Fully Funded Commonwealth Master's Scholarship

Organization: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC)

Type: Scholarship

Location: Global

Deadline: October 20, 2026

Funding: Fully Funded

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, pays for people from 43 low and middle income Commonwealth countries and territories to take a one-year taught Master's at a UK university. It is for talented people who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK and who want to use what they learn for sustainable development back home. You cannot apply to the CSC alone: you must also apply through a nominator, usually your country's national nominating agency, which may set its own closing date, and that date can fall before the CSC's own 20 October deadline. **What you get:** - Full tuition fees at your UK university, covered by agreement between the CSC and the university, with no part of the fee left for you to pay - Approved airfare from your home country to the UK, and home again at the end of the award - A living stipend of £1,712 a month, or £2,000 a month at universities in the London area (current rates) - A study travel grant towards study-related travel within the UK or overseas - Your Student visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge covered - A child allowance if you are widowed, divorced or a single parent and your children live with you in the UK: £622 a month for the first child, and £154 a month for the second and third child under the age of 16 - A full assessment of your needs, and of your eligibility for extra financial support, if you share that you have a disability **What you'll do:** - Apply to a nominator: your country's national nominating agency, which is the main route, or one of six selected charities and NGOs. Each runs its own selection, may set its own closing date and may add its own criteria - Complete the CSC application on CSC Central by 16:00 BST on 20 October 2026: a four-part development impact statement, a study plan, a personal statement, up to three UK university and course choices in order of preference, full transcripts, your passport or national ID, and at least two signed references - Apply for admission to your chosen UK courses yourself, ideally before you submit: the programme page tells you to apply in advance of your scholarship application, though an offer letter is not required to apply - If selected, study a one-year, full-time taught Master's at a CSC partner university from September or October 2027, in a subject linked to one of the CSC's six development themes - Return home when the scholarship ends and put your new skills to work on development there **Key dates:** - Applications for 2027/28 are open now - Your nominator's own closing date, which varies by country and can fall before the CSC's - CSC applications close at 16:00 BST (15:00 UTC) on Tuesday 20 October 2026, with every document and reference uploaded - Nominators put their candidates forward to the CSC by December 2026 - Outcomes by July 2027 - Study begins in September or October 2027 **More information:** - Applying to the CSC is free: it says it does not charge to apply for any of its scholarships or fellowships. The UK universities you choose run their own admissions and may charge their own application fee - The CSC accepts no direct applications. Besides national agencies, the selected nominators for this scheme are the Canon Collins Educational and Legal Assistance Trust (eight southern African countries), the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (disabled candidates), The Commonwealth Equality Network (study that improves the position of LGBTI+ people), the Forum for African Women Educationalists (women from listed African countries), the HALI Access Network (students affiliated with a member organisation) and Windle Trust International (refugees and people affected by conflict in Kenya and Uganda) - A nomination is no guarantee: the CSC selects from the pool of nominees on academic merit, the quality of your study plan and your potential impact on development at home - The six development themes are science and technology for development; population health and health systems; innovation and entrepreneurship; peace, security and governance; resilience and response to crises; and access, inclusion and opportunity - The CSC does not require IELTS or any English test, though your university may - The application form uses two-factor authentication, so you need a smartphone or a second email account. Applications cannot be edited after you submit, and late applications are not accepted

Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC)Scholarship

Fully Funded Commonwealth Master's Scholarship

Oct 20, 2026 16:00:00 GMT

Opportunity type

Scholarship

Funding

Fully Funded

Location

Global

Deadline

Oct 20, 2026 16:00:00 GMT

About this opportunity

What you get:

Full tuition fees at your UK university, covered by agreement between the CSC and the university, with no part of the fee left for you to pay
Approved airfare from your home country to the UK, and home again at the end of the award
A living stipend of £1,712 a month, or £2,000 a month at universities in the London area (current rates)
A study travel grant towards study-related travel within the UK or overseas
Your Student visa application fee and Immigration Health Surcharge covered
A child allowance if you are widowed, divorced or a single parent and your children live with you in the UK: £622 a month for the first child, and £154 a month for the second and third child under the age of 16
A full assessment of your needs, and of your eligibility for extra financial support, if you share that you have a disability

What you'll do:

