2026 Commonwealth Masters Scholarships For Developing Countries (Fully-funded)

The agency-nominated Commonwealth Masters Scholarship programme, one of the three scholarships offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission is set to open soon for interested applicants.

The Commonwealth Scholarship is a fully-funded opportunity to study in the United Kingdom. It covers the full fees and travel costs of selected candidates while also providing £1,781 living stipend per month.

In this article, we will guide you on the stepwise procedure to submitting an application for this prestigious opportunity. Read on for full details.

Commonwealth Masters Scholarship Summary

• Host Country: United Kingdom (UK) 
• Study Abroad: Study in UK 
• Category: Postgraduate Scholarships | Masters Scholarships 
• Eligible Countries: All Developing Countries 
• Reward: Full Scholarship | £21,372 Annual Stipend | Airfare Tickets | Accommodation 
• No IELTS Required 
• Application Opens: September 22, 2025.

2026 Commonwealth Masters Scholarship Details:

Application for the 2026 Commonwealth Masters Scholarship opportunity will open to applicants from eligible developing countries from September 2, 2025.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK Government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives.

The CSC 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 upon 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.

2026 Commonwealth Scholarship Requirements:

To apply for the 2026 Commonwealth Masters Scholarship, candidates 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 2026.
• By September 2026, 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.

2026 Commonwealth Masters Scholarship Duration and Reward

• 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 £1,452 per month, or £1,781 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 has children and is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of child allowance of £622 per month for the first child, and £154 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.

Required Documents for Commonwealth Masters Scholarship 2026

In the Commonwealth Masters Scholarship application form, candidates will be 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 each job is relevant to the programme to be undertaken in the UK
• Provide a statement on the relevance of previous work experience to the proposed Scholarship
• List names and positions of three referees who are qualified to comment on both the capacity to benefit from the proposed Scholarship in the UK and the candidate’s ability to deliver development impact afterwards. One of your referees must be a current employer (if applicable)
• Provide a Development Impact statement in 4 parts.

In the first part you should explain

1. development issues at the global, national, and local level
   b. development issues connected to your chosen CSC development theme and the wider sector.

• In the second part you should explain how you intend to apply your new skills once your Scholarship ends
• In the third part you should outline what you expect will change in development terms following your Scholarship, including:

1. a) the outcomes that you aim to achieve
   b) the timeframe for their implementation
   c) who the beneficiaries will be

• In the fourth part you should write about how the impact of your work could be best measured
• Confirm what your award objectives are and how each of them will be met by the Scholarship programme
• Confirm what your career plans are for the 5 years following your Scholarship
• Confirm your long-term career plans
• Provide a personal statement to summarise the ways in which your personal background has encouraged you to want to make an impact in your home country. You should indicate areas in which you have already contributed, such as having overcome any personal or community barriers to your chosen career
• Summarise the ways in which you have engaged in voluntary activities and the opportunities you have had to demonstrate leadership (up to 500 words).
• Provide a scan of your passport or national identity card.

How To Apply for 2026 Commonwealth Masters Scholarships (Step by Step)

The application procedure for the 2026 Commonwealth Masters Scholarships include;

• Applications must be made using the CSC’s online application system.
• Applications for Commonwealth Master’s scholarships for the 2026/27 academic year will open on September 2, 2025.
• The closing date for applications (including all supporting documentation) is 15 October 2024.
• Candidates must apply to one of the below nominating agencies as well as to the CSC. Nominating agencies will then put forward candidates to the CSC. The CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships.
• There are two types of nominating agency for Master’s scholarships:
• National nominating agencies – this is the main route of application
• Selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies
• Each nominating agency oversees its own selection process and may have additional eligibility criteria. Applicants must check with the nominating agency for their specific advice and rules for applying, and their own eligibility criteria.
• Nominating agencies may set their own closing dates for applications.

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