There is a nominating agency for Commonwealth Scholarships in each Commonwealth country. In addition, universities and university bodies in a number of developing Commonwealth countries are invited to nominate candidates to the CSC. Each year, the CSC invites each nominating agency/university/university body to forward a specific number of nominations. Each nominating agency/university/university body is responsible for its own selection process, and in most cases they will set a closing date in the months preceding the CSC's deadline for nominations (21 December 2011).
- List of nominating agencies invited to nominate candidates, with contact details
- List of universities/university bodies invited to nominate candidates for split-site (PhD) study
- List of universities/university bodies invited to nominate their own academic staff members for Master's, PhD, and split-site (PhD) study
Approximately 200-230 scholarships are awarded each year. The CSC invites around three times more nominations than scholarships available – therefore, nominated candidates are not guaranteed to get a scholarship. There are no quotas for scholarships for any individual country. Candidates nominated by national nominating agencies are in competition with those nominated by universities/university bodies, and the same standards will be applied to applications made through either channel.
Terms and conditions and eligibility
- Commonwealth Scholarships prospectus 2012 – includes full details of the terms and conditions (please note in particular the eligibility criteria)
- Additional requirements for awards involving clinical training in medicine and dentistry
Applications are considered according to the following selection criteria:
- Academic merit of the candidate
- Quality of the proposal
- Likely impact of the work on the development of the candidate's home country
For more information, see Selection criteria 2012.
Levels of study
You can apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship for the following levels of study:
- Master's
- PhD
- Split-site, where the CSC supports one year's study at a UK university as part of a PhD being undertaken in your home country
All subject areas are eligible, although the CSC's selection criteria give priority to those applications that demonstrate strong relevance to development.
You are requested to apply for a course of study at a UK university which has agreed to offer a tuition fee contribution.
- List of UK universities which have agreed to offer tuition fee contributions in 2011 – the CSC anticipates that these universities will enter into similar agreements in 2012-2013
How to apply
All applications must be made through your nominating agency (or university/university body, if applicable) in your home country. You must check with them in the first instance for specific advice on how to make an application and for their own closing dates. The CSC cannot accept any applications direct from candidates.
The CSC expects all candidates being considered for a Commonwealth Scholarship to be nominated by an approved nominating agency/university/university body, and to have completed an application form using our Electronic Application System (EAS).
Full help on how to complete an application form using the EAS is provided in our guides, which should be read in full before making any attempt to use the EAS.
The EAS will close to applicants on 7 December 2011 and no further applications can be made after that date. The CSC will not accept any applications which are not submitted via the EAS to the nominating agency/university/university body in the candidate's home country.
Please note that all enquiries about these scholarships should be directed to the nominating agency/university/university body in your home country.
