Location: United Kingdom
Program: Postgraduate (Master’s degree)
Eligibility: International Student
Duration: Up to 6 years
Deadline: March 31, 2026
JOIN OUR WHATSAPP GROUP & GET UPDATES ON SCHOLARSHIPS WORLDWIDE
The Commonwealth Distance Learning Master’s Scholarships are one of three flagship Master’s programmes offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) the body responsible for administering the UK government’s international development scholarship scheme within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP). Uniquely designed to allow talented professionals to pursue a UK Master’s qualification without leaving their home country, the Distance Learning Scholarships are targeted at high-quality postgraduate students from least developed and middle-income Commonwealth countries who wish to access advanced training not available at home, need to remain in their country while studying, and have the potential to create meaningful development impact in their communities and sectors once they graduate.
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK is a statutory body established under the Commonwealth Scholarship Act and funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). As the UK’s premier development-focused scholarship body, the CSC has for over six decades supported tens of thousands of talented individuals from across the Commonwealth to study in the UK, and its Distance Learning programme represents a thoughtful evolution of that mission extending the transformative power of UK postgraduate education to those who are most needed in their home communities and who cannot afford to or choose not to relocate abroad.
Benefits of the Scholarship
This scholarship will provide the following to its recipients:
- Full tuition fees covered for the duration of the approved distance learning Master’s programme (up to 6 years due to the modular course structure)
- Ability to study fully online from the applicant’s home country — no need to relocate to the UK
- Access to world-class UK postgraduate education delivered by approved, internationally accredited UK universities
- Study within one of six CSC Development Themes most relevant to global and local development needs
- Other benefits
Also Check:
2026 United Nations UNIV’R Postgraduate Scholarship Programme – France
2026 Manaaki New Zealand Government Undergraduate and Postgraduate Scholarships
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for this scholarship, applicants must meet the following:
- Must be a citizen of, or have been granted refugee status by, one of the 44 eligible developing Commonwealth countries listed by the CSC
- Must be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country at the time of application
- Must hold, by September 2026, a first degree of at least Upper Second Class (2:1) Honours standard or equivalent
- Must be genuinely unable to afford to fund the proposed programme of study without the scholarship
- Must apply for and secure admission to an approved Master’s course at a participating UK university in addition to submitting the CSC scholarship application via CSC Central
- Must provide all required supporting documentation by the closing deadline, uploaded in PDF format directly to the CSC Central online system — the CSC does not accept documentation by any other means or after the deadline
- Must submit two signed references on institutional letterhead (or email clearly showing sender details) from individuals qualified to comment on the applicant’s academic ability, development potential, and suitability for the scholarship
- Must provide a valid passport or national identity card showing photograph, date of birth, and citizenship; and full certified transcripts of all higher education qualifications (with English translations if not originally in English)
- Must provide a detailed Development Impact Statement (four parts) as part of the application form, addressing how the scholarship relates to development issues, how new skills will be applied after the award, what development outcomes are expected, and how impact will be measured
Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements
Also Check:
Barcelona School of Economics (BSE) Master’s Degree Scholarship – Spain
Selection Criteria
Each participating UK University will conduct its own recruitment process to select a specified number of candidates to be awarded Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships and put these forward to the CSC. The CSC will then confirm that these candidates meet the eligibility criteria for the programme.
Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:
- Candidate merit.
- Quality of study plan.
- Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s home country.
How to Apply
CLICK HERE to visit the official webpage and submit your application.
