Commonwealth scholarship is an international, fully-funded program particularly designed for students in low-income countries so that they can study abroad in prestigious universities.

Applications for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for the 2023/24 academic year are now open.

The closing date for Commonwealth Scholarship 2023 is 13 December 2022 at 16:00 GMT. 

This Commonwealth scholarship guide will cover each & everything.

It will explain the step-by-step process of commonwealth masters, commonwealth shared masters & commonwealth PhD programs.

Commonwealth Scholarship is managed by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, the British Council, ACU Association of Commonwealth Universities & (HRD) Ministry of Human Resource and Development.  

Every year it has given to almost 800 students.

Though, mainly, these scholarships cover the top universities in the United Kingdom only.

It covers educational expenses and provides full-fledged funding for the students’ travel, food, and accommodation simultaneously.

In case you’re wondering how to apply for a Commonwealth scholarship, we’ve got you covered with all the perfect details in this article.

Don’t miss the question-answer session at the end of this Commonwealth scholarship guide. So without dragging it any further, let’s get to the point.

 

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Commonwealth Scholarship

 

1. Benefits of Commonwealth scholarship

2. Eligibility Criteria for Commonwealth Scholarship 

3. Documents required for Commonwealth scholarship

4. Commonwealth scholarship method of selection

5. How to apply for a Commonwealth scholarship

6. Commonwealth shared scholarship Development Themes

7. Deadlines of Commonwealth scholarship 

8. Commonwealth Contact

9. FAQS CommonWealth scholarship

10. Summary of the guide

 

If you want to study in UK, check our ultimate UK study visa guide.

 

1. Benefits of Commonwealth scholarship

 

Commonwealth scholars of master’s & Ph.D. programs can expect the following Financial aid.

1. A Return air ticket in economy class 
2. Tuition & examination fee
3. Living allowance (A stipend of £1,236 per month, or £1,516 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area.)
4. Thesis grants (If applicable)
5. Study travel Grant (If applicable)
6. Warm clothes allowance (If applicable)
7. Fieldwork grant (Only for Ph.D.)
8. Midterm airfare to visit home (Only for Ph.D.)
9. Spouse & child allowances (If the scholarship is a minimum of 18 months).
   The spouse allowance for the commonwealth scholarship is around 266 GBP per month  & the child allowance is 529 GBP per month for the first child.
   For the second and third child, who are below 16 years, it’s 131 GBP.

Remember there is no need of the bank statement or sponsorship financial letter for a UK study visa if students already got the commonwealth scholarship.

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2. Eligibility Criteria For Commonwealth Scholarship

The eligibility criteria to apply for a Commonwealth scholarship varies with respect to the degree you’re applying for and the top UK University you’ve chosen.

The generalized criteria for both the master’s and the PhD degree programs are listed here.

 

1. The applicant must be a citizen or a permanent resident of a commonwealth-eligible country or could be a refugee in the UK.
2. The academic documents, transcripts, test results etc. should be ready, attested & translated by the Commonwealth application deadline.
3. The applicant should be ready to start education in the UK in September 2023.
4. The applicant must have scored up to 60% in the social sciences subjects and 65% in science subjects.
   Remember (This criterion could however change in commonwealth national nominating agencies, they mostly want applicants who are at least scored above 70%)
5. Usually, the Commonwealth scholarship doesn’t fund a second UK Master’s degree. But still, the applicant can apply & should provide proper justification.
6. The candidate must not be getting benefits from some other scholarship.
7. Students must have been offered admission at a university falling under the commonwealth scholarship program they are applying for.
   The list of universities and their varied criteria could be found here.
8. The Ph.D. candidates, must not have enrolled in any other doctorate or fellowship or  MPhil leading to a Ph.D., at any UK university or in their home country before September/October 2023.
9. The student must be unable to afford the study in the UK without a scholarship.
10. When the scholarship ends the applicant must go back to their country & serve.

