Deadline: December 9, 2025
Jointly supported by universities in the United Kingdom, Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are awarded to qualifying applicants who wish to study in the United Kingdom. Eligible students must be nationals and citizens of least developed and lower middle income Commonwealth countries. The scholarships are awarded for full-time Master’s degree programmes at one of the participating universities in the UK
The Commonwealth Shared Scholarships Funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) Commonwealth. Shared Scholarships aim to enable talented, passionate and motivated students who wish to study in the UK, but would otherwise not be able du to financial challenges. Selected applicants will, over the course of the programme, gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, which will be put to practice up on their return at the end of the programme
Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are offered under the following six CSC development themes
- Science and technology for development
- Strengthening health systems and capacity
- Strengthening resilience and response to crises
- Access, inclusion and opportunity
- Promoting global prosperity
- Strengthening global peace, security and governance
Benefits
Selected applicants for the 2026 Shared Scholarships will receive the following benefits
- Recipients will receive full coverage for tuition fees for their selected degree programme at their preferred university in the UK
- You will receive a stipend worth £1,378 per month, or £1,690 per month for students who will be studding at universities in the London metropolitan area to cover your living costs
- The scholarship will provides you with a Warm clothing allowance when applicable
- You will be eligible for a Thesis grant going towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation towards the end of your studies
- The student’s cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas will be covered with a study travel grant
- A child allowance of £590 per month for the first child, and £146 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16.
- An approved airfare from and back to the student’s home country will be awarded
Eligibility
To apply for these scholarships, you must:
- As an applicant, you must be citizen and resident of a commonwealth country or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person. Full list here
- You must be a permanent resident in your country of citizenship (Commonwealth country)
- By the start of the 2026 academic year, you must hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) standard, or (a second class degree together with a Master’s degree).
- You must be applying to start your studies by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2026
- Applicants must prove that they lack the ability to study at a UK university without this scholarship
- You must not have studied or worked for one year in a high income country for more than one year
Application
Apply for a Master’s degree programme at one of the participating Universities in the UK. You must also secure admission to your course in addition to applying for a Shared Scholarship.
Applicants must then complete the scholarship application before the set deadline. Your application must include the following supporting documentation by the closing date to be eligible for consideration:
- A copy of your valid passport and/ or national ID card as proof of your citizenship or refugee status of an eligible Commonwealth country
- Applicants must submit their academic transcripts of records detailing all their previous higher education qualifications to date
To apply, Click here
For more information, visit the official website here
