Overview
Scholarship type
Number of scholarships to award
Grant
Scholarship coverage
- tuition fee reduction
- living expenses
- travel expenses
- other
Description
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships are for candidates from least developed countries and fragile states in the Commonwealth, for full-time doctoral study at a UK university.
Benefits
Each scholarship provides:
Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before the award is confirmed).
Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by agreement between the CSC and the UK university, and Scholars are not liable to pay for any part of the tuition fee.
Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,712 per month, or £2,000 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
Provision towards the cost of fieldwork undertaken overseas (the cost of one economy class return airfare to the fieldwork location), where approved.
Paid mid-term visit (airfare) to the Scholar’s home country.
Eligibility
To apply for these scholarships, you must:
- Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person
- Be a permanent resident in an eligible Commonwealth country
- Be available to start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year
- Hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2.1) honours standard, or a second class degree (2.2) and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree).
- NOT be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, in your home country or elsewhere
- Have support of a potential supervisor from at least one UK university listed in your application form
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship
- Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format
Scholarship requirements
Disciplines
Locations
Nationality
Study experience required
Age
Application
Application deadline
Applications for Commonwealth PhD scholarships for the 2027/28 academic year will open on Tuesday 8 September. The closing date for applications to be received is 16.00 BST on Tuesday 20 October.