Remember eligibility rules may change a little with respect to the Commonwealth National nominating agencies or courses, like

In some countries, the age limit is forty years for commonwealth scholarship,

in some cases, the applicants can’t apply if they are already residing abroad,

Sometimes the students must pass a certain test like (HAT test in the case of HEC Pakistan)

or they may need IELTS or TOFEL etc

So make sure you check the criteria & deadline of your national nominating agencies.

 

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3. List of documents required for Commonwealth scholarship

Here is the required list of documents for the commonwealth Master’s & commonwealth PhD students who want to apply for the scholarship

 

1. Academic documents

2. Valid Passport

3. Europass CV

4. University Unconditional letter

5. Reference letters/Recommendation letters

6. Statement of purpose

7. Equivalence Certificate

8. Research proposal

9. English proficiency exams

10. Experience letter (Additional document)

11. Voluntary work (essay about leadership)

12. Commonwealth essay questions

 

 

 

1.  Academic documents

This includes all your certificates & academic record like

A: Bachelor’s transcript & certificate (If a student is applying for Master)

B: Master’s transcript & certificate (if the student is applying for 2nd Master or fellowship or PhD)

C: Metric & FSC transcripts (10-12th Grade) (A level) (DMCs) and certificates (Supporting academic documents)

D: Course summary (to explain your courses & how your previous courses & studies resemble your future studies in which you are applying)

 

NOTE:

All of the above documents should be attested by respective boards.

Also, attest them from issuing authority of home countries. The respective university must attest university documents.

In the case of Pakistan, The above-mentioned documents must be attested by IBCC, HEC, and MOFA (Ministry of Foreign Affairs).

IBCC authority is only responsible for the attestation of metric and inter documents.

Dear offices are present in Peshawar, Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, and also in other cities of Pakistan.

HEC office attests Bachelor’s, master’s, and Ph.D. documents. 

Read about the step-by-step process of UAL postgraduate scholarship in the UK.

 

 

2. Valid passport

The passport of the applicant must contain one full blank page on both sides.

The passport must be valid at the time of visa application and on arrival to the host country.

Some countries also need CNIC / Domicile / Birth certificate etc.

 

 

3.  Europass Cv

Europass CV can be easily made here.
The Cv must contain all the latest & relevant information about your occupation & interests.
A perfect CV must be hand signed.

 

 

4.  Unconditional Letter in commonwealth-eligible courses

Applicants must provide CAS in one of the commonwealth-eligible courses in UK.

A CAS (Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies) letter is an electronic document issued by a college or university. It is an unconditional offer letter.

Students need a CAS letter before applying for a UK study visa. The Home Office sees it on its database.

Students can apply and receive many CAS letters from different institutions.
You will select one CAS letter from a specific institution at the time of commonwealth application.

 

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5. Letter of References for Commonwealth scholarship

The applicants must provide 2-3 letters of recommendation from the previous university, (Depending upon courses).

It is advised to provide a letter of recommendation from the HOD (Head of the department or Relevant course head) who should be a Ph.D.

The referees need to write their contact details (Email, phone number) at the end of the letter.

The letter must include an official letterhead, signature, and official stamp and must be of the current date.

Ask your Referees to write about your academic achievements & discuss their confidence in you that you are fully compatible with the project or course you wish to pursue through a Commonwealth scholarship.

 

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6. Statement of purpose for Commonwealth scholarship

Statement of purpose (SOP) & letter of motivation (LOM) are almost the same thing & could be interchangeable.

SOP is mostly required by commonwealth nominating agencies.

In this letter, you are asked to write about your personal and professional reasons why are you applying for a course & the scholarship.

The maximum length of this letter is three pages, But it is advised to make it short & concise to one page.

How to write a perfect statement of Purpose

If you are interested in writing your SOP on one page concisely, then follow this exact method.

SOP consists of three parts.

 

6.1.  Introduction (one paragraph)

6.2  Body (3 paragraphs)

6.3. Conclusion (1 paragraph)

 

Let’s explain these three things one by one.

