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Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarships

Commonwealth Split-Site PhD Scholarships fund African PhD students enrolled at home to spend up to 12 months at a UK university for research, supervision and lab access — tuition support, airfare and stipend are covered.

Provider
Commonwealth Scholarships UK
Host country
United Kingdom
Official source Track this application

Applying from your country? See your edition: Kenya · Nigeria · Ghana · Ethiopia · Uganda · Tanzania · Rwanda · Angola · Mozambique · São Tomé & Príncipe · Senegal · Cameroon · Ivory Coast · Benin · Togo · DR Congo

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
Applicants must be citizens of a low or middle-income Commonwealth country, be registered for a PhD in their home country, and meet academic requirements.
Funding
Fully Funded
Study level
PhD
Deadline
Not recorded — check provider

Key eligibility criteria

  • Applicants must be citizens of a low or middle-income Commonwealth country, be registered for a PhD in their home country, and meet academic requirements.

Recorded funding information

  • Fully Funded

About the Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarships (2026)

Commonwealth Split-Site PhD Scholarships fund African PhD students who are already enrolled at a home-country university to spend up to 12 months at a UK partner university for a research placement. The student remains registered for their PhD at home and receives the UK input as a structured research visit — perfect for fieldwork, lab access, archival research or co-supervision. ## Why this scholarship matters for African applicants This is the most cost-efficient route for African universities to internationalise their PhD pipeline, and for African PhD students to access UK methods, equipment and supervision without giving up their home enrolment or local funding. Common splits include health research, agricultural sciences, materials engineering and African studies. ## What the award covers Return economy airfare to the UK, monthly maintenance stipend (~£1,400 London / ~£1,150 elsewhere) for the placement period, thesis grant and study travel grant. The home university covers ongoing PhD tuition; the UK host typically waives bench fees as part of the partnership. ## How the selection process works Apply through your country's National Nominating Agency, with letters of support from both your home supervisor and your prospective UK host supervisor. You need a clear plan for what the UK split-site will produce — usually a defined chapter, dataset or experimental output that maps to your home thesis. ## Application tips that move the needle Line up the UK host supervisor 6–9 months early. Most successful candidates have already published or co-authored with the UK host, or have a co-supervision MoU between the two universities. Make the placement plan tight: 3 specific deliverables, clear timeline, named lab or archive. ## Deadlines and intake windows National deadlines fall between October and December for placements starting the following autumn. Confirm dates with your National Nominating Agency. ## 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 Split-site PhD Scholarships eligibility

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

  • Applicants must be citizens of a low or middle-income Commonwealth country, be registered for a PhD in their home country, and meet academic requirements.

Commonwealth Split-site PhD 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 Split-site PhD 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-split-site-scholarships-for-low-and-middle-income-countries/ 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: Applicants must be citizens of a low or middle-income Commonwealth country, be registered for a PhD in their home country, and meet academic requirements.. Confirm the current criteria and, if submission is required, use the provider's own checklist.

    3. 3
      Check dates and next steps

      Check the provider's current dates and follow-up instructions. No deadline or rolling application policy is assumed here.

    Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarships deadline & application timeline

    No deadline is recorded in this listing. Check the official source; this does not imply rolling applications. 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

      No deadline is recorded in this listing. Check the official source for dates and any cutoff or time zone.

    Ready to apply?

    Cross-check the latest eligibility rules and deadline on the sponsor's official portal before you start your application.

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    Frequently asked questions

    Who can apply for the Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarships?+

    Applicants must be citizens of a low or middle-income Commonwealth country, be registered for a PhD in their home country, and meet academic requirements.

    What funding does the Commonwealth Split-site PhD 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?+

    No deadline is recorded in this listing. Check the official source; a missing date does not mean applications are rolling.

    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-split-site-scholarships-for-low-and-middle-income-countries/ to confirm whether consideration is automatic or requires an application, and follow only the process stated there. Listed eligibility: Applicants must be citizens of a low or middle-income Commonwealth country, be registered for a PhD in their home country, and meet academic requirements.. Confirm the current criteria and, if submission is required, use the provider's own checklist. Check the provider's current dates and follow-up instructions. No deadline or rolling application policy is assumed here.

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