Commonwealth Shared Scholarships 2027-2028 for a master’s degree in the United Kingdom
About
The Commonwealth Shared Scholarships 2027/2028 offer an exceptional opportunity for students from eligible Commonwealth countries to pursue a fully funded master’s degree at participating universities in the United Kingdom. Funded jointly by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) and UK universities, the program aims to support talented individuals who would otherwise be unable to afford postgraduate studies in the UK and who have the potential to contribute to the sustainable development of their home countries.
Applications for the 2027/2028 academic year opened on 10 November 2026 and will close on 8 December 2026 at 16:00 GMT. Studies will begin in September or October 2027
Table of contents
What are the Commonwealth Shared Scholarships?
The Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are among the UK government’s flagship international scholarship programs. They provide full financial support for talented students from eligible low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries to undertake selected master’s programs at participating UK universities.
The scholarships are designed to support future leaders, innovators, and professionals whose studies will contribute to the social and economic development of their home countries.
Importantly, these awards are available only for master’s degree programs and cannot be used for undergraduate or PhD studies.
Application requirements of Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
- Be a citizen of an eligible Commonwealth country or have been granted refugee status there, and be permanently resident in an eligible country.
- Be available to begin studies in the UK at the start of the academic year in septembre 2027.
- Hold, by septembre 2027, an undergraduate degree with at least upper second-class honours (2:1), or a lower second-class degree accompanied by a relevant postgraduate qualification, usually a master’s degree.
- Not have studied or worked for one academic year or more in a high-income country.
- Be unable to fund studies in the UK without this scholarship.
- Provide all supporting documents in the required format.
The CSC sets no age limit. Distance learning with a university located in a high-income country is permitted where the applicant has remained in their country of residence; this situation must be specified in the form.
Commonwealth Shared Scholarships benefits
The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship is fully funded and includes:
- Full tuition fee coverage;
- Round-trip airfare from the scholar’s home country to the UK;
- Monthly living allowance;
- Higher monthly allowance for scholars studying in the London metropolitan area;
- Warm clothing allowance where applicable;
- Thesis or dissertation grant where required;
- Study travel grant for academic travel related to the program;
- Contribution toward mandatory tuberculosis (TB) test costs when required for visa applications;
- Additional child allowance for eligible scholars with dependent children.
Eligible fields of study of Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
Scholarships are offered for courses aligned with the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s six development themes.
Access, inclusion and opportunity
Programs focusing on:
- Education;
- Social inclusion;
- Community development;
- Gender equality;
- Social policy.
Improving population health, health systems and capacity
Programs related to:
- Public health;
- Global health;
- Mental health;
- Epidemiology;
- Clinical research;
- Healthcare systems.
Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship
Programs supporting:
- Entrepreneurship;
- Innovation management;
- Economic development.
Science and technology for development
Programs covering:
- Computer science;
- Artificial intelligence;
- Data science;
- Engineering;
- Technology innovation.
Strengthening peace, security and governance
Programs related to:
- Governance;
- Public policy;
- Diplomacy;
- Law and society.
Strengthening resilience and response to crises
Programs addressing:
- Climate resilience;
- Disaster management;
- Sustainable development;
- Humanitarian challenges.
Eligible African countries for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
The African countries on the eligibility list are: South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Uganda, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo and Zambia. The programme is also open to several eligible countries outside Africa.
Funding
Participating universities must cover the living costs component of the scholarship. The text provided specifies neither an amount nor details of other expenses covered.
Application procedure for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
Step 1: choose an eligible course
Applicants must select a master’s program from the list of approved Commonwealth Shared Scholarship courses offered by participating UK universities.
Step 2: apply to a UK university
Candidates must submit a separate admission application directly to their chosen university and meet all university-specific requirements.
Step 3: submit the scholarship application
Applications must be completed through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s online application system
Applicants may apply to several courses and universities, but only one Commonwealth Shared Scholarship offer may be accepted. Universities will submit their nominations to the CSC in mars 2027 for approval.
Supporting documents for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
- A copy of a valid passport or national identity card showing the photograph, date of birth and country of citizenship, as evidence of the citizenship or refugee status claimed.
- Full transcripts for all higher education studies, including courses currently being taken, with certified translations where the documents are not in English.
- At least two signed references, in PDF format, on institutional letterhead or in an email clearly identifying the sender.
Documents and references must be uploaded to CSC Central before the deadline. Incomplete applications and documents sent by other means are not accepted. Once submitted, an application cannot be amended.
Deadline
Applications close on 8 décembre 2026 à 16 h GMT. Applicants are advised to submit their application well in advance to avoid difficulties caused by heavy traffic on the platform.
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