6.1. Introduction:

Introduction is the gateway to the rest of the letter. Try to capture their interest in the first few sentences. Be original & creative.
Make it personal & full of enthusiasm.

TIP: Try to initiate a story about yourself relevant to the scholarship you are applying for & then expand it to the first paragraph of the body.

 

6.2.  Body:

In the first paragraph of the body, try to tell about your relevant academic & experienced background to the course.
And your professional goals attached to the UK & university. Share your expectations of the scholarship.

In the 2nd paragraph be more precise & focus on the specific achievement related to the scholarship & course.

In the 3rd paragraph expand on what you are currently doing & the interesting things you look forward to.

 

6.3. Conclusion:

Tell them why you are the best candidate for this scholarship. Don’t sound needy or use pompous language instead focus on why you deserve it.

Tell them how this scholarship will help you or the future of your community.

 

Tips for Statement of Purpose (SOP):

1. Don’t repeat what you have already written in your CV introduction or Cover letter. Try to capture their interest in the first paragraph.
   
2. Try to stick to one theme, don’t jump around ideas. Be specific.
   
3. It shouldn’t cross 2 pages. In fact, I will advise you to write one page. Share ideas shortly, you will later have time to expand on them in an interview.
   
4. Your SOP should answer, Why do you apply for the selected master’s program? Which of the courses offered in this program are particularly beneficial in pursuing your professional goals?
   
5. Make sure your SOP is well-composed. First, reflect on all the above questions, take notes, read more, and discuss with friends. Then write an outline. Then write the text.
   
6. Apply an appropriate style of writing. It could be a little informal but factual. Somewhere in between academic & informal, but avoid flattery, verbose & bombast language & phrases.
   
7. Do not campaign for your beliefs.
   
8. Proofread the text and delete all dispensable and redundant parts. In the end, your statement of purpose should comprise not more than two pages.

 

 

7. Equivalence Certificate

An equivalence certificate could be required for some countries, like Pakistan.
It basically analyzes the years of education students have for eligibility for applied courses.

Pakistani students can apply for their Equivalence certificate here.

 

 

8. Research Proposal

It is basically a brief and coherent representation of the area of study you wish to explore during the study program.

It showcases the generic idea of your intended study in the form of
Research objectives & questions,
Research justifications,
Hypothesis,
and your understanding of the subject as a whole.

It is crucial to write a perfect research proposal when submitting your application.

It provides you with an opportunity to showcase your aptitude for
Research,
Your ability to communicate complex ideas,
and Your critical thinking to come up with a subject that needs real research.

The better you demonstrate your skills and expertise in the research proposal, the bigger your chances to qualify for the scholarship program.

Also, a comprehensively written research proposal could help to match you with an adequate supervisor.

 

 

9. English proficiency letters

Students don’t need to pass any test for a commonwealth scholarship. However, the eligibility criteria per course or country could change.

Uk universities could ask for IELTS, TOFEL, PTE, or ISE exams.

plus some commonwealth national nominating agencies could require extra testing.
Like the HAT test (Higher education Aptitude test) in case of Pakistan.

 

 

10. Experience letter for Commonwealth scholarship

This letter isn’t compulsory, however, it could be used as a supporting document. (Strictly depends on the course)
The applicant could provide an Experience letter from previous jobs & Internships.
Try to customize the work experience with your future studies.

 

 

11. Voluntary work (That demonstrates leadership)

The Commonwealth scholarship panel wants you to explain how you influenced your community through your voluntary services.

Practical concise Examples could be given from your recent volunteer experience.

 

TIPS:

1. Don’t be generic or theoretic, Focus on the positive changes you brought in the organization or community in your recent professional experience.
   
2. Give clear-cut examples of your leadership & try to prove them with various means of figures or statistics.
3. Take the “STAR Approach” (situation, task, action, result) while explaining your examples.
4. Focus on how you professionally develop a team & what was its long-term effect on the organization’s future.
5. How you performed a project on a limited budget & how you overcame the difficulties & challenges.
6. Also, explain how you handled the critics & hold the faith of your team members.

