Applications for Commonwealth Masters scholarships for the 2024/25 academic year have officially open for applicants to apply now.
What is the Commonwealth Masters Scholarships 2024?
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC) conducts the UK government’s scholarship program, which is directed by international development objectives.
It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and serves as an outstanding illustration of the United Kingdom’s continuous dedication to the Commonwealth.
The CSC’s work combines sustainable development with UK national interests and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration by attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to become leaders and innovators upon their return to their home countries.
How to apply for a Commonwealth Masters scholarships in Nigeria?
Applications for Commonwealth Master’s scholarships for the 2024/25 academic year have officially ended.
Applications must be submitted through the CSC’s online application system.
The CSC cannot accept any applications or documentation that are not submitted through the online application system.
Applicants are recommended to complete and submit applications as soon as possible, as the online application system will be extremely active in the days preceding the application deadline.
Applicants must not only apply to the CSC, but also to a nominating agency.
There are two kinds of nominating agencies for master’s scholarships:
The major application route is through national nominating agencies.
Selected non-governmental and philanthropic organizations.
Nominating agencies submit candidates to the CSC for selection. The CSC does not accept direct application for these scholarships.
Each nominating agency monitors its own selection procedure, which may include extra qualifying criteria. Applicants must verify with the nominating agency for specific application guidance and rules, as well as qualifying criteria.
Nominating agencies may set their own application deadlines.
Agencies will nominate candidates to the CSC by December 2024.
Applicants can expect to learn the results by July 2024. We will contact all applicants by email, and they should check all folders in their email accounts, including junk mail and spam folders.
A scholarship offer may be rescinded if a candidate is emailed but fails to answer within a short time
Application Supporting documentation
Applications must include supporting documentation to be considered.
Please keep in mind that candidates must collect references from referees on institution letterhead or in an email that clearly shows the sender’s details, and then upload them in PDF format to the application system together with other supporting material.
The references must be provided to the application system by the application deadline, and we will not accept references in any other way or after this date.
Applicants must upload the following papers with their applications:
Proof of their citizenship or refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: A copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) that includes a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship.
Full transcripts of any higher education qualifications, including up-to-date transcripts for any courses presently being taken, together with certified translations if not in English.
If any transcripts are missing or do not contain complete pages, the application will be deemed ineligible.
References from at least two people, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or in an email that clearly shows the sender’s information.
Applications will be deemed disqualified if any of the required documentation is not submitted by the closing deadline.
The CSC does not accept supporting documentation submitted outside of the online application system.
When completing the references, referees should be asked to remark as completely as possible on the applicant, bearing in mind the following elements to include, as appropriate:
How long, and in what?
How long and in what capacity has the referee known the applicant?
- The referee’s assessment of the applicant’s suitability for the proposed Scholarship and the need for the specific subject of study in the UK.
- Information on how and to what extent the applicant has demonstrated aptitude in terms of conceptual understanding and analytical reasoning; capacity for original ideas; and motivation and perseverance in reaching objectives.
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An assessment of the applicant’s specific strengths and limitations.
The applicant’s potential for influencing progress in their own nation. -
Any other general traits that the referee believes would qualify the applicant for a scholarship.
Please keep in mind that applying for any of the CSC’s scholarships or fellowships through its online application system is free of charge.
Applicant Eligibility
To qualify for these awards, applicants must:
Be a citizen or refugee of an eligible Commonwealth country, or a British Protected Person.
Be a permanent resident of an eligible Commonwealth country.
Be ready to begin academic studies in the UK before the start of the academic year in September 2024.
By September 2024, you must have a first degree with at least upper second-class (2:1) honours, or a lower second-class degree plus an appropriate postgraduate certificate (typically a Master’s degree)
The CSC does not often sponsor a second Master’s degree. If applying for a second Master’s degree, applicants must explain why they want to pursue this research.
Without this scholarship, I would be unable to afford to study in the UK.
I have given all the evidence appropriately.
