Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships 2027–2028 – United Kingdom

Location: United Kingdom

Program: Postgraduate Degree Programs

Eligibility: International Students

Duration: 1-3 years

Deadline: Mid-October 2026

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The Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships are funded by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC). Since 1960, more than 31,000 people have taken up a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship, with alumni including prime ministers, cabinet ministers, Nobel Prize winners, and leaders across academia, NGOs, and business. Applications are submitted through the CSC’s online system CSC Central and must be submitted simultaneously through the applicant’s home country’s National Nominating Agency (NNA), which is usually a government ministry, scholarships secretariat, or public service commission.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) is an executive non-departmental public body sponsored by the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Operating under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP), the CSC has administered UK-funded Commonwealth scholarships since 1960 and is responsible for selecting and managing scholars studying in the UK on behalf of the UK government. The CSC works with 45 National Nominating Agencies across eligible Commonwealth countries and with UK universities to identify talented individuals from low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries who have the potential to contribute to the development of their home country upon completion of their studies.

Benefits of the Programme

This programme will provide the following to its recipients. Benefits vary depending on the specific Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship scheme.

Approved university tuition fees
Return economy airfare
Visa fee reimbursement
Monthly living allowance
Arrival and warm-clothing allowance
Thesis and study grants
Additional approved programme-related support
Disability support where applicable

Also Check:

Victoria University of Wellington Scholarships 2026–2027 – New Zealand

University of Oxford Graduate Funding and Scholarships 2026–2027 – UK

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for this programme, applicants must meet the following:

Must be a citizen of an eligible Commonwealth country
Must be a permanent resident in your home country at the time of application (not already living in the UK)
Must hold at least an upper second class (2:1) undergraduate degree from a recognised university; applicants with disabilities who can demonstrate development impact potential may apply through the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum even without a 2:1
Must not have previously held a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship funded by CSC
For Master’s Scholarships: must be applying to a one-year taught Master’s degree at an eligible UK university starting in September/October of the scholarship year
For Distance Learning Scholarships: must be applying to an eligible distance learning postgraduate course from an eligible low- or middle-income Commonwealth country
For PhD Scholarships: must be applying to a PhD programme at an eligible UK university
Must apply through both CSC Central and the National Nominating Agency (NNA) in your home country — applications to CSC alone are not accepted for agency-nominated schemes
Must demonstrate clear potential for development impact in your home country

Note: Kindly check the official webpage for full and detailed requirements.

Also Check:

World Bank Group Africa Fellowship Program 2027 – USA

KWI International Fellowship Programme 2027 – Germany

Selection Criteria

The CSC selection process is two-stage. In the first stage, National Nominating Agencies (NNAs) in each eligible country review and nominate candidates based on their own internal criteria and deadlines — missing the NNA’s internal deadline means missing the scholarship entirely, even if the CSC’s own deadline has not passed. In the second stage, CSC reviews nominated applications and makes final selection decisions based on academic merit, the quality of the Development Impact Statement (which must demonstrate how the proposed study will contribute to development in the home country), alignment with CSC’s six development themes, professional experience, and references. Successful applicants are typically notified by email by July of the year their studies would commence. The CSC does not fund MBA programmes and gives priority to applicants whose studies directly connect to one of its six development themes.