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12. Commonwealth Essay questions

The Commonwealth essay questions on the scholarship application portal are mostly in four parts.
Students are advised to prepare their answers according to their courses & future studies.

(The questions are pasted as it is for better understanding)

 

First part:

1. You should explain how your proposed Scholarship relates to the development issues at the global, national, and local levels.

2. How the development issues connected to your chosen CSC development theme and the wider sector?

 

2nd part:

The applicant should explain how they intend to apply the new skills once the Scholarship ends.

 

3rd part:

In the third part, you should outline what you expect will change in development terms following your Scholarship, including:

a) The outcomes that you aim to achieve
b) the timeframe for their implementation
c) Who the beneficiaries will be

 

4th part:

1. Write about how the impact of your work could be best measured.

2. Confirm what your award objectives are and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programs.

3. Confirm what your objectives are for the next two years and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programs.

4. Confirm what your objectives are in the longer term and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programs.

 

 

 

4. Commonwealth scholarships method of selection

 The Commonwealth method of selection is pretty straightforward, it depends on the following factors.

1. Academic merit of the candidate
2. Quality of study plans (for Masters)
3. Quality of research proposal (For Ph.D.)
4. Developmental impact on the country or community of scholarship holder.
5. Essay answers

 

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5. How to apply for Commonwealth scholarships

Here is the step-by-step method.

1. How to apply for a Commonwealth Masters scholarship?

 

2. Apply for Commonwealth masters shared scholarship.

 

3. How to Apply for a Commonwealth PHD scholarship?

 

 

 

5.1. How to apply for a Commonwealth Masters scholarship?

 

1. Check the eligibility criteria. See if you have a bachelor’s degree & you belong to the commonwealth-eligible countries. (Please check the screenshots below)
2. Select your course in the university here. The applicant can apply to many courses but will select only one course & university to get the scholarship.
3. Prepare the set of 10 documents that we discussed above in detail.
4. Sign up for the online application portal of the Commonwealth Masters scholarship.
5. Plan to answer the essay questions carefully in the Commonwealth application form. Which we discussed below.
6. Fill out & submit the online application form of the commonwealth national nominating agencies, according to your country. Pakistani students should register themselves on the HEC portal.
   Students from other countries can choose their nominating agencies accordingly.
7. After registering to these two portals successfully, wait for the result.

see the screenshots

 

Check our UK study visa guide for international students.

 

5.2. How to apply for Commonwealth Masters shared scholarship?

 

1. Check the eligibility criteria. See if you have a bachelor’s degree & you belong to the commonwealth-eligible countries. (Please check the screenshot below)
2. Select your course in six CSC development themes here.
   Students can apply for more than one course but will get only one scholarship for one course in the end.
3. Prepare the set of 10 documents that we discussed above in detail.
4. Sign up for the online application portal of the Commonwealth Shared Masters scholarship.
5. Plan to answer the essay questions carefully in the Commonwealth application form. Which we discussed below.
6. Secure your admission in at least one of the eligible courses in this list of eligible UK universities.
7. After registering & submitting to the portal successfully, wait for the result.

see the screenshot

 

 

 

5.3. How to apply for a Commonwealth PHD scholarship?

 

1. Check the eligibility criteria. See if you have a Master’s degree & you belong to the commonwealth-eligible countries. (Please check the screenshots below)
2. Select your course & universities here or on the postgrad website.
   These two websites will also help you to approach the supervisors.
3. Prepare the set of 10 documents that we discussed above in detail.
4. Sign up to the online application portal of the Ph.D. program, & make sure you check the Document sample for Ph.D.
5. Plan to answer the essay questions carefully in the commonwealth application form. Which we discussed below.
6. Upload your publications, supervisors & referees’ details.
7. Secure your admission in at least one of the eligible courses for a Ph.D.
8. Now Fill out & submit the online application form of the commonwealth national nominating agencies, according to your country. Pakistani students should register themselves on the HEC portal.  Students from other countries can choose their nominating agencies accordingly.
9. After registering & submitting to the portal successfully, wait for the result.
   see the screenshots

 

 

 

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6. Commonwealth shared scholarship Development Themes

There is no restriction on what you can study but the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission gives priority to applicants whose studies are most relevant to their development criteria.