The CSC understands that disabled people have frequently encountered and overcome problems or barriers in their educational journeys that have prevented them from meeting the academic requirements for a Commonwealth Scholarship.
Disabled applicants who can demonstrate their capacity to contribute to international development but do not have a 2:1 undergraduate degree may be considered for a contextualized nomination by the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum nominator.
For more information, please contact CDPF directly using the information found on their NGOs and charity body nominator’s page.
The CSC seeks to discover talented individuals with the ability to effect change. They are committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination, and welcome applications from a diverse spectrum of people.
For more information on the resources offered to scholars who disclose that they have a handicap, please consult the CSC disability support statement.
There is no age requirement for CSC applications. Applicants should establish with their employers any age limits for time off eligibility that may be in place.
Which countries are eligible for Commonwealth Scholarship?
Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are available to candidates from eligible low- and middle-income Commonwealth nations who wish to pursue full-time academic Master’s studies at a UK university.
Only candidates from the countries listed below are eligible to apply for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships.
Bangladesh
Belize
Botswana
Cameroon
Dominica
Eswatini
Fiji
Gabon Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
India
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Rwanda
Saint Helena St. Lucia
Saint Vincent & The Grenadines
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
The Gambia
Togo
Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu Zambia
Completing the application form
Applications must include supporting documentation to be considered.
Please keep in mind that candidates must collect references from referees on institution letterhead or in an email that clearly shows the sender’s details, and then upload them in PDF format to the application system together with other supporting material.
The references must be provided to the application system by the application deadline, and we will not accept references in any other way or after this date.
Applicants must upload the following papers with their applications:
Proof of their citizenship or refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: A copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) that includes a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship.
Complete transcripts indicating all higher education qualifications, including
accurate transcripts for all current courses, including certified translations if they’re not in English. If any transcripts are missing or do not contain complete pages, the application will be considered ineligible.
References from at least two people, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or in an email that clearly shows the sender’s information.
Applications will be considered disqualified if any of the required documentation is not submitted by the closing deadline.
The CSC does not accept supporting documentation submitted outside of the online application system.
When completing the references, referees should be asked to remark as completely as possible on the applicant, bearing in mind the following elements to include, as appropriate:
How long and in what capacity has the referee known the applicant?
The referee’s assessment of the applicant’s suitability for the proposed Scholarship and the need for the specific subject of study in the UK.
Information on how and to what extent the applicant has demonstrated aptitude in terms of conceptual understanding and analytical reasoning; capacity for original ideas; and motivation and perseverance in reaching objectives.
An assessment of the applicant’s specific strengths and limitations.
The applicant’s potential for impacting progress in their own nation.
Any other general qualities that the referee believes would qualify the applicant for a scholarship.
Please keep in mind that applying for any of the CSC’s scholarships or fellowships through its online application system is free of charge.
Selection process and criteria
Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:
- Academic merit
- research proposal
- Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s home country
For further details, see the Commonwealth Scholarships selection criteria.
Applicants should note the criteria carefully and link their answers in the application form to each point listed.
What are the benefits of the Commonwealth?
Each scholarship offers:
Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (the CSC will not pay the cost of dependant travel or journeys made prior to the award being confirmed).
Approved tuition fees: Full fees are covered by an agreement between the CSC and the UK university, and Scholars are not required to pay any portion of the tuition charge.
Stipend (living allowance) of £1,347 per month or £1,652 per month for individuals attending universities in the London metropolitan region (current rates quoted).
Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
Study travel grants cover the expense of study-related travel inside the UK or abroad.
If a Scholar has children and is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, they are entitled to a child allowance of £576.61 per month for the first child and £143 per month for the second and third children under the age of 16, provided they live at the same address in the UK.
If a Scholar discloses that they have a disability, the CSC will conduct a comprehensive review of their needs and eligibility for additional financial help.
The CSC’s family allowances are designed to be only a portion of the expense of supporting a Scholar’s family in the UK.
The actual expenditures are likely to be somewhat greater, and scholars must be able to supplement these allowances to support any