Commonwealth Shared Scholarship 2027 in UK | Fully Funded

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship 2027 is one of three Master’s programmes offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and supports high-quality postgraduate students from eligible Commonwealth countries to study a Master’s in the UK.

The scholarship is administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC), which delivers the UK government scholarship scheme as part of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan and aims to contribute to development needs by training skilled professionals and academics.

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Benefits

• Approved airfare from the scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (CSC will not reimburse fares for dependants or journeys before award confirmation).
• Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by agreement between the CSC and the UK university.
• Stipend (living allowance) of £1,712 per month.
• Stipend (living allowance) of £2,000 per month for universities in the London metropolitan area.
• Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable.
• Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
• Contribution towards the cost of a mandatory tuberculosis (TB) test, where required for a visa application (receipts must be supplied).
• Child allowance of £622 per month for the first child for eligible single parents who have children living with them in the UK.
• Child allowance of £154 per month for the second and third child for eligible single parents with children under 16 living with them in the UK.
• If a scholar shares they have a disability, a full assessment of needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Eligibility Criteria

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country.
• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
• Be available to start academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2027.
• By September 2027, 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).
• Not have studied or worked for one academic year or more in a high income country (study by distance learning at a university in a high income country while resident in the home country is permitted).
• Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
• Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.
• There is no age limit for CSC applications.

How to Apply for Commonwealth Shared Scholarship

• Applications for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for the 2027/28 academic year are open for study beginning September/October 2027.
• The closing date for applications is 16:00 GMT on Tuesday 8 December 2026.
• Applications to the CSC are made using the CSC Central application system: https://portal.csccentralonline.org.uk/application.
• Candidates must apply to study an approved Master’s course at a participating UK university and secure admission for the chosen course in addition to applying for a scholarship.
• Candidates can apply for more than one course and to more than one university but may only accept one Commonwealth Shared Scholarship offer.
• UK universities bid for scholarships and will nominate chosen candidates to the CSC; applications will be shared with universities and nominations made in March 2027.
• Prepare answers outside the online system and add them to the form once finalised; a template application form and guidance document are available.
• The application system uses two-factor authentication and requires access to either a smartphone or a second email account when registering.
• Upload all required supporting documentation and references in PDF format to the online application system by the application deadline.
• Use the save function frequently; do not refresh the browser window; applications cannot be edited after submitting.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Here are the most frequently asked questions about the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship. These answers cover eligibility, benefits, deadlines, application steps, and required documents.