Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships

Most of the Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships are fully funded with coverage of expenses listed below:

• Academic fees
• Monthly living stipend - £1,236 (INR 1,30,609) or £1,516 (INR 1,60,197) per month
• Examination fee
• One flight ticket (Economy class) to and from the UK
• Grant for thesis or dissertation
• Warm clothing allowance
• Study-related travel expenses within the UK
• Fieldwork or research-related travel outside the UK
• Allowance for the dependants
• Commonwealth community membership
• Additional support for the disabled

Note: These scholarships are offered under six CSC development themes:

1. Science and technology for development
2. Strengthening health systems and capacity
3. Promoting global prosperity
4. Strengthening global peace, security, and governance
5. Strengthening resilience and response to crises
6. Access, inclusion, and opportunity

The Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships eligibility requirements include the following:

• Be a citizen of a Commonwealth country
• Fulfill the academic criteria relevant to each funding category
• 60% - 65% scores in the past qualifying exam
• Prove relevant skills and expertise
• English language certifications - IELTS, TOEFL, etc.
• Applicant’s age must be lesser than 40 years
• Students who are already studying abroad are not eligible
• Those students who have already been overseas for research/studies/training/specialization for a period of more than six months are also eligible for the scholarship. These students must have spent the next two years consecutively in India
• The study program must be related to any of the following six developmental themes prescribed by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC):
  • Science and technology for development
  • Strengthening health systems and capacity
  • Promoting global prosperity
  • Strengthening global peace, security, and governance
  • Strengthening resilience and response to crises
  • Access, inclusion, and opportunity

• Select the country from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission page
• View the options and start the application for the specific scholarship or fellowship
• Generally, candidates send their applications to a national nominating agency, a university, or select non-governmental organizations, depending on the scholarship/fellowship being applied for
• The mediator will process and forward the applications to the CSC

Apply here for Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship

• The National Commission of Commonwealth for India shortlists top applicants
• Shortlisted candidates will face an interview. Those who clear the interview round are nominated to the CSC
• The CSC will inform the selected candidates through email

For queries and concerns, students can use the contact form for Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships.

Disclaimer: Information on this page has been sourced from multiple sites, including the official website for Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships. Readers are advised to see the source website for the most recent updates in the information presented here, such as changes in dates, facts, etc.

No. It is mandatory that the beneficiaries must return to their home countries after the duration of their Commonwealth scholarship or fellowship.

Applicants for the Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships must have passed an international test for the English language, such as IELTS, TOEFL, etc., with the minimum score required for their program of study.

There is no specified minimum GPA to apply for the Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships, but it is mandatory that applicants must have excellent academic merit to be selected for Commonwealth funding.

The questions to be asked in the Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships interview will assess the applicant’s overall fit for the eligible type of scholarship or funding. You must be honest and give answers that align with the interests of the British Council.

Typical questions for the interview will center around how the scholarship helps your future goals, your intentions of serving your home country after the scholarship tenure, reasons for selecting the particular program of study and university, funding options for your study in the UK, etc.

The Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships are available for graduate and doctoral programs across all disciplines and for professional growth in the UK. The eligible courses include both full-time and distance learning programs for various programs of funding.