Commonwealth Split-Site PhD Scholarships

Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships are for candidates from low and middle income countries, as classified by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), in the Commonwealth, to conduct research at a university in the UK for 12 months.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), 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.

CSC Development Themes

• Science and technology for development
  • Commonwealth Scholarships are offered in any area of science or technology (including, for example, agriculture, veterinary science, or forestry), to develop knowledge and/or skills that are directly related to the specific needs of a low or middle-income country. Where possible, applications should cite expressed national or local priorities.
• Strengthening health systems and capacity
  • In order to improve health provision or outcomes for disadvantaged groups in low and middle income countries, Commonwealth Scholarships support the development of knowledge and/or skills across a range of approaches. These approaches include training staff to fill critical shortage areas; establishing better systems, processes, or management; health promotion and improving understanding of non-take up; and developing new treatments.
• Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship
  • Commonwealth Scholarships help to support economic prosperity in low and middle-income countries. The knowledge and/or skills gained could lead to, for example, enhanced trade capacity; improved economic understanding or decision-making by business or government; new products and services; or long-term capacity building, for example through the development of entrepreneurial skills.
• Strengthening global peace, security and governance
  • Commonwealth Scholarships develop knowledge and/or skills that will strengthen peace and security at national, regional, or international levels. Multiple approaches are studied and implemented by the Scholars, such as strengthening open and transparent governance; improving mutual understanding within and between societies; or building systems that reduce the potential for conflict or encourage its resolution.
• Strengthening resilience and response to crises
  • Commonwealth Scholarships are awarded in subjects that address a broad range of threats, including natural and physical disasters; long-term threats such as climate change; interruptions to the supply of key resources; and sudden economic or technological disruption and developing new treatments.
• Access, inclusion and opportunity
  • Commonwealth Scholarships help to promote opportunity amongst historically disadvantaged groups in low and middle-income countries. The Commonwealth Scholars expand educational opportunities; conduct community outreach; enhance access to decision-making; and increase understanding of the barriers faced. A range of disadvantage is addressed through the Commonwealth Scholars’ work – including social, economic, gender, ethnic, regional, and political.

Funding Information

• 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 £1,347 per month, or £1,652 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
  • Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
  • Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
  • If a Scholar is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £576.61 per month for the first child, and £143 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.
• Award Duration
  • 12 months, which can be taken as a single 12-month period or separated into two six-month periods.

Intended Beneficiaries

• High-quality graduates from Least Developed and middle- income countries (including fragile and conflict affected states) who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK but who have the potential to become influential leaders, teachers, or researchers in their home countries, and whose proposed research has a developmental and leadership focus.

Eligible Countries

Please note that only applicants from the eligible countries listed below can apply for Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships in 2024/25:

• Bangladesh
• Belize
• Botswana
• Cameroon
• Dominica
• Eswatini
• Fiji
• Gabon
• Ghana
• Grenada
• Guyana
• India
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Lesotho
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mauritius
• Montserrat
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Nauru
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Papua New Guinea
• Rwanda
• Saint Helena
• Saint Lucia
• Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
• Samoa
• Sierra Leone
• Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• Tanzania
• The Gambia
• Togo
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Uganda
• Vanuatu
• Zambia

Eligibility Criteria

To apply for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country.
• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
• Be registered for a PhD at a university in an eligible Commonwealth country by the time the scholarship starts in September 2024.
• Ensure that an institutional or departmental link exists between the home university and proposed UK university. This link must be greater than simply a collaboration between individuals – see section on ‘Tenure and placement’ below for further details. Both supervisors must provide a supporting statement with further details of the link to ensure the application is eligible.
• Be available to start academic study in the UK in September 2024.
• By September 2024, 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).
• Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
• Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

For more information, visit Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK.