2027 Commonwealth PhD Scholarships for International Students (Fully Funded)

Full Job Description

Deadline: October 20, 2026.

Commonwealth PhD Scholarships are for applicants from least developed countries and vulnerable states, as classified by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), in the Commonwealth, for full-time doctoral study at a UK university.

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.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

To apply for this scholarship, 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 2027.

• By September 2027, 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)*.

• Not be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, before September/October 2026.

• Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.

• Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES

Please note that only candidates from the eligible countries listed below can apply for Commonwealth PhD Scholarships.

Bangladesh, The Gambia, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda & Zambia.

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 £1,712 per month, or £2,000 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).

• Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.

• Provision towards the cost of fieldwork undertaken overseas (the cost of one economy class return airfare to the fieldwork location), where approved.

• Paid mid-term visit (airfare) to the Scholar’s home country, unless they have claimed or intend to claim spouse and/or child allowances during their scholarship or have received a return airfare to their home country for fieldwork.

• Family allowances, as follows (rates quoted at current levels):

• If a Scholar is accompanied by their spouse but no children: spouse allowance of £313 per month for a maximum period of nine months, if they and their spouse are living together at the same address in the UK (unless the spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply).

• If a Scholar is accompanied by their spouse and children: spouse allowance of £313 per month and child allowance of £313 per month for the first child, and £154 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if their spouse and children are living with them at the same address in the UK (unless their spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply).

• 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.

• If a Scholar is accompanied by their spouse but no children: spouse allowance of £313 per month for a maximum period of nine months, if they and their spouse are living together at the same address in the UK (unless the spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply).

• If a Scholar is accompanied by their spouse and children: spouse allowance of £313 per month and child allowance of £313 per month for the first child, and £154 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if their spouse and children are living with them at the same address in the UK (unless their spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply).

• 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.

If a Scholar shares that they have a disability, a full assessment of their needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.

In the application form, applicants are asked to:

• List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications obtained.

• List up to 10 publications and prizes.

• Provide details of employment history and explain how the experience gained supports and is relevant to the programme to be undertaken in the UK.

• List names and positions of three referees who are qualified to comment on both their capacity to benefit from the proposed Scholarship in the UK and their ability to deliver development impact afterwards. One of the referees must be a current employer (if applicable) and at least two references must be included with the application.

• Provide a Development Impact statement in four parts.

In the first part applicants should explain how the proposed scholarship relates to:

• Development issues at the global, national, and local level

• Development issues connected to the chosen CSC development theme and the wider sector

The second part should explain how they intend to apply their new skills once the Scholarship ends.

The third part should outline what they expect will change in development terms following the Scholarship, including:

• The outcomes that they aim to achieve

• The timeframe for their implementation

• Who the beneficiaries will be

In the fourth part applicants should write about how the impact of their work could be best measured and evidenced.

Applicants are also asked to:

• Confirm what their award objectives are and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programme.

• Confirm what their career plans are for the 5 years following the Scholarship.

• Confirm their long-term career plans.

• Provide a detailed plan of study.

• Provide a personal statement to summarise the ways in which their personal background has encouraged them to want to make an impact in their home country. Applicants may wish to highlight any areas where they have already made significant contributions, including overcoming personal or community barriers in accessing higher education or within their field.

• Summarise the ways in which they have engaged in voluntary activities and the opportunities they have had to demonstrate leadership.

Find more information on the OFFICIAL WEBSITE

Extracted from a public opportunity page using specific title, application/deadline, eligibility and benefit signals. Aggregator/news pages remain review-controlled unless an official provider page is successfully verified.