Commonwealth Scholarships
This historic award is the UK’s primary scholarship scheme focused on supporting British international development goals. It is designed to attract outstanding talent to UK universities whilst also supporting sustainable development overseas.
Started in 1960 Commonwealth Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are offered to citizens from low and middle income Commonwealth countries. The Commonwealth Scholarship scheme is aimed at students from across the Commonwealth who would not otherwise be able to afford to study in the UK. Commonwealth Scholarships are given to talented individuals with the potential to make a positive impact on the global stage. By funding postgraduate studies in a range of different study formats, the scheme helps to support future innovators and leaders.
As part of the UK’s ongoing commitment to the Commonwealth, each year around 800 students are given the chance to undertake postgraduate degrees with UK universities.Since its inception more than 28000 individuals have received commonwealth scholarships.
If you are from a Commonwealth country and believe you could make a difference to the world but you can’t afford to fund your UK studies on your own, then you could be the ideal candidate for a Commonwealth Scholarship.
Benefits of Commonwealth Scholarship
Most scholarships are fully funded, which means that, as well as covering your tuition fees, you will also receive your airfare to and from the UK, and a living allowance to support you while you are here.
Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,116 per month, or £1,369 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area approximately.
What types of awards are available?
The Commonwealth Scholarships Commission offers:
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships
Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships
Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships
Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
Commonwealth Distance learning Scholarships
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships
Commonwealth Medical Fellowships
Commonwealth Professional Fellowships
CSC Development Themes:
All Commonwealth Scholarships which are funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) are offered under six CSC development themes .
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.
There is no restriction on what you can study but the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission gives priority to applicants whose studies aremost relevant to their development criteria.
Eligibility
(i) The applicant must be a Citizen of India.
(ii) The applicant must be a permanent resident of India.
(iii)The applicant must be available to start his/her academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2021.
(iv) The applicant should have completed or is expected to complete his/her Bachelor Degree by October with at least upper second class (2:1).
(v) The applicant must not be able to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship. (Candidates are compulsorily required to sign a declaration that they do not have access to sufficient funds to study in the UK).
(vi) Candidates who have already been abroad for studies/training/ specialization either on scholarships or on their own, for a period exceeding six months are eligible to apply, if they have been in India for at least two consecutive years as on 21 February 2021 after returning from abroad.
(vii) Candidates must have an offer from admission from a UK University for the September/October 2021 intake at the time of applying to be considered for this scholarship. Candidates who have an offer of admission for the 2020 September/October academic session are also eligible to apply if they have decided to defer their offer by a year and the University has accepted their request to defer
How to Apply
Depending on which scholarship you are applying for, you may need to apply through a National Nominating Agency , a university , or a Non-Governmental Organisation .
To find out how to apply for each of the scholarships, please visit the CSC apply page . In India Ministry of HRD is the agency for scholarship. The application can be made online through ministry of education porta:
http://proposal.sakshat.ac.in/scholarship/
What do I Need to Apply
To begin your online application, you’ll need a scanned copy of your passport, your academic transcript, your existing university degree certificate, two references and, if you have one, your admission letter.
What is the deadline for applications
The applications are open between December to January.
