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Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships
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The Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships benefit extraordinary students from the Commonwealth countries to study or work in the UK. Selected candidates will enjoy full coverage of their expenses with a monthly stipend. Around 800 students are chosen every year for their academic excellence and potential to impact a change in society through leadership, innovation, and other critical skills.
| Scholarship details | |
|---|---|
| Offered by | British Council |
| Amount granted | 35,500 USD |
| Type of scholarship | Merit-based |
| Level of program | Graduate & Doctoral |
| Application deadline | 18th October 2023 |
| Renewability | Timely renewed |
| International students | Students/ professionals from the Commonwealth countries |
| Official URL | Commonwealth Scholarships |
Having difficulty finding scholarships?
The British Council offers the following scholarships and fellowships for chosen candidates from India:
| Award | Category of beneficiaries | Brief description |
|---|---|---|
| Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships | Ph. D. scholars | Ph.D. scholars from the Commonwealth countries can conduct 12 months of their research in the UK |
| Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships | Master’s students | Enables candidates to pursue full-time master’s in the UK |
| Commonwealth Shared Scholarships | Master’s students | Enables candidates to pursue full-time master’s in the UK |
| Commonwealth Distance learning Scholarships | Master’s students | UK university |
| Commonwealth Professional Fellowships | Professionals | Allows professionals with at least 5 years work experience to work in a host institution in the UK |
| Commonwealth Gender and Sexuality Fellowships | Professionals | Allows professionals with at least 5 years work experience to work in a host institution in the UK |
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:
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
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
Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications
Supporting statement from a proposed supervisor in the UK from at least one institution listed in the application form and has to be directly submitted by the supervisor
Proof of citizenship. If the applicant is a refugee, documents showing refugee status are required
References from two individuals are to be submitted by the referee in the online application system
The documents uploaded on the online application system must not exceed 5 MB in size and must be in any of the following formats: PDF, Doc, Docx, JPG
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.