Commonwealth Scholarship 2024-25

The Commonwealth Scholarship is one of the most prestigious scholarships in the UK. This scholarship is available to 53 Commonwealth countries. Only talented students who are determined to bring a positive change in the world are eligible to apply. Annually, more than 700 Commonwealth Scholarships are offered to meritorious students to pursue their postgraduate and doctoral courses in the UK. Scholarships are not just about maintaining a consistent academic career although that is an important criterion to get a scholarship there is much more to it than just excelling in academics, a scholarship helps you build a personality and looks at the holistic development of an individual.

Commonwealth Scholarship

The Commonwealth Scholarship was established in 1959 at the first Commonwealth education conference. The scholarship is awarded to students belonging to the 53 commonwealth countries who are planning to pursue their master’s or doctorate from the UK. The Scholarship is funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC), a body that works under the government of the UK. The CSC funds 800 scholarships yearly for students planning to pursue their master’s in a field specified by this programme. The scholarship covers the following:

• Economy return international travel 
• Tuition fees
• Basic allowance 

The following governing bodies handle the Commonwealth Scholarship in India:

• The British Council.
• Association of Commonwealth Universities.
• Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.
• Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

The selection process for this scholarship in India is usually done by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.  The CSC offers the scholarship to students whose research interest lies in one of these fields:

• Science and Technology for development
• Strengthening health systems and capacity
• Promoting global prosperity
• Strengthening global peace, security and governance
• Strengthening resilience and response to crises
• Access, inclusion and opportunity

If you are planning to pursue a master’s or a PhD in any of these areas of research then you should definitely apply for this scholarship because it will not only cover your tuition fees and give you a chance to study abroad but also expose you to the abundance of research and career opportunities in these fields. 

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Types of Awards

The Commonwealth Scholarships Commission offers:

• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships  
• Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships  
• Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 
• Commonwealth Shared Scholarships 
• Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships 
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships  
• Commonwealth Medical Fellowships 
• Commonwealth Professional Fellowships 

Why Apply for the Commonwealth Scholarship? 

The scholarship is not just about getting free education, the prestige and reputation that this scholarship comes with will help you build a bright future. You can apply to 90+ colleges with this scholarship which includes prestigious institutes like the University of Oxford, London School of Economics and Political Science, University of London etc. The kind of exposure that one gets after studying in these colleges through this scholarship will also help you build connections and create a network that will help you in building a good career in one of these fields. Another important advantage of this scholarship is the amount of research and the quality of research that you will conduct and how it will not only affect your future but the society at large. 

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Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for this scholarship, you need to fulfil some eligibility requirements, without which your application will be deemed invalid. The minimum requirements for application include the following:

• You need to be a citizen permanently residing in India
• Your age should not exceed 40 years 
• You must be available to start your degree in the UK from the beginning of the academic year (generally in September or October of the respective year) of the country
• You should have either completed or expect to complete your bachelor’s (for applicants to the master’s program) or master’s (for PhD applicants) degree before the start of the academic year in the UK
• You should secure at least 60% marks in humanities/social sciences or at least 65% marks in science/engineering and technology/agriculture in your bachelor’s/master’s degree
• You must have sufficient financial stability to support your education in the UK without this scholarship.
• If you have already been abroad for study or training previously either on any scholarship or otherwise, for a period exceeding 6 months, you will be eligible to apply for this scholarship only if you have resided in India for at least two years after returning from abroad as on the date of application
• Your application will not be considered if you are already abroad

Scholarships for Indian Students to Study in UK

Duration and Benefits

The Commonwealth Scholarship’s duration is 1 year for master’s programs and 3 years for PhD programs. The scholarships cover the following benefits:

• Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and returned at the end of the award period.
• Full coverage of tuition fees by agreement between the CSC and the UK university, with no liability for Scholars to pay any part of the tuition fee.
• Monthly stipend (living allowance) of £1,347, or £1,652 for those attending universities in the London metropolitan area (current rates).
• Warm clothing allowance, if applicable.
• Study travel grant to cover costs of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
• Child allowance for Scholars who are widowed, divorced, or single parents: £576.61 per month for the first child and £143 per month for the second and third child under 16, provided the children live with the Scholar at the same UK address.

