Commonwealth Shared Scholarships 2021/2022

Application Deadline: 9th April 2021 16.00 (GMT)

Offered annually? Yes

Eligible Countries: Eswatini, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, , Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tanzania, The Gambia, Tuvalu, Vanuatu.

To be taken at (country): Various UK Universities. Download CSS prospectus 2021 in Program Webpage Link below for full list of participating universities and respective deadlines.

Accepted Subject Areas: Commonwealth Shared Scholarship scheme is for taught Master’s courses only. All courses undertaken must be demonstrably relevant to the economic, social or technological development of the candidate’s home country.

About Scholarship: The Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, set up by the Department for International Development (DFID) in 1986, represent a unique partnership between the United Kingdom government and UK universities. To date, more than 3,500 students from developing Commonwealth countries have been awarded Shared Scholarships.

UK universities have offered to support the scholarships by contributing the stipend for the students from their own resources, or those which the university has been able to generate from elsewhere.

Offered Since: 1986

Eligibility: To apply for a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship scheme, candidates 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 start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2021
• By September 2021, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) standard, or a second class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree). The CSC typically does not fund a second UK Master’s degree. If you are applying for a second UK Master’s degree, you will need to provide justification as to why you wish to undertake this study.
• Not have studied or worked for one (academic) year or more in a high income country
• Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship

The CSC aims to identify talented individuals who have the potential to make change. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination, and encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates.

Selection: Each participating UK university will conduct its own recruitment process to select a specified number of candidates to be awarded Commonwealth Shared Scholarships. Universities must put forward their selected candidates to the CSC by May 2021. The CSC will then confirm that these candidates meet the eligibility criteria for this scheme. Universities will inform candidates of their results by July 2021.

Selection criteria include:

• Academic merit of the candidate
• Potential impact of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country

Number of Scholarships: More than 200 scholarships

Scholarship value:

• Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependents, nor the cost of journeys made before your award is confirmed) – arranged by the university; funded by the CSC
• Approved tuition fees – funded by the CSC
• Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,116 per month, or £1,369 per month for those studying at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2020-2021 levels) – paid and funded by the university
• Warm clothing allowance, where applicable – paid and funded by the university
• Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable – claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC
• Study travel grant towards the costs of study-related travel within the UK or overseas – claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC
• Excess baggage allowance, up to an annual approved limit, when returning home – claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC
• Reimbursement of the cost of a mandatory tuberculosis (TB) test, where required for a visa application (receipts must be supplied) – claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC
• If you are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £478 per month for the first child, and £118 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if you are accompanied by your children and they are living with you at the same address in the UK (rates quoted at 2020-2021 levels) Funded by the CSC
• Reimbursement of the cost of a mandatory tuberculosis (TB) test, where required for a visa application (receipts must be supplied)– claimed from and paid by the university; funded by the CSC.
• Additional allowances for spouses or other dependants are not usually available

Duration of scholarship: Awards are normally tenable for one-year taught postgraduate courses only.

How to Apply

1. You can apply to study one of the taught Master’s courses offered in the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship scheme. These scholarships do not cover undergraduate courses, PhD study, or any pre-sessional English language teaching, and are usually tenable for one year only. View a full list of eligible courses.
2. You must also secure admission to your course in addition to applying for a Shared Scholarship. You must check with your chosen university for their specific advice on when to apply, admission requirements, and rules for applying. View a full list of university contact details.
3. You must make your application using the CSC’s online application system, in addition to any other application that you are required to complete by your chosen university. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the online application system.
4. You can apply for more than one course and/or to more than one university, but you may only accept one offer of a Shared Scholarship.
5. To apply, access the CSC’s online application system.

Visit Scholarship Webpage for Details