Applications are now open for the fully funded 2026 Commonwealth Professional Fellowships for mid-career professionals from low and middle income countries

Ednah Carrick July 30, 2025

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Closing Date: 22 August 2025

Applications are now open for the fully funded 2026 Commonwealth Professional Fellowships for mid-career professionals from low and middle income countries

Overview

Commonwealth Professional Fellowships are for mid-career professionals from low and middle income countries to spend a period of time at a UK host organisation working in their sector for a programme of professional development.

Purpose: To provide professionals with the opportunity to enhance knowledge and skills in their given sector, and to have catalytic effects on their workplaces.

Intended beneficiaries: Mid-career professionals (with five years’ relevant work experience) working organisations in low and middle income Commonwealth countries.

The Commonwealth Professional Fellowships are offered under six development themes:

Science and technology for development
Strengthening health systems and capacity
Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship
Strengthening global peace, security and governance
Strengthening resilience and response to crises
Access, inclusion and opportunity

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) aims to identify talented individuals who have the potential to make change. CSC is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination, and encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates. For further information on the support available to candidates with a disability, see the CSC disability support statement.

Eligibility

To be eligible for these Fellowships, prospective Fellows 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
Have at least five years’ full-time, or equivalent part-time, relevant work experience, in a profession related to the subject of the fellowship programme, by the proposed start of the fellowship – voluntary work experience will not be counted towards this minimum
Be in employment at the time of application at an organisation that they will return to upon completion of the fellowship
Provide at least two references, one of which must be from their current employer. Any applications for which references are not received will be considered ineligible.
Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship within the last five years (at the time of taking up the award)
Not be seeking to undertake an academic programme of research or study. Academics are eligible to apply for the scheme, but only to undertake programmes of academic management, not research or courses relevant to their research subject
Be available to undertake their fellowship from the prescribed start date

In addition to the above, prospective fellows must ensure they meet any eligibility criteria set out by each individual host organisation.

Financial Assistance

Each Fellowship provides:

Approved return airfare from the Fellow’s home country to the UK. 
Reimbursement of the standard visa application fee. 
Stipend (living allowance) payable monthly (or pro rata) for the duration of the award at the rate of £2,104 per month, or £2,612 per month for those at organisations in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2024/25 levels). 
If a Fellow declares a disability, a full assessment of needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC. See the CSC disability support statement for more information. 
Arrival allowance of up to £1,183.20 (rates quoted at 2024/25 levels), including an element for warm clothing. 
A maximum of £2,000 per Fellow can be agreed by host organisations for short courses/conferences as well as travel to visit other UK organisations where this forms an integral part of the programme. Host organisations should bear in mind the restrictions set out in our guidance on claimable costs.

How to Apply

Applications for the 2026 Professional Fellowship are now open. To apply for a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship you must complete the online application form

All of the CSC’s scholarship schemes are highly competitive. This means that many very able applicants will be disappointed. Only candidates whose applications are outstanding across the board are likely to be successful. You must therefore consider carefully what you choose to include in your application.

Host organisation programmes

Details for each host organisation running a programme for the 2026 professional fellowships programme are listed on the official website under the ‘host organisation programmes’ tab.

Please read the details of these programmes and select the most appropriate programme for you.