2020 Commonwealth Scholarship (PhD) is for doctoral candidates from high-income Commonwealth countries, for full-time doctoral study at a UK university for awards commencing in January 2021.
These scholarships are funded by the UK Department for Education in conjunction with UK universities to support world-class research and to contribute to UK higher education and research to help sustain international recognition of the UK higher education system and for the benefit of wider society. The CSC does not offer scholarships to candidates from high-income Commonwealth countries who have already started their PhD study in the UK.
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The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) is one of the largest and most prestigious international scholarship schemes in the world. Since it was established in 1959, around 35,000 individuals have held a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship – 27,000 of them were funded by the UK government, through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC).
The CSC awards over 800 scholarships and fellowships for postgraduate study and professional development to Commonwealth citizens each year.
The CSC’s Secretariat is provided by the Association of Commonwealth Universities, based in London; overseas services are provided by the British Council.
Selection process
Eligible applications will be will undergo a first sifting process based on academic merit, from this sift a shortlist will be created and only those who have made the shortlist will be considered; firstly by an academic adviser with expertise in the subject area concerned, and then by the CSC selection committee in competition with other candidates.
Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:
- Academic merit of the candidate
- Quality of the research proposal
- Potential of the candidate to lead in the pursuit of global excellence in research and knowledge
Featured Image: The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK
Location:
United KingdomBenefits
The scholarship value includes:
- Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependents, nor usually, the cost of journeys made before your award is finally confirmed)
- Approved tuition fees
- Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,110 per month, or £1,362 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area.
- Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable.
- Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
- Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
- Provision towards the cost of fieldwork undertaken overseas (usually the cost of one economy class return airfare to your fieldwork location), were approved.
- Paid mid-term visit (airfare) to your home country (unless you have claimed (or intend to claim) spouse and/or child allowances during your scholarship, or have received a return airfare to your home country for fieldwork)
- Family allowances, as follows:
- If you are accompanied by your spouse but no children: spouse allowance of £239 per month for a maximum period of nine months, if you and your spouse are living together at the same address in the UK (unless your spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply)
- If you are accompanied by your spouse and children: spouse allowance of £239 per month and child allowance of £239 per month for the first child, and £117 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if your spouse and children are living with you at the same address in the UK (unless your spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply)
- If you are accompanied by your children but no spouse: child allowance of £478 per month for the first child, and £117 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if your children are living with you at the same address in the UK
- For more information please visit the official link.
Eligibilities
To apply for these fellowships, you must:
- Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country
- Show evidence that you are permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country. You must have lived in an eligible Commonwealth country for a continuous period of five years within the last ten years. If the CSC is unable to determine this from your application, you will be contacted to provide further evidence.
- Be available to start your academic studies in the UK between January/February 2021 (to be agreed by the CSC)
- Hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree) by the time of submitting your scholarship application
- Not be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, at a UK university before January 2021
- Not have commenced and be currently registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, in your home country or elsewhere
- Hold an unconditional offer from your chosen university/universities listed on your CSC online application, at the point of being notified that you have been provisionally selected for an award by the CSC*
- References from at least 2 individuals
- A supporting statement from a proposed supervisor at one or more of the UK universities
- Provided all supporting documentation in the required format
*When applying for this scholarship you should ensure that you have contacted your chosen university/universities to confirm you are able to secure admission between January 2021; please be aware that some universities may not offer January 2021 admission for some of their courses.
Eligible Regions: Anguilla,Australia,Bahamas,Barbados,Bermuda,British Virgin Islands,Brunei Darussalam,Canada,Cayman Islands,Cyprus,Falkland Islands,Gibraltar,Malta,New Zealand,Seychelles,St Kitts and Nevis,Trinidad and Tobago ,Turks and Caicos IslandsApplication Process
- You must make your application directly to the CSC using the CSC’s online application system. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the online application system. You are not required to apply via a nominating body for these scholarships.
Only one application per applicant for these scholarships will be accepted. - You are advised to complete and submit your application as soon as possible, as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.
- Supporting documentation: Your application must include supporting documentation by 17:00 (BST) on 10 August 2020. In order for your application to be eligible for consideration, your supporting documentation must include the following:
- Proof that you are a citizen of an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of your valid passport (or national ID card) showing your photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship – uploaded to the online application system
- Full transcripts detailing all your higher education qualifications listed on your online application form (with certified translations if not in English). All transcripts must be up to date at the time of submitting your application, including any transcripts to date for qualifications for which you are currently reading – uploaded to the online application system
- References from at least two individuals – submitted directly by the referee to the online application system (referees will be sent an email request).
A supporting statement from a proposed supervisor at one or more of the UK universities named on your application form – submitted directly by your supervisor to the online application system (supervisors will be sent an email request).
The CSC will not accept supporting documentation submitted outside the online application system.
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Application Deadline: July 20, 2020
Application ClosedOfficial link
