UK Commonwealth 2023 PhD Scholarships for Developing Countries - COMING SOON.

Published: 19 Aug 2022

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

Intended Beneficiaries: Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are for candidates from eligible lower and middle income Commonwealth countries, to undertake full-time taught Master’s study at a UK university.

These scholarships are offered under six the CSC development themes.

UK Commonwealth PhD Scholarship

Application Deadline	Not Specified
Country to study	United Kingdom
Type	Ph.D
Sponsor	Common wealth Scholarships
Gender	Men and Women

Benefits of UK Commonwealth PhD Scholarship

Each scholarship provides:

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

The CSC’s family allowances are intended to only be used as a contribution towards the cost of maintaining your family in the UK. The true costs are likely to be considerably higher. You must be able to supplement these allowances to support any family members who come to the UK with you.

For more information, see the current Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows, available on the CSC website under Handbook, Policies and Forms.

Please note that the conditions outlined in the Handbook are subject to change.

Requirements for UK Commonwealth PhD Scholarship

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

The CSC aims to identify talented individuals who have the potential to make change. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination, and encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates. For further information on the support available to candidates with a disability, see the CSC disability support statement.

*The CSC recognises that disabled people have often faced and overcome challenges or barriers in their education journey which have prevented them achieving the academic requirement for a CSC award. Disabled candidates who can demonstrate their potential to contribute to international development but who do not hold a 2:1 Undergraduate degree may be considered for a contextualised nomination through the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum nominator. For more information, please contact CDPF directly.

The CSC is committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a fair and transparent manner. For further information, see the CSC anti-fraud policy and the guidance on reporting fraud.

The CSC is committed proactively to safeguard and promote the welfare of our beneficiaries, and to protect its staff, Commissioners, beneficiaries and all those with whom the CSC comes into contact. The CSC requires staff, members of the Commission, applicants for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to act consistently with its requirements for safeguarding. Applicants should note the CSC’s Safeguarding Policy which sets out the obligation for staff, members of the Commission, applicants for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to act consistently with its requirements for safeguarding. Any safeguarding concerns should be reported to the Commission at: [email protected]

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

For further details, see the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2023 selection criteria.

Application Documents

Applications must include supporting documentation to be eligible.

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

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 organisations to nominate candidates.

Application Deadline

Not Specified

How to Apply

Interested and qualified? Go to Common wealth Scholarships on cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk to apply