Commonwealth Shared Scholarship scheme is for teaching Master’s courses only. All courses undertaken must be demonstrably relevant to the economic, social, or technological development of the candidate’s home country. See the full list of courses from the 2021 CSS prospectus.
About Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme:
The Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, set up by the Department for International Development (DFID) in 1986, represents a unique partnership between the United Kingdom government and UK universities. To date, more than 3,500 students from developing Commonwealth countries have been awarded Shared Scholarships. Without these awards, they would not otherwise have been able to benefit from UK higher education. UK universities have offered to support the scholarships by contributing the stipend for the students from their own resources, or those which the university has been able to generate from elsewhere. See the list of participating universities from the CSS prospective 2016 below. Sponsors: UK Department for International Development (DFID), as part of the UK international development program to developing countries, and participating institutions in the UK. The scheme is administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC).
What You Need to Know About Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme
Who is Eligible to Apply For Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme?
To apply for a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship scheme, candidates must:
Be a Commonwealth citizen, refugee, or British protected personBe permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country (for a full list of eligible countries, see the terms and conditions in link below)Be available to start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2021By August 2021, hold a first degree of either first or upper second class (2:1) classification, or lower second class (2:2) classification plus a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)Not have studied or worked for one (academic) year or more in a developed countryBe unable, either yourself or through your family, to pay to study in the UK
The CSC promotes equal opportunity, gender equity, and cultural exchange. Applications are encouraged from a diverse range of candidates. The CSC is committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a fair and transparent manner.
Level/Field of Study
This scholarship is normally tenable for one year taught postgraduate courses only.
Host Nationality
The Scholarship is taken in the UK at Various UK Universities. Download the CSS prospectus below for a full list of participating universities and respective deadlines
Eligible Nationalities
Eligible Commonwealth Countries Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji*, Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn, Rwanda, 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, Zimbabwe* Number of Scholarships: Up to 227 scholarship positions
Scholarship Worth
The CSC funds the cost of tuition fees (at the overseas rate), return airfares, and other allowances. Participating universities are required to support the student stipend for the award holder (at the rate set by the UK government).
How to Apply For The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme
You should apply to study an eligible Master’s course at a UK university that is participating in the Shared Scholarship scheme.You must make your application using the CSC’s Electronic Application System (EAS). Click here for full information on how to use the EAS, including detailed guides.Before applying, you must check with your UK university for their specific advice, admission requirements, and rules for applying. Some universities may require you to complete their own admissions application form as well, which may have a separate closing date. You must take the necessary steps to secure admission to your chosen course(s) at your preferred university/universities at the same time as applying for a Shared Scholarship.You can apply for more than one course and/or to more than one university, but you may only accept one offer of a Shared Scholarship. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the EAS to your UK university or applications directly from individuals.
Selection: Each participating UK university will conduct its own recruitment process to select a specified number of candidates for Shared Scholarships. Universities must put forward their selected candidates to the CSC by 26 April 2021. The CSC will then confirm that these candidates meet the eligibility criteria for this scheme. Universities will inform candidates of their results by July 2021. Selection criteria include:
Academic merit of the candidateThe potential impact of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country
Application Deadline:
The deadline for application is around March every year. Each university has its own closing date for applications, and most are before 29 March. All inquiries about the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship scheme should be directed to the university to which you wish to apply. Visit Scholarship Webpage below for Details