Also Read: List of Scholarships in Norway for International Students

Application Procedure

The application procedure for Commonwealth scholarships is entirely online. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) under the Government of India, issues a public notice every year inviting applicants for the available scholarships. The candidates are required to apply to both the MHRD portal and the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission’s portal through the links mentioned in the notice. It is essential to apply to both portals within the given deadlines for each portal, otherwise, the application will be considered ineligible. Shortlisted applicants will have to appear for an interview, after which final selections are made by the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission.

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Commonwealth PhD Scholarships

Commonwealth PhD Scholarship is available for students from least developed countries and fragile states that wish to undertake research programs in universities in the UK for full-time courses. These scholarships are funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. This scholarship is offered in these domains:

• Science and technology for development
• Strengthening health systems and capacity
• Promoting global prosperity
• Strengthening global peace, security and governance
• Strengthening resilience and response to crises
• Access, inclusion and opportunity

Commonwealth PhD Scholarship 2024 Deadline

Here are the important deadlines for the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship 2024:

Event	Deadline
Submitting Applications	November
Result	February

Eligibility for Commonwealth PhD Scholarship 

To apply for these scholarships, you must:

• Be a citizen or taken refugee status in one of the eligible commonwealth countries
• Be a permanent resident in an eligible commonwealth country
• Start your academic studies by September/ October 2024
• Hold an Honours degree or Masters degree by September 2024
• Not be registered in a PhD program in UK before September 2024
• Have provided all required documentation
• Unable to afford to study in the UK

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Eligible Countries

Only permanent citizens of the Commonwealth Countries are eligible for the Commonwealth Scholarship. Here are all the countries who are eligible.

Bangladesh	Sierra
Cameroon	Leone
Kenya	Solomon
Kiribati	Islands
Lesotho	Tanzania
Malawi	India
Mozambique	Gambia
Nigeria	Tuvalu
Pakistan	Uganda
Rwanda	Zambia

CSC Development Themes

There are six CSC Development themes under which the scholarship is funded:

• Science and technology for development
• Strengthening health systems and capacity
• Promoting global prosperity
• Strengthening global peace, security and governance
• Strengthening resilience and response to crises
• Access, inclusion and opportunity

How to Apply for Commonwealth PhD Scholarship?

In order to apply for commonwealth PhD Scholarships, you need to follow this process:

• First, check if your desired university offers Commonwealth Scholarships
• You have to apply through one of the nominating bodies that are available for each country. 
• Every nominating agency has a different procedure that you must  check from your official agency

Financial Support Offered

Most scholarships offered by the Commonwealth are fully-funded. It covers your tuition fees, airfare to and from the UK, and living allowance to help you in the UK.

Universities that Accept Commonwealth PhD Scholarships

In collaboration with these universities, Commonwealth Scholarships are offered to students across several countries. These universities pay 20% of the school fees of the student who is selected. Some of these universities include:

• Bangor University 
• Brunel University London
• Coventry University
• Kingston University
• London School of Economics and Political Science
• Oxford Brookes University
• University College London
• University of Bristol

Contact Details

The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
John Foster House
36 Gordon Square
London, WC1H OPF
Tel: +44-207-387 8572

Ministry of Human Resources Development (MHRD)
Department of Higher Education
External Scholarship Division
ES.4 Section, West Block-1
Wing-6, 2nd Floor, R. K. Puram, New Delhi-110066
Tel: and 26172492

FAQs

Hope this blog was helpful in familiarizing you with the Commonwealth Scholarship. Want to study in the UK? Visit our study in UK page to learn all about admissions, scholarships, life in the UK and more.