Commonwealth PhD Scholarships 2023/2024
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC runs the UK government’s scholarship program), with a focus on goals for international development. In order to implement sustainable development priorities throughout the Commonwealth and beyond, it encourages the co-creation of research, innovation, and solutions.
Applications are invited for:
Title: Commonwealth PhD Scholarship 2023 / 2024
Scholarship Description
- Candidates from least developed nations and fragile Commonwealth States are eligible for full-time doctoral study at a UK university with the help of a Commonwealth PhD Scholarship.
- The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC runs the UK government’s scholarship program), with a focus on goals for international development. It functions within the parameters of the CSFP (Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan) and provides a striking illustration of the UK’s ongoing dedication to the Commonwealth.
- The CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and creates opportunities for global partnerships and collaboration by attracting people from all backgrounds with exceptional talent and discernible potential and assisting them in becoming leaders and innovators upon returning to their home countries.
Scholarship Purpose
Commonwealth PhD scholarships, which are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), promote research that will benefit the development of Commonwealth nations. Aimed at those who would not otherwise be able to afford it, they also improve individual teaching and research capacity, increasing institutional capacity in academic and other sectors in Commonwealth nations. They will also support UK higher education and research by luring top-tier international candidates and fostering links and collaboration.
Ideal Candidates
High-caliber graduates with the ability to conduct top-notch developmental research and evolve into significant leaders, instructors, or researchers in their home nations are eligible for Commonwealth PhD scholarships. These grants are provided in accordance with the six CSC Development themes.
Candidate Eligibility
- Being a citizen of, receiving refugee status from, or a British Protected Person from one of the eligible Commonwealth nations
- becoming a permanent resident of a Commonwealth nation
- allowed to begin academic courses in the UK by September 2023, the start of the UK academic year
- possess a first degree with an upper second class (2:1) honors standard by September 2023, or a second class degree (2:2) plus an appropriate postgraduate degree (often a Master’s degree)*.
- NOT be enrolled in a PhD program or an MPhil that leads to a PhD before September or October 2023 at a university in the UK or in your country of residence.
- be in need of this scholarship and not be able to afford to study in the UK
- Presented the substantiating evidence in the proper format.
Selection Process
The following selection factors will be taken into consideration when reviewing applications:
- Academic standing of the applicant
- Quality of the study plan
- Potential effects on the candidate’s native country’s development
Tenure and Placement
- Scholarships are only available for 36 months of full-time study at any recognized UK university or higher education institution with which the CSC has a part-funding arrangement for a specific research program.
- Scholarships are intended to help students earn a single degree; funding will not be provided to help candidates earn additional or higher-level qualifications.
- No other course of study may be pursued concurrently with a scholarship; they are only given for full-time study.
- You must make the qualification you are applying for explicit in your application. The CSC will then be able to classify your application appropriately. Applications that don’t make this explicit may not be accepted.
- They recommend you rank three colleges and supervisors that you believe are most suited for your research and to provide justifications for your selections. This is significant because, unless exceptional information becomes available that could not have been anticipated at the time of application, the CSC will not change the university or supervisor (or the order of choice) of a provisionally selected candidate after the point of selection.
- You may suggest pursuing a four-year PhD at a single university, but it must be based in an approved doctoral training facility. You must conduct in-depth study on this choice and demonstrate how it is superior to a three-year PhD.
General Conditions
- Fees, authorized travel expenses, and personal maintenance are all covered by a Commonwealth Scholarship. It is not permitted to hold concurrent awards, bursaries, or scholarships that pay the same expenses.
- After you submit your application, a record in your name must be created in order for the CSC to administer it successfully and efficiently. Your information will be stored if you are considered for a CSC prize.
- All applicants’ basic demographic information, which has been anonymized, will be stored for research purposes.
- The CSC is dedicated to safeguarding your private information and to being open and honest about the data we are gathering about you and how we plan to use it. Visit our privacy notice for more information.
- No applicants are required to take the IELTS (English language proficiency test) by the CSC.
- However, you should be aware that your university can need you to show proof of a specific level of English language competency as a further requirement of your scholarship.
- If receiving a scholarship from the CSC will conflict with the conditions of another scholarship you have previously received, the CSC will be unable to do so.
- The CSC will send you a Notification of Award after the terms of admission to the university have been decided upon (formal offer of a scholarship).
- The CSC will issue you a formal Confirmation of Award once all requirements of the Notification of Award have been satisfied.
Enquiries
- All enquiries about these scholarships should be directed to your nominating agency.
- For general enquiries about applying for Commonwealth Scholarships or Fellowships; please use the Contact us form.
How to Apply
Interested and qualified candidates should
Click here to apply
Click here for more information
Application Deadline 18th October, 2022 at 16:00 GMT.
