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Government scholarship, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC), funded by the FCDO

Commonwealth Master's Scholarships

Fully funded one-year UK taught master's for citizens of listed Commonwealth countries who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.
Official page for the Commonwealth Master's Scholarships (opens in a new tab)

What it pays

Full tuition fees, return airfare, a monthly stipend of GBP 1,712 (GBP 2,000 in London), and a study travel grant. Family allowances are only a partial contribution.

Fields: Any field

Who can apply

Citizens of 19 listed countries

Eligible country codes: BW, SZ, GA, GM, GH, KE, LS, MW, MU, MZ, NA, NG, RW, SL, ZA, TZ, TG, UG, ZM

  • You must be a citizen or refugee of an eligible country and permanently resident there. Eligible African countries: Botswana, Eswatini, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia.
  • You need a first degree of at least a 2:1 by September 2027, or a lower second plus a relevant postgraduate qualification.
  • You must show you cannot afford UK study without the scholarship and be able to start by September 2027.
  • Funding is for a one-year, full-time taught master's only, not an MBA. You cannot have completed a UK master's or held a Commonwealth master's scholarship before.

Deadline

Opens around mid-year and closes in October. 2027/28 round: 16:00 BST on 20 October 2026. Your nominating agency may set an earlier deadline.

Deadlines move a little every year and some close early. Confirm the date on the official page before you plan around it.

Documents you will need

  • Passport or national ID copy.
  • Full transcripts for all higher education, with certified translations if not in English.
  • At least two signed reference letters as PDFs, on letterhead or from a clearly identified email address.
  • All required documents must be uploaded by the deadline or the application is ineligible.

How to apply, step by step

  1. Step 1: Find your nominator

    The CSC takes no direct applications. Apply through your national nominating agency (the main route) or a participating NGO or charity, and check their own deadline and rules.

  2. Step 2: Create a CSC Central account

    Register on CSC Central and complete the online application.

  3. Step 3: List three UK university choices

    Choose three universities and courses in order of preference and apply for admission to them.

  4. Step 4: Upload documents and submit

    Upload your ID, transcripts and references before the deadline. You cannot edit the application after submitting.

  5. Step 5: Wait for the outcome

    Nominators put forward candidates to the CSC by December 2026, and outcomes are expected by July 2027. Nomination does not guarantee selection.
Official page for the Commonwealth Master's Scholarships (opens in a new tab)

Conditions if you accept

  • You must return home after the award and cannot switch to a UK graduate visa.
  • You must live in the UK during the award and need approval for overseas travel or paid work.
  • Awards can be ended for unsatisfactory conduct, progress or attendance.

Tips for a stronger application

  • Contact your national nominating agency early, because its deadline can be well before 20 October and its own rules may add requirements.
  • Line up referees now so the letters are signed and on proper letterhead before you submit.
  • Explain clearly how the course connects to development needs in your country. The scheme is aimed at impact at home.

Student visa guides

Winning the award does not include the visa. Plan your application with our guide for the host country.

Common questions

Sources

Checked against these official pages on 17 Oct 2026.

What we can and cannot promise

Jandify Global gives guidance and prepares documents. We do not decide visas, admissions or scholarships, and we cannot promise an outcome. Those decisions belong to embassies, universities and funders. Read the no guarantee policy.

This result uses the general rules. Your own documents, finances and history can change it. Have an advisor check your exact case.

  • GovernmentFully funded

    Chevening Scholarships

    UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations

    UK government scholarship for future leaders to study a one-year master's at a UK university, open to most African countries.

    Where
    United Kingdom
    Level
    Master's
    Pays
    Fully funded one-year UK master's: tuition fees, monthly living stipend (higher in London), economy flights, visa fee, arrival and departure allowances, travel top-up, TB test contribution up to GBP 75. Check current rates on chevening.org.
    Deadline
    Applications open in August and close in October each year. The 2027/28 round has already closed (October 2026), so the next chance is the 2028/29 round expected to open around August 2027. Check your country page for the exact date.
    Full details on Chevening Scholarships
  • GovernmentFully funded

    Commonwealth Shared Scholarships

    Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC), with UK universities

    UK university-nominated master's scholarships for citizens of listed Commonwealth countries, applied for through the university.

    Where
    United Kingdom
    Level
    Master's
    Pays
    Full tuition fees, return airfare, monthly stipend of GBP 1,452 (GBP 1,781 in London, paid by the university), thesis and study travel grants. Rates shown are from the 2026/27 round.
    Deadline
    Applied for through participating universities. The 2026/27 round is closed (universities passed applications to the CSC in March 2026). The 2027/28 round has not been announced on the CSC page, so check the CSC site and your chosen universities.
    Full details on Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
  • UniversityFully funded

    Clarendon Fund Scholarships

    University of Oxford (Clarendon Fund, with partner colleges and departments)

    Over 200 fully funded Oxford scholarships each year for new Master's and DPhil students in any subject, with no nationality restriction and no separate application form.

    Where
    United Kingdom
    Level
    Master's, PhD
    Pays
    Course fees in full (Home or Overseas rate) plus, for full-time scholars, an annual living grant of at least the UKRI minimum doctoral stipend (at least GBP 20,780 in 2025-26; check the current figure on ox.ac.uk). Part-time scholars receive a smaller study support grant. Paid for the period of fee liability.
    Deadline
    There is no separate deadline: apply to your Oxford course by its December or January funding deadline for entry in October 2027 (check the exact date on your course page). Divisions shortlist in February or March, most offers are emailed by the end of April, and if you hear nothing by mid-June you have not been selected.
    Full details on Clarendon Fund Scholarships
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