All Commonwealth Scholarships which are funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) are offered under six CSC development themes.

1. Science and technology for development
2. Strengthening health systems and capacity
3. Promoting global prosperity
4. Strengthening global peace, security, and governance
5. Strengthening resilience and response to crises
6. Access, inclusion, and opportunity

 

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7. Deadline for Commonwealth scholarship:

 

Applications for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for the 2023/24 academic year are now open.

The closing date for applications is 13 December 2022 at 16:00 GMT.

The general timeline of the commonwealth scholarship is opening around August every year & students can apply until the end of December.

The deadline for the commonwealth masters scholarship for 2022 is 18th October.

The students will be notified of the award until June & July of 2023.

& their studies in Uk will start at the end of September 2023.

The scholarship portal for the commonwealth scholarship is expected to re-open in August 2023 for interested candidates of 2024.

For more details, visit the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission’s website. 

 

 

8. Commonwealth scholarship contact details:

1. If students want to report a complaint they can write to complaints@cscuk.org.uk
   Before making the complaint to the panel please read the CSC Complaints Policy and Procedure.
2. If students want to report Fraud, Bribery, or some act of corruption they can contact fraud@cscuk.org.uk

For any more details please visit the contact page of the commonwealth scholarship.

 

 

9. Commonwealth scholarships: FAQS

Q: Is commonwealth scholarship available for Bachelor’s degree?

 

NO. It’s for Master’s & PhD degree programs. Students can only apply for Commonwealth scholarship after their graduation when they already have a bachelor’s degree.

 

 

How many courses can I apply for a commonwealth scholarship?

Technically you can apply for as many courses & universities as you want to. Though in the end, you must choose one. And you will be granted only one commonwealth scholarship.

 

 

Q: How much bank balance is required for a UK study visa if I already got the Commonwealth scholarship?

Bank balance is not important if you get a Commonwealth scholarship, because it almost covers all the expenses.
However, in other cases, a bank statement or a letter from a financial sponsor will be needed for a UK study visa.

It is proof that a student can cover the tuition fees, living costs, and accommodation for the first year or at least the first 9 months.

A student visa in the UK demands that the applicant must have £1,015 per month as a living cost.

So technically International students must show a bank statement of 9000 £ for a UK study visa if their courses are outside London.

If a student is living in London, then they will show a bank statement of  11,385 £. Because the living costs according to UK immigration calculation will be £1,265 per month (in London). 

 

 

For which courses commonwealth scholarship is available?

Currently, there are hundreds of courses available for commonwealth scholarships. 

Students can check the university here & the courses for masters here under six development themes.

For PhD students Select the course & universities here  or on the postgrad website.
These two websites will also help you to approach the supervisors.

 

 

What is the difference between commonwealth masters & commonwealth shared masters scholarships?

In commonwealth masters scholarships, the applicants first
fill out & submit the online application form of the commonwealth national nominating agencies, according to their countries.
& then Signup to the online application portal for the commonwealth Masters scholarship.

 

While for the commonwealth shared Masters scholarship just directly  Signup to the online application portal.

 

 

10. Summary of the whole guide (Commonwealth scholarship):

1. Check the eligibility criteria of your country & courses.
2. Prepare the list of documents we discussed above.
3. Be-Careful while signing up to the portal of Masters or Masters shared scholarship.
4. Prepare the essay questions.
5. Fill out & submit the form. Wait for the result.

Official website of the commonwealths scholarship