Commonwealth Scholarship: Fully Funded Master’s and PhD Study in the UK
The Commonwealth Scholarship 2027/28 is now open for applications, offering talented citizens of eligible Commonwealth countries the opportunity to pursue postgraduate study in the United Kingdom with substantial financial support.
Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC), the programme is designed for talented candidates who would otherwise be unable to afford to study in the UK and who have the potential to contribute to sustainable development in their home countries.
For the 2027/28 academic year, applications opened on 8 September 2026 and close on 20 October 2026 at 16:00 BST. Study is expected to begin in September/October 2027.
Commonwealth Scholarship 2027/28
- Scholarship: Commonwealth Scholarship
- Organiser: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC)
- Funding: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO)
- Study destination: United Kingdom
- Study levels: Master’s and PhD
- Master’s duration: 1 year
- PhD duration: 3 years
- Study mode: Full-time
- Application opens: 8 September 2026
- Application deadline: 20 October 2026, 16:00 BST
- Study begins: September/October 2027
- Application system: CSC Central
- Application fee: Free
Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship
The Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship supports candidates from eligible low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries who want to undertake full-time taught Master’s study at a UK university.
The scholarship is for one year and is intended for talented individuals who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.
Eligible Countries
The eligible Commonwealth countries for the Master’s scholarship include:
- 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
The CSC also particularly welcomes applications from Small Island Developing States in line with commitments made at the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Master’s Scholarship Benefits
The scholarship provides substantial financial support, including:
- Approved return airfare between the scholar’s home country and the UK.
- Full approved tuition fees.
- Monthly living allowance of £1,712.
- Monthly allowance of £2,000 for scholars studying at universities in the London metropolitan area.
- Study travel grant for study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
- Child allowance of £622 per month for the first child and £154 per month for the second and third child under 16, where the eligibility conditions are met for widowed, divorced or single-parent scholars whose children live with them in the UK.
- Additional financial support may be available following an assessment for scholars with disabilities.
Family allowances are intended as a contribution toward family living costs, so scholars bringing dependants should be prepared to cover additional expenses.
Master’s Eligibility Requirements
Applicants 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 begin academic study in the UK in September 2027.
- By September 2027, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree together with a relevant postgraduate qualification, usually a Master’s.
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK without the scholarship.
- Provide all required supporting documentation in the required format.
There is no age limit for CSC applications.
The CSC normally does not fund a second Master’s degree. Applicants seeking a second Master’s must provide justification, while those who have already studied at Master’s level at a UK institution or previously received a Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship are not eligible.
Commonwealth PhD Scholarship 2027/28
The Commonwealth PhD Scholarship supports candidates from eligible least-developed countries and vulnerable states who want to undertake full-time doctoral study at a UK university.
The award supports 36 months of full-time PhD study. The CSC does not support four-year PhD programmes.
The programme is aimed at high-quality graduates with the potential to undertake world-class research with developmental impact and become influential researchers, teachers and leaders in their home countries.
PhD Eligible Countries
The current eligible countries include:
- Bangladesh
- The Gambia
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Rwanda
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- Sri Lanka
- Tanzania
- Togo
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Zambia.
Nigerians are therefore eligible for the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship, subject to meeting all other requirements.
PhD Eligibility Requirements
Applicants must:
- Be a citizen of, or have refugee status in, an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
- Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Be available to begin study in the UK in September 2027.
- By September 2027, hold a first degree of at least 2:1 standard, or a lower second-class degree plus a relevant postgraduate qualification, usually a Master’s.
- Not already be registered for a PhD or an MPhil leading to a PhD at a UK university or in their home country before September/October 2026.
- Be unable to afford UK study without the scholarship.
- Submit all required documentation in the prescribed format.
There is no age limit for the CSC application.
PhD Scholarship Benefits
Successful PhD scholars receive:
- Approved return airfare between their home country and the UK.
- Full approved tuition fees.
- £1,712 monthly living allowance, or £2,000 per month for universities in the London metropolitan area.
