The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) offers prestigious scholarships to high-quality graduates from Least Developed and Middle-Income Countries, including fragile and conflict-affected states. These scholarships are aimed at candidates who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK and who demonstrate the potential to become influential leaders, teachers, or researchers in their home countries.
This opportunity supports research with a developmental and leadership focus, enabling scholars to conduct 12 months of research at a UK university.
The scholarships aim to broaden access to UK research facilities and expertise for quality doctoral candidates from Commonwealth countries and foster collaboration and partnerships in higher education and research between the UK and Commonwealth nations.
For more information, visit the Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships page.
Degree level
PhD
Application Deadline
Monday 16 December 2024 at 16:00 GMT.
Candidates can expect to hear the outcome by July 2025.
Who can apply?
Applicants must:
- Be a citizen of, or hold refugee status from, an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Reside permanently in an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Be registered for a PhD at a university in an eligible Commonwealth country by September 2025.
- Ensure a formal institutional or departmental link exists between your home university and the proposed UK university. Both supervisors must provide a supporting statement detailing the link.
- Start their academic study in the UK in September 2025.
- Hold a first degree of at least an upper second-class (2:1) honours standard or a lower second-class degree plus a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree).
- Be unable to afford study in the UK without this scholarship.
- Submit all supporting documents in the required format.
There is no age limit for the scholarship.
Note: Please note that all candidates are recruited in line with the CSC's anti-fraud policy and procedure which can be viewed here.
Tenure and placement
- Scholarships are for 12 months of full-time study at a UK university with a CSC part-funding agreement.
- The final qualification will be awarded by the home university.
- The UK study period may be divided into two segments, with a minimum of six months in the home country between visits.
- Research in the UK must access expertise or equipment unavailable in the home country.
Scholarships are tenable for a 12-month period of study at any approved UK university or higher education institution with which the CSC has a part-funding agreement for a specific programme of research. For the full list, see here: https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/uk-universities
Financial assistance
Each scholarship provides:
- Airfare to and from the UK.
- Tuition fees fully covered by CSC and the UK university.
- Living allowance: £1,378 per month or £1,690 in London.
- Study travel grant for UK or overseas research.
- Warm clothing allowance, if applicable.
- Child allowance for single parents: £590/month for the first child and £146/month for up to two additional children under 16.
Additional support is available for scholars with disabilities.
Application process
Applications must be submitted via the CSC’s online application system. Candidates must also apply separately to their chosen UK university which has a part funding agreement with the CSC.
Important: Part funding agreements are at the discretion of individual universities. For a list of universities that have agreed to part fund Commonwealth Scholarships, visit the UK universities with part funding agreements page on the CSC website.
Contact
For issues with the application system, contact
Documents and links
Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships Page
Application form template including all questions
Guidance Document for Applicants
CSC disability support statement
Commonwealth Scholarships selection criteria
Split-site Scholarships 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.
