Applications are now open for the Commonwealth Masters Scholarships for the 2026/27 academic year

Ednah Carrick September 6, 2025

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Closing Date: 14 October 2025

Applications are now open for the Commonwealth Masters Scholarships for the 2026/27 academic year

Overview

The agency-nominated Master’s programme is one of three Master’s programmes offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and offers a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth. By attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to become leaders and innovators on returning to their home countries, the CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration.

Purpose: Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Masters Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.

Intended Beneficiaries: Commonwealth Masters Scholarships are for candidates from eligible low and middle income Commonwealth countries, to undertake full-time taught Master’s study at a UK university. These scholarships are offered under the six CSC development themes.

Applicant eligibility

To be considered for these scholarships, applicants 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 academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2026.
By September 2026, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)*.
Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format

Financial assistance

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 £1,452 per month, or £1,781 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
If a Scholar has children and is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of child allowance of £622 per month for the first child, and £154 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if their children are living with them at the same address in the UK.

How to apply

The scholarships are for study in the UK beginning in September/October 2026.

CSC is currently experiencing issues with the application system related to a high level of user traffic; your patience is appreciated while the IT team are working to resolve these.

Applications to the CSC must be made using the application system, CSC Central. The CSC is unable to accept any applications or documentation not submitted via CSC Central.

CSC is launching a new application system for this round and the form will look and feel different to that of previous years.