- Study travel grant.
- Approved overseas fieldwork support, including one economy-class return flight to the fieldwork location.
- A paid mid-term visit by air to the scholar’s home country, subject to the applicable conditions.
- Family allowances for eligible scholars.
- Additional financial support following an assessment for scholars with disabilities.
Family Allowance
Where the relevant conditions are met:
- Scholar accompanied by spouse but no children: £313/month for up to nine months.
- Scholar accompanied by spouse and children: £313/month spouse allowance, plus £313/month for the first child and £154/month for the second and third children under 16.
- Widowed, divorced or single parent: £622/month for the first child and £154/month for the second and third children under 16.
The family allowance is only a contribution towards the actual cost of maintaining family members in the UK.
Commonwealth Scholarship Development Themes
The scholarships are offered under six CSC development themes:
- Science and technology for development
- Improving population health, health systems and capacity
- Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship
- Strengthening global peace, security and governance
- Strengthening resilience and response to crises
- Access, inclusion and opportunity.
Applicants should demonstrate how their proposed study or research relates to development priorities and the relevant CSC theme.
The CSC also expects applicants to connect their proposed development impact to the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Important Programme Restrictions
For the Master’s scholarship:
- Only one-year taught Master’s programmes are funded.
- MBA programmes are not funded.
- Research Master’s programmes are not funded.
- The scholarship covers one degree only.
- Scholars must study full-time.
- Scholars cannot undertake another course of study at the same time.
- The CSC does not provide new direct financial or promotional support for overseas fossil-fuel extraction, production, transportation, refining, marketing or fossil-fuel-fired power plants.
How to Apply
Applicants need to complete two important application steps.
1. Apply Through CSC Central
Applications to the CSC must be submitted through the official CSC Central online application system.
The CSC does not accept applications or supporting documents submitted by email, post or outside the official system.
Applicants should:
- Prepare their answers before entering them into the system.
- Use the save function regularly.
- Avoid refreshing the browser because unsaved information may be lost.
- Submit early.
- Remember that applications cannot be edited after submission.
- Keep their application reference and passcode safe.
- Use the system’s back buttons rather than the browser’s back button.
- Complete the required two-factor authentication (2FA).
The CSC advises applicants not to wait until the deadline because the online system can become very busy.
2. Apply Through a Nominating Agency
Applicants must also apply through an approved nominating agency.
For Master’s applicants, these include:
- National nominating agencies.
- Selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies.
For PhD applicants, routes include:
- National nominating agencies.
- Selected universities/university bodies able to nominate academic staff.
- Selected NGOs and charitable organisations.
The CSC does not accept direct applications. Nominating agencies select candidates and forward their nominations to the CSC.
Nominating agencies may set their own earlier deadlines, so applicants must check the specific requirements and deadline of their chosen nominator.
Nominators are expected to submit their nominations to the CSC by December 2026.
Documents Required
For Master’s Applicants
Applicants should provide:
- Proof of citizenship or refugee status, such as a valid passport or national ID showing photograph, date of birth and citizenship.
- Full transcripts covering all higher-education qualifications, including current/to-date transcripts where applicable.
- Certified translations where transcripts are not in English.
- References from at least two individuals, submitted as signed PDFs on institutional letterhead or from an email clearly showing the referee’s details.
Incomplete or unsuitable transcripts can result in an application being considered ineligible.
References must be uploaded by the deadline and cannot be submitted separately after the deadline.
For PhD Applicants
PhD applicants must provide:
- Proof of citizenship/refugee status.
- Valid passport or national ID.
- Full higher-education transcripts.
- Certified translations where necessary.
- References from at least two individuals.
- A supporting statement from a proposed UK supervisor at at least one of the universities named in the application.
The proposed supervisor’s statement should confirm that they are prepared, in principle, to supervise the applicant, that appropriate facilities are available, and that the proposed research fits the department’s expertise and can be completed within the 36-month scholarship period.
What Applicants Need to Provide
The application requires information including:
- Undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.