Apply to a nominator: your country's national nominating agency, which is the main route, or one of six selected charities and NGOs. Each runs its own selection, may set its own closing date and may add its own criteria
Complete the CSC application on CSC Central by 16:00 BST on 20 October 2026: a four-part development impact statement, a study plan, a personal statement, up to three UK university and course choices in order of preference, full transcripts, your passport or national ID, and at least two signed references
Apply for admission to your chosen UK courses yourself, ideally before you submit: the programme page tells you to apply in advance of your scholarship application, though an offer letter is not required to apply
If selected, study a one-year, full-time taught Master's at a CSC partner university from September or October 2027, in a subject linked to one of the CSC's six development themes
Return home when the scholarship ends and put your new skills to work on development there

Key dates:

Applications for 2027/28 are open now
Your nominator's own closing date, which varies by country and can fall before the CSC's
CSC applications close at 16:00 BST (15:00 UTC) on Tuesday 20 October 2026, with every document and reference uploaded
Nominators put their candidates forward to the CSC by December 2026
Outcomes by July 2027
Study begins in September or October 2027

More information:

Applying to the CSC is free: it says it does not charge to apply for any of its scholarships or fellowships. The UK universities you choose run their own admissions and may charge their own application fee
The CSC accepts no direct applications. Besides national agencies, the selected nominators for this scheme are the Canon Collins Educational and Legal Assistance Trust (eight southern African countries), the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum (disabled candidates), The Commonwealth Equality Network (study that improves the position of LGBTI+ people), the Forum for African Women Educationalists (women from listed African countries), the HALI Access Network (students affiliated with a member organisation) and Windle Trust International (refugees and people affected by conflict in Kenya and Uganda)
A nomination is no guarantee: the CSC selects from the pool of nominees on academic merit, the quality of your study plan and your potential impact on development at home
The six development themes are science and technology for development; population health and health systems; innovation and entrepreneurship; peace, security and governance; resilience and response to crises; and access, inclusion and opportunity
The CSC does not require IELTS or any English test, though your university may
The application form uses two-factor authentication, so you need a smartphone or a second email account. Applications cannot be edited after you submit, and late applications are not accepted

Who can apply

Citizen of, or granted refugee status by, an eligible Commonwealth country, or a British Protected Person
Permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country
Eligible countries and territories (43): Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia
By September 2027, a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours, or a lower second-class degree plus a relevant postgraduate qualification, usually a Master's. Final-year undergraduates can apply
Disabled applicants without a 2:1 may be considered for a contextualised nomination through the Commonwealth Disabled People's Forum
Unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship
Available to start studying in the UK by September 2027
Nominated by your national nominating agency or a selected charity nominator, meeting that nominator's own criteria and closing date as well as the CSC's
No age limit
Not eligible if you have already studied at Master's level at a UK institution or already held a Commonwealth Master's Scholarship. A second Master's is not normally funded and needs a justification
One-year taught Master's only: no MBAs, no research Master's, and nothing supporting the fossil fuel energy sector overseas
You must commit to returning home after the scholarship. Switching to a Graduate or other visa to stay in the UK is not permitted
Supporting documents by the deadline: passport or national ID, full transcripts for every higher education qualification (with certified translations if not in English), and references from at least two people, signed, in PDF
Not open to employees or relatives of employees of the UK Government, staff of the British Council or the Association of Commonwealth Universities, or current or former Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioners and relatives of Commissioners. Former employees can apply three years after leaving

AI Verification

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Good to know

+Covers full tuition, return flights, a monthly allowance of £1,712 (£2,000 in London), and your visa and health surcharge for a one-year UK master's
+For people from 43 low and middle income Commonwealth countries who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK
+Final-year students can apply, and there is no age limit
+Free to apply to the Commission

Worth checking yourself

!You cannot apply to the Commission directly: you must go through your country's nominating agency, which sets its own earlier deadline and extra criteria
!The Commission's own deadline is 20 October at 4pm UK time, and both deadlines must be met
!You need citizenship or refugee status and permanent residence in an eligible country, and at least an upper second class degree by September 2027
!Universities run their own admissions, and some charge an application fee (LSE charges £95)

Sources checked

CScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyPOportal.csccentralonline.org.ukOfficialCScscuk.fcdo.gov.ukApplyHEhec.gov.pkOfficialLSlse.ac.ukOfficialESeshop.lse.ac.ukOfficialMAmanchester.ac.ukOfficial

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