees with UK universities. They are a scholarship scheme aimed at students from disadvantaged backgrounds across the Commonwealth nations. By funding postgraduate studies in a range of different fields of endeavors, it helps to support innovators and leaders of the future.
Apply for Commonwealth Scholarship 2024/25 | Details
About Commonwealth Scholarships
Commonwealth scholarship is anchored by the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP), an international program under which Commonwealth governments offer scholarships and fellowships to citizens of other Commonwealth countries.
However, there is no central body that manages the CSFP. Instead, participation is based on a series of bilateral arrangements between home and host countries.
This historic award is the UK’s primary scholarship scheme focused on contributing to the UK’s international development aims. It is designed to attract outstanding talent to UK universities whilst supporting sustainable development overseas.
Each country’s participation is organized by a national nominating agency, which is responsible for advertising awards applicable to their own country and making nominations to host countries.
Funding for Commonwealth Scholarships
Each Commonwealth scholarship is fully funded, meaning that it will cover the student’s tuition fees as well as airfare to and from the UK (for Commonwealth Scholarships in the UK), and a living allowance to support you while studying.
Additional grants are also available on some scholarships for cold-weather clothing, thesis writing, fieldwork, family visits, and the costs of mid-term travel home.
The following Tips on How to Apply for Commonwealth Scholarships will be useful for students
Who is Eligible to Apply for the Commonwealth Scholarship?
- To apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship, you must be a citizen or permanent resident of a Commonwealth country. You will still be eligible if you are a refugee or a British-protected person.
- You must be unable to afford to study in the UK without a scholarship.
- Finally, You also need to have an undergraduate honors degree of at least upper second class (2:1). If you wish to study for a PhD, you will need an appropriate master’s degree too.
Course Eligibility
Commonwealth scholarships support studies in all areas of human endeavors for both master’s and PhD courses, with specific scholarships available for split-site, shared, and distance learning study.
Document Requirements:
Before you begin the online application, you must ensure that you have the following documents handy:
- Supporting statement from a proposed supervisor in the UK from at least one institution listed in the application form and it has to be directly submitted by the supervisor.
- University degree certificates
- The documents uploaded on the online application system must not exceed 5 MB in size and must be in any of the following formats: PDF, Doc, Docx, or JPG.
- References from two individuals are to be submitted by the referee in the online application system.
- Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications.
- Proof of citizenship. If the applicant is a refugee, documents showing refugee status are required as well.
Commonwealth Development Themes
All Commonwealth Scholarships are offered under six Commonwealth Scholarship Commission development themes;
- Strengthening global peace, security, and governance
- Science and technology for development
- Access, inclusion, and opportunity
- Promoting global prosperity
- Strengthening resilience and response to crises
- Strengthening health systems and capacity
Application Procedures for Commonwealth Scholarship
To begin your online application, you’ll need a scanned copy of your passport, your academic transcript, your existing university degree certificate, two references, and, if you have one, your admission letter.
How to Apply: Interested applicants for the Commonwealth Scholarship 2024 will need to apply through a National Nominating agency of his/her country to be awarded the scholarship.
- Each country has its specific nominating bodies, with its own rules eligibility criteria, and deadlines for candidates to be well guided.
- The course you wish to study will need to be with a university that is partnered with the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. If you have already been accepted on a course with an eligible university, they can apply on your behalf.
- You can start your application by following the online process on your country page on the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission website. After applying through your country’s page, your application will then be sent directly to your country’s nominating agency.
Application Deadline:
Commonwealth scholarship application deadlines are usually in December. Applicants are to check the page of the scholarship they are interested in on the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission website to see dates.
Read Also: