Commonwealth Scholarships

What the scholarship covers

• Full tuition fees
• Monthly living stipend
• Return airfare to the UK
• Thesis grant where applicable
• Warm clothing and study travel allowances

Eligibility requirements

• Citizen or refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country
• Resident in an eligible country at the time of application
• Upper second-class honours degree or better
• Unable to afford UK study without the award
• Available to start the academic year on time

Documents you will need

• Application via the CSC online portal
• Nomination by an approved nominating body
• Degree transcripts and certificates
• Development impact statement
• Two references plus a supervisor reference for PhD

How to apply, step by step

1. 1

   Find your nominating body

   You cannot apply directly. Applications must come through a national nominating agency, a UK university, or an approved non-governmental partner.

2. 2

   Check your country's route

   Each Commonwealth country has different nominating agencies and internal deadlines, often earlier than the CSC's own date.

3. 3

   Register on the CSC portal

   All applicants complete the Electronic Application System in addition to any process the nominating body runs.

4. 4

   Write the development impact statement

   The defining section. Explain what you will change in your home country and how the specific course enables it.

5. 5

   Secure references

   Two references, plus a supporting statement from a proposed supervisor for doctoral applicants.

6. 6

   Submit to both the agency and the CSC

   Missing either submission voids the application, and this is the most common reason for rejection.

When to do what

Counting backwards from the deadline. Applications rushed in the final fortnight are the ones that fail.

1. 20 weeks before

   Identify your nominating body and its internal deadline.

2. 16 weeks before

   Shortlist UK courses and confirm they are eligible.

3. 12 weeks before

   Register on the CSC Electronic Application System.

4. 10 weeks before

   Draft the development impact statement.

5. 8 weeks before

   Approach referees and, for PhD, a UK supervisor.

6. 5 weeks before

   Complete the nominating body's separate process.

7. 2 weeks before

   Submit both applications and keep confirmation emails.

What the panel is actually looking for

• Academic merit relative to the opportunities you have had
• Development impact you can deliver on returning home
• Genuine financial need for the award
• Quality of the proposed study or research plan

Common mistakes to avoid

• Applying only on the CSC portal without going through a nominating body.
• Missing the nominating body's deadline, which precedes the CSC deadline.
• A development impact statement written in generalities.
• Not demonstrating financial need, which is an explicit criterion.
• PhD applicants approaching a UK supervisor too late to get support.

Fields of study