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MastersFully Funded

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships

Commonwealth Master's Scholarships fund African students from low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries to study a one-year master's at a UK university — with tuition, airfare, monthly stipend and family allowances fully covered.

Provider
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC)
Host country
United Kingdom
Deadline
16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October

Applying from your country? See your edition: Kenya · Nigeria · Ghana · Uganda · Tanzania · Rwanda · Mozambique · Cameroon

Eligibility & requirements at a glance

Review the recorded eligibility, funding and deadline information below. Confirm the current award conditions on the provider's official source.

Who can apply
To be considered for these scholarships, applicants must: Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person. 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)*. Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship. Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.
Funding
Fully Funded
Study level
Masters
Deadline
16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October

Key eligibility criteria

  • To be considered for these scholarships, applicants must: Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person. 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)*. Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship. Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

Recorded funding information

  • Fully Funded

About the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships (2026)

Commonwealth Master's Scholarships are the master's-level stream of the wider Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan. They fund one-year taught master's degrees at UK universities, focused on six development themes that align with the UK's development priorities and the Sustainable Development Goals. ## Why this scholarship matters for African applicants Africa is the single largest beneficiary region. Applicants from low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries — Cameroon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia and others — make up a substantial share of the annual cohort. ## What the award covers Full UK university tuition fees, return economy airfare from your home country, monthly living stipend (~£1,400 in London, ~£1,150 elsewhere), thesis grant, study travel grant, settling-in allowance and family allowances for spouses and children where eligibility allows. ## How the selection process works Apply through your country's National Nominating Agency. Most agencies open a national application portal between September and December. Shortlisted national candidates are forwarded to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in London for final selection, which is announced in May–June for September entry. ## Application tips that move the needle Pick a course tied to one of the six development themes (science and tech, health systems, sustainable cities, education and gender, peace and governance, innovation). Write a clear development impact plan — panels score 'how will this benefit your home country' as heavily as academic record. ## Deadlines and intake windows National deadlines vary by country: Nigeria's Federal Scholarship Board typically closes in October, Kenya's Ministry of Education in November, and most others by mid-December. Confirm your national agency's specific date. ## Useful internal reading - Browse open scholarships: https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/scholarships - How to write a winning scholarship essay: https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/blog/how-to-write-winning-scholarship-essay - Scholarship interview questions for African students: https://scholarshipsforafricans.com/blog/scholarship-interview-questions-african-students Always confirm the live intake on the sponsor's official site before you build a timeline around it.

Funding information

The funding information below is recorded in this listing; it does not establish additional covered components. Check amounts, caps, exclusions and conditions on the official source.

  • Fully Funded

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships eligibility

Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.

  • To be considered for these scholarships, applicants must: Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person. 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)*. Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship. Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships document information

No explicit document checklist is recorded here. If an application is required, prepare only the materials the provider requests.

    How to apply for the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2026

    Follow the provider's stated process. The checks below are guidance, not additional application requirements. Any original editorial instructions remain in the description above.

    1. 1
      Check the provider's process

      Consult https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/scholarships/commonwealth-masters-scholarships/ to confirm whether consideration is automatic or requires an application, and follow only the process stated there.

    2. 2
      Check eligibility and any requested materials

      Listed eligibility: To be considered for these scholarships, applicants must: Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person. 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)*. Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship. Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.. Confirm the current criteria and, if submission is required, use the provider's own checklist.

    3. 3
      Check dates and next steps

      Listed deadline information: 16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October. Confirm any cutoff, time zone and follow-up process with the provider.

    Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships deadline & application timeline

    Provider deadline information: 16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October. This text cannot be safely converted to a countdown; check the official source for its meaning. The earlier milestones are optional planning suggestions only.

    1. Planning suggestion: 12 months out

      Check the current call and decide whether this opportunity fits your plans.

    2. Planning suggestion: 6 months out

      If the provider requires tests or documents that take time, plan for them using its published instructions.

    3. Planning suggestion: 3 months out

      If an application is required, review the provider's process and prepare only the materials it requests.

    4. Planning suggestion: 1 month out

      If submission is required, allow time to check your materials and any stated cutoff.

    5. Provider deadline
      16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October

      Provider deadline information: 16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October. Confirm the current instructions and any cutoff or time zone on the official source; no additional time is assumed here.

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    Editorial verification note

    CSC official page checked 11 Oct 2026: closes 16:00 BST, 20 Oct 2026. Kenya has 19 nominations via the Ministry of Education. [25 Oct 2026] Closed: recorded deadline 2026-10-20 has passed.

    Frequently asked questions

    Who can apply for the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships?+

    To be considered for these scholarships, applicants must: Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person. 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)*. Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship. Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

    What funding does the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships offer?+

    Listed funding: Fully Funded. Confirm amounts, exclusions and conditions on the official source. This label does not establish any additional benefit components.

    When is the application deadline?+

    Provider deadline information: 16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October. Confirm the current cutoff and any time zone on the official source; no additional cutoff or late-submission policy is assumed here.

    What documents do I need to apply?+

    No explicit document checklist is recorded here. If an application is required, prepare only the documents requested by the provider; requirements may differ from admission requirements.

    How do I check the application process?+

    Consult https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/scholarships/commonwealth-masters-scholarships/ to confirm whether consideration is automatic or requires an application, and follow only the process stated there. Listed eligibility: To be considered for these scholarships, applicants must: Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person. 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)*. Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship. Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.. Confirm the current criteria and, if submission is required, use the provider's own checklist. Listed deadline information: 16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October. Confirm any cutoff, time zone and follow-up process with the provider.

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