The 2014/2015 Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for students from developing countries to do taught Master’s courses in the UK are now open for applications. Commonwealth Shared Scholarships was set up by the Department for International Development (DFID) in 1986 in a unique partnership between the United Kingdom government and UK universities. All courses sponsored under the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship must be demonstrably relevant to the economic, social or technological development of the candidate’s home country. Awards are available at participating institutions in the UK only.
Duration: Awards are normally tenable for one-year taught postgraduate courses only
Worth of Commonwealth Shared Scholarships 2014
- DFID and participating UK institutions will jointly meet the full costs of an award holder’s study in the UK including air fares to and from the UK.
- Maintenance allowance is paid by the scholar’s host institution, at the level set by the UK Government: £1,173 per month for scholars based in London and £948 per month for the rest of the UK.
- A grant of up to £225 to cover thesis (Master’s) costs is available; also available is £200 for study travel.
- The cost of up to 10 Kilograms of excess baggage (books only) is available for scholars returning home at the end of their awards.
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- be nationals of (or permanently domiciled in) a developing Commonwealth country, and not currently be living or studying in a developed country [Applicants must be from one of the following countries: Anguilla, Nauru, Antigua and Barbuda Nigeria, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Barbados, Papua New Guineas, Belize, Pitcairn, Bermuda, Rwanda, Botswana, St Helena, British Virgin Islands, St Kitts and Nevis, Cameroon, St Lucia, Dominica, St Vincent, Falkland Islands, Seychelles, Fiji*, Sierra Leone, Gambia, Solomon Islands, Ghana, South Africa, Grenada, Sri Lanka, Guyana, Swaziland, India, Tanzania, Jamaica, Tonga, Kenya, Trinidad and Tobago, Kiribati, Tristan da Cunha, Lesotho, Turks and Caicos, Malawi, Tuvalu, Malaysia, Uganda, Maldives, Vanuatu, Mauritius, Namibia, Western Samoa, Montserrat, Zambia, Mozambique, Zimbabwe*] *(countries where awards offered focus on building the capacity of civil society organisations)
- hold a first degree at either first or upper second class level
- be sufficiently fluent in English to pursue the course
- have not previously studied for one year or more in a developed country
- be able to confirm in writing that neither they or their families would otherwise be able to pay for the proposed course of study
- be willing to confirm that they will return to their home country as soon as their period of study is complete
How to Apply
Please read the following instructions very carefully.
- Applicants should first decide the course and university to apply to and make sure that they meet all admission conditions set by the university. A list of participating universities and eligible courses can be found in the 2013 prospectus. (see link below)
- Applicants should find out how the particular universities they are interested in normally award the scholarship. Some schools will only refer admitted candidates to apply through the Commonwealth Electronic Application System (EAS), while other schools expected all applicants to complete the EAS even if no admission decision has been made
- Remember to state in your application how your proposed course of study will benefit your country.
- Next step: download the prospectus through the link below and read it carefully, and follow all the instructions to apply. The scholarship is very competitive and incomplete or haphazardly completed applications may not be considered.
Deadline: Depends on the university. Ranges from December to early April. You can find specific deadlines in the prospectus.
For more information about the 2014 Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, click Commonwealth here
To access the EAS, and start your application, click EAS here
