Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarships 2025/2026 (Fully-Funded)

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About Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarships

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.

Purpose: To widen access to UK equipment and expertise for quality doctoral candidates from Commonwealth countries, and to contribute to UK and Commonwealth higher education and research through collaboration and partnerships.

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.

Award duration: 12 months, which can be taken as a single 12-month period or separated into two six-month periods.

Application process: Applications are accepted directly from candidates.

Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships are offered under six CSC Development themes..

 

• Sponsor Organisation: Commonwealth Scholarships

Benefits of Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarships

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 £1,378 per month, or £1,690 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 £590 per month for the first child, and £146 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.

If a Scholar shares that they have a disability, a full assessment of their 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 a scholar’s family in the UK. The true costs are likely to be considerably higher, and Scholars must be able to supplement these allowances to support any family members who accompany them to the UK.

For more information, see the current Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars.

Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarships Requirements

To apply for this scholarship, candidates 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 2025.
• 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 2025.
• By September 2025, 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.

The CSC aims to identify talented individuals who have the potential to make change. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants. For further information on the support available to scholars who share that they have a disability, see the CSC disability support statement.

There is no age limit for CSC applications. Candidates are advised to confirm with their employers any age restrictions on leave entitlement they may have in place.
 

Eligible countries

Please note that only candidates from the eligible countries listed below can apply for Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships in 2025/26.

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

Application Date and Process

Applications for Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships for the 2025/26academic year are now open. The deadline for submitting an application is 16:00 GMT on Monday 16 December. 

Applications to the CSC must be made using the application system, CSC Central.

The CSC is unable to accept any applications or documentation not submitted via CSC Central.  

We are launching a new application system for this round and the form will look and feel different to that of previous years. Should you experience any issues, please contact [email protected] 

It is recommended to prepare answers outside of the system and then add them to the form once they have been finalised. Please make sure you read all of the information and conditions on this webpage carefully. 

A template application form including all questions is available here and technical guidance is here. 

The application system uses a One Time Password (OTP) system and you will require an active mobile number when registering to receive codes by SMS. When returning to a form, a unique code will be sent each time and you will need to enter this to access the form. 

When logging in to view a saved or completed application, you will be asked for a reference (in format 01234-SSP-UK-15) and a passcode. These are found in the Application Reference Number email you received upon completing the enter your details page; please remember to keep this email and the details contained within safe. After entering these, your mobile number will be displayed and you can send the OTP text.  

Candidates are asked to note: 

1. The save function should be used to avoid loss of data, however please be aware that pressing save will exit candidates from the form 
2. To continue with a saved application, please click on continue with application and enter your credentials, including the OTP 
3. Pressing refresh will cause candidates to exit the form and will result in any unsaved data being lost 
4. Applications may not be edited after submitting 

Candidates are advised to complete and submit applications as early as possible, as the application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline. 

Candidates must 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. For a list of universities that have agreed to part fund Commonwealth Scholarships, visit the UK universities with part funding agreements page on the CSC website. 

Candidates can expect to hear the outcome by July 2025. They will contact all candidates by email and they should ensure all folders of their email accounts are monitored, including junk mail and spam folders. A scholarship offer may be withdrawn if a candidate is emailed but does not respond within a specified time.

Completing the Application Form

In the application form, candidates are asked to: 

• List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications obtained. 
• List up to 10 publications and prizes. 
• Provide details of employment history and explain how the experience gained supports and is relevant to the programme to be undertaken in the UK. 
• List names and positions of three referees who are qualified to comment on both their capacity to benefit from the proposed Scholarship in the UK and their ability to deliver development impact afterwards. One of the referees must be a current employer (if applicable) and at least two references must be included with the application. 
• Provide a Development Impact statement in four parts. 

In the first part candidates should explain how the proposed scholarship relates to: 

a) development issues at the global, national, and local level
b) development issues connected to the chosen CSC development theme and the wider sector (200 words).

The second part should explain how they intend to apply their new skills once the Scholarship ends (100 words). 

The third part should outline what they expect will change in development terms following the Scholarship, including: 

a) the outcomes that they aim to achieve
b) the timeframe for their implementation
c) who the beneficiaries will be (250 words).

In the fourth part candidates should write about how the impact of their work could be best measured and evidenced (100 words). 

Candidates are also asked to: 

• Confirm what their award objectives are and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programme (250 words). 
• Confirm what their career plans are for the 5 years following the Scholarship (250 words). 
• Confirm their long-term career plans (250 words). 
• Provide a detailed plan of research (650 words). 
• Provide a personal statement to summarise the ways in which their personal background has encouraged them to want to make an impact in their home country. Applicants may wish to highlight any areas where they have already made significant contributions, including overcoming personal or community barriers in accessing higher education or within their field (500 words). 
• Summarise the ways in which they have engaged in voluntary activities and the opportunities they have had to demonstrate leadership (500 words). 

Please note that all fields have a 4000-character limit. 
 

Choosing a University/Course

 

Applicants may find the following resources useful when researching their choices of institution and course of study in the UK:

• Study UK – British Council website, with guidance for international students and a course and institution search.
• Steps to Postgraduate Study – a guide to asking the right questions about taught postgraduate study in the UK.
• Postgrad.com – information for postgraduate students, with a course search
• Prospects – information on postgraduate study in the UK.
• Research Excellent Framework 2021 results – results of a system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.
• UCAS Postgraduate – guidance on how to find and apply for a postgraduate course.
• Discover Uni – the official website for comparing UK higher education course data.
• UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs) – advice for international students on choosing a course of study.

Application Deadline

16 December, 2024

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