Fully Funded Scholarship: 2023 Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships for Developing Countries

Fully Funded Scholarship: The application is currently ongoing for the 2023 Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships for Developing Countries.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission offers three Master’s programs, one of which was nominated by the agency.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in the United Kingdom (UK) administers the UK government scholarship program that is guided by international development goals. It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and serves as a vivid example of the United Kingdom’s long-standing commitment to the Commonwealth.

The CSC’s work combines sustainable development with UK national interest and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration by attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to become leaders and innovators upon their return to their home countries.

Scholarship Purpose

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are aimed at those who would not be able to study in the UK otherwise.

Eligible Countries

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are available to candidates from eligible low and middle-income Commonwealth countries who wish to pursue full-time taught Master’s studies at a UK university.

Brief Scholarship Details

Sponsor(s): Commonwealth

Academic Program: Masters

Award Value: Fully Funded

Eligible Countries: Commonwealth Countries

Application Deadline: 18 October 2022

Full Benefits of Commonwealth Masters Scholarship Award

• 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 dependents, nor the cost of journeys made before your award is confirmed)
• Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by an 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, a 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.

Requirements for Commonwealth Masters Scholarships

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) honors standard, or a second class degree (2:2) and 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

Apply Also: 2022/2023 British Chevening Scholarships to Study in UK

Selection process

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

Required Documents

Applications must include supporting documentation to be eligible.

Note that candidates are required to collect references, on institution letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details, from referees and then upload them to the application system in PDF format with their other supporting documentation. This is a change from previous years when referees would receive a separate email requesting their statements.

The references must be uploaded to the application system by the deadline for applications and we are unable to accept references any other way or after this date.

Candidates must upload the following documents with the application:

• Proof that the applicant is a citizen or has refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) showing a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship
• Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications, including to-date transcripts for any courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English
• References from at least two individuals on institutional letterhead

How to Apply

Applications must be made using the CSC’s online application system.

Candidates must apply to one of the below-nominating agencies as well as to the CSC. Nominating agencies will then put forward candidates to the CSC. The CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships.

• National nominating agencies – this is the main route of applications
• Selected non-governmental organizations and charitable bodies

Each nominating agency oversees its own selection process and may have additional eligibility criteria. Candidates must check with the nominating agency for their specific advice and rules for applying, and their own eligibility criteria. Nominating agencies may set their own closing date for applications.

• Candidates must complete an application using the CSC’s online application system, in addition to any other application required to be completed by the nominating agency. The CSC is unable to accept any applications that are not submitted via the online application system.
• Agencies will nominate candidates to the CSC by December 2022.
• Candidates are advised to complete and submit applications as early as possible as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.

If any of the required documentation is not provided by the closing date, the application will be considered ineligible.

Candidates can also upload any university admissions letters held for their chosen courses.

• The CSC will not accept supporting documentation submitted by nominating agencies or outside the online application system.

Please note that the CSC does not charge candidates to apply for any of its scholarships or fellowships through its online application system and it does not charge organizations to nominate candidates.

Apply Here

Visit the Commonwealth Official Website for More Information