The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) is offering scholarships to candidates from eligible low and middle-income Commonwealth countries to spend a period of time at a UK host organisation working in their sector for a programme of professional development.

Commonwealth Professional Fellowships provides professionals with the opportunity to enhance knowledge and skills in their given sector, and to have catalytic effects on their workplaces. Fellowships will be tenable for between six weeks and three months starting from February 2025.

The 2025 Professional Fellowship programme is aimed at professionals whose work supports the CSC’s six development themes.

For more information on the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships, please visit: bit.ly/46ZuqsT.  

Degree level

Non degree

Deadlines

05 August 2024 at 17:00 BST.

Who can apply? 

To apply for these scholarships, candidates must:

  • Mid-career professionals (with five years’ relevant work experience) working organisations in low and middle income Commonwealth countries;
  • 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;
  • Have at least five years’ full-time, or equivalent part-time, relevant work experience, in a profession related to the subject of the fellowship programme, by the proposed start of the fellowship – voluntary work experience will not be counted towards this minimum;
  • Be in employment at the time of application at an organisation that they will return to upon completion of the fellowship;
  • Provide at least two references, one of which must be from their current employer. Any applications for which references are not received by the reference closing date will be considered ineligible;
  • Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship within the last five years (at the time of taking up the award);
  • Not be seeking to undertake an academic programme of research or study. Academics are eligible to apply for the scheme, but only to undertake programmes of academic management, not research or courses relevant to their research subject;
  • Be available to undertake their fellowship from the prescribed start date.

Note: Please note that all candidates are recruited in line with the CSC's anti-fraud policy and procedure which can be viewed here.

Host organisation programmes

The host organisations listed below have been selected to host Professional Fellows for 6 weeks or 3 months in 2025. Please read individual host eligibility criteria to ensure that you are eligible for a specific programme. 

Financial assistance

Each Fellowship provides:

  • Approved return airfare from the Fellow’s home country to the UK.
  • Reimbursement of the standard visa application fee.
  • Stipend (living allowance) payable monthly (or pro rata) for the duration of the award at the rate of £2,057 per month, or £2,553 per month for those at organisations in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2023/24 levels).
  • If a Fellow declares a disability, a full assessment of needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC. See the CSC disability support statement for more information.
  • Arrival allowance of up to £1,156.60 (rates quoted at 2023/24 levels), including an element for warm clothing.

A maximum of £3,000 per Fellow can be agreed by host organisations for short courses/conferences as well as travel to visit other UK organisations where this forms an integral part of the programme. Host organisations should bear in mind the restrictions set out in our guidance on claimable costs.

Application process

Applications are stricly online.

Apply for a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship here. Applications will close at 17:00 BST on Monday 5 August. 

Contact

If you have any queries about Commonwealth Professional Fellowships, please emailThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Documents and links

Commonwealth Professional Fellowships Page  

CSC development themes

Advice for Applicants

Professional Fellowships eligibility checklist 

Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars

Note 

Please note that this opportunity is not offered by the Department of Higher Education and Training. Applicants are required to undertake their own research into programmes and institutions and are responsible for ensuring that the qualifications will be recognised in South Africa by contacting the South African Qualifications Authority and the relevant professional bodies. If there are any discrepancies in the details provided, the information given by the sponsor supersedes the details provided above. No additional financial support will be provided by the Department of Higher Education and Training.

 
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