Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships 2020 in UK
  • Full Scholarship

Commonwealth is accepting applications for Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships. These scholarships are for Ph.D. candidates from low and middle-income Commonwealth countries, to spend up to 12 months at a UK university as part of their doctoral studies in their home country.

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Funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK. These scholarships are offered under six themes:

  • Science and technology for development
  • Strengthening health systems and capacity
  • Promoting global prosperity
  • Strengthening global peace, security and governance
  • Strengthening resilience and response to crises
  • Access, inclusion and opportunity

The Commonwealth is a voluntary association of 53 independent and equal sovereign states. The Commonwealth is home to 2.4 billion people and includes both advanced economies and developing countries. Thirty-one of their members are small states, many of which are island nations. Their shared values and principles are inscribed in the Commonwealth Charter Member countries are supported by a network of more than 80 intergovernmental, civil society, cultural and professional organizations.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the main UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. The CSC is an executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for International Development (DFID).

The CSC operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and is a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth. By supporting innovators and leaders of the future from across the Commonwealth, and by attracting outstanding talent to Britain’s universities, their work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest. They use rigorous procedures to ensure that their programs promote equity and inclusion, reward merit, and deliver widespread access, especially to those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Location:

United Kingdom

Benefits

Each scholarship provides:

  • 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 dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before your award is 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 (rates quoted at 2019-2020 levels)
  • Warm clothing allowance, where applicable
  • Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas
  • If you are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £476 per month for the first child, and £117 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if you are accompanied by your children and they are living with you at the same address in the UK (rates quoted at 2019-2020 levels)
  • If you declare a disability, a full assessment of your needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC

*The CSC’s family allowances are intended to be only a contribution towards the cost of maintaining your family in the UK. The true costs are likely to be considerably higher, and you must be able to supplement these allowances in order to support any family members who come to the UK with you.

Eligibilities

To apply for these scholarships, applicants must:

  • Be a citizen of or have been granted refugees status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person
  • Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country
  • Be registered for a PhD at a university in an eligible Commonwealth country by the time their scholarship is confirmed (September 2020)
  • Ensure that an institutional or departmental link exists between their home university and their proposed UK university. This link must be greater than simply a collaboration between individuals — see ‘Tenure and placement’ on page 4 for further details in the ‘Terms and conditions’ pdf file available at the official link. Both supervisors must provide a supporting statement which includes details of the link in order for candidates’ application to be eligible
  • Be available to start their academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2020
  • By October 2020, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a second class degree (2:2) and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree)
  • Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format
  • Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship
Eligible Regions: Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, St Helena, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Tanzania, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia.

Application Process

  • Apply online through the given link.
  • You should apply to study at a UK university which has a part funding agreement with the CSC. Part funding agreements are at the discretion of individual universities.
  • 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.
  • All applications, including must be submitted by 4:00 PM (UTC) on November 6, 2019 at the latest.
  • 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.
  • Your application must include the following supporting documentation by 4:00 PM (UTC) on November 27, 2019 in order for your application to be eligible for consideration:
    • Proof of citizenship or refugee status copy of your valid passport (or national ID card) showing your photograph, date of birth and country of citizenship or refugee status — uploaded to the online application system
    • Full transcripts detailing all your higher education qualifications including to-date transcripts for any qualifications you are currently studying (with certified translations if not in English) – uploaded to the online application system
  • Supporting statement from your supervisor at your home country university, which must include details of the institutional link between the university where you are/will be registered for your PhD and your proposed UK university – submitted directly by your supervisor to the online application system (supervisors will be sent an email request).
  • Supporting statement from your proposed supervisor at a UK university, which must include details of the institutional link between the university where you are/will be registered for your PhD and your proposed UK university – submitted directly by your supervisor to the online application system (supervisors will be sent an email request).
  • Reference from at least one other individual – submitted directly by the referee to the online application system (referees will be sent an email request). The CSC will not accept supporting documentation submitted outside the online application system.
  • Supporting documentation uploaded to the online application system must be uploaded as files which are no more than 5 MB in size and must be in one of the following formats: PDF, .doc, .docx, .odt, .jpg, .jpeg. Files submitted in any other format (including Zip files and PDF Portfolios) will NOT be accepted.
  • Only one application per applicant for these scholarships will be accepted.
  • Only the application with the latest submission date, including submission of references and supporting statements will be accepted. Any modifications to an application will count as a later submission date.
  • You are not required to apply via a nominating body for these scholarships.

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Application Deadline: November 6, 2019

Application ClosedOfficial link

For Further Queries

For further information please visit the official link.
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