- Up to 10 publications and prizes.
- Employment history and how previous experience relates to the proposed UK programme.
- Referee details.
- Development Impact statement.
- Award objectives.
- Five-year career plans following the scholarship.
- Long-term career plans.
- Detailed study plan.
- Personal statement.
- Examples of significant contributions already made.
- Experiences overcoming personal or community barriers to education or within their field.
- Voluntary activities.
- Leadership experience.
Development Impact Statement
Applicants should explain:
Part 1
How the proposed scholarship relates to global, national and local development issues and the relevant CSC development theme.
Part 2
How they intend to use the skills gained after completing the scholarship.
Part 3
What they expect to change in development terms, including expected outcomes, implementation timeframe and intended beneficiaries.
Part 4
How the impact of their proposed work can best be measured and demonstrated.
Choosing a UK University
Master’s applicants should research suitable UK universities and courses carefully.
Applicants are asked to list three universities and courses in order of preference and explain their choices. Second and third choices are important in case the first choice cannot be accommodated.
The CSC makes the final decision about the institution and may override an applicant’s preferences.
Applicants should also apply for admission to their preferred universities before or alongside the scholarship application, because universities have their own admission requirements and deadlines.
For PhD applicants, the choices are universities/supervisors, and a supporting statement from a named UK supervisor at at least one institution is required.
An unconditional university admission offer is generally not required at the CSC application stage, although applicants should still begin the university admission process and check the requirements of their chosen institution and nominating agency.
Selection Criteria
Applications are assessed based on:
- Candidate merit, including academic experience.
- Quality of the study or research proposal.
- Potential impact on the development of the applicant’s home country.
For Master’s applicants, the proposed study plan is particularly important, while PhD applicants are assessed on the quality and developmental relevance of their research proposal.
What Happens After You Apply?
Nominating agencies select candidates and submit their nominations to the CSC.
For the 2027/28 cycle, nominations are expected to reach the CSC by December 2026.
Being nominated does not guarantee that you will receive a scholarship.
Applicants can expect to hear the final outcome by July 2027.
The CSC will contact applicants by email, so applicants should regularly check their:
- Inbox
- Spam folder
- Junk folder
A scholarship offer can be withdrawn if a candidate is contacted but does not respond within the specified period.
Important Conditions for Successful Scholars
Successful scholars are expected to:
- Return to their home country after the scholarship.
- Contribute to the development of their home country.
- Study full-time.
- Reside in the UK during the award unless otherwise approved.
- Obtain CSC permission before travelling overseas.
- Not undertake paid employment during the award without prior CSC approval.
- Follow the CSC’s conditions, code of conduct and disciplinary policies.
Scholars cannot simply switch to a Graduate or other visa to remain in the UK after their scholarship.
The CSC does not require IELTS for its scholarship application, although the university may have its own English-language requirements.
Application Deadline
20 October 2026 at 16:00 BST
The scholarship is for study beginning in September/October 2027.
Applicants are strongly advised to apply early because the CSC expects heavy traffic on the application system close to the deadline, and late applications will not be accepted.
How to Apply for the Commonwealth Scholarship 2027/28
Interested applicants should:
- Check their eligibility.
- Identify suitable UK universities and courses.
- Research the relevant nominating agency.
- Prepare transcripts, references and other supporting documents.
- Prepare their study/research plan and development-impact responses.
- Complete the application through CSC Central.
- Submit an application to an eligible nominating agency.
- Ensure both applications are submitted before their respective deadlines.
Official Commonwealth Scholarship information:
Official PhD scholarship information:
Scholarships Expiring Soon
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Conclusion
The Commonwealth Scholarship 2027/28 provides an opportunity for eligible Commonwealth citizens to pursue fully supported postgraduate study in the UK while developing knowledge and skills that can contribute to development in their home countries.
For Nigerians, the Master’s and PhD routes are particularly relevant, provided applicants meet the programme-specific requirements and secure nomination through an eligible nominating agency.
Application deadline: 20 October 2026 at 16:00 BST.
