Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships 2024-2025

Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS) is a prestigious scholarship program to support students from Commonwealth countries in pursuing higher education in various disciplines. The program was established to honor Queen Elizabeth II’s lifetime commitment to the Commonwealth and its people. Administered by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), the QECS aims to promote educational exchange, cross-cultural learning, and international collaboration among Commonwealth nations.

The QECS offers scholarships for both Master’s and Ph.D. programs, enabling students to study in Commonwealth countries across the globe. These scholarships provide recipients with financial assistance to cover tuition fees, living expenses, and even travel costs, making higher education more accessible and affordable for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. The program emphasizes excellence in academics, leadership potential, and a commitment to contributing positively to the development of their home countries and the wider Commonwealth community.

In addition to the financial support, Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholars become part of a vast network of like-minded individuals, fostering lifelong connections and collaborations far beyond their academic journey. Scholars also have access to exclusive events, workshops, and professional development opportunities, empowering them with the necessary skills and knowledge to address global challenges and create positive change in their communities. Overall, the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships serve as a beacon of opportunity, fostering the growth of future leaders and change-makers within the Commonwealth nations.

Purpose: The Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships aim to support individuals who may not have the financial means to study in the UK. These scholarships are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Talented and motivated individuals can benefit from these scholarships to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills required for sustainable development.

Intended Beneficiaries: Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships enable full-time taught Master’s study at UK universities for eligible candidates from low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries.

How to Apply for Commonwealth Scholarships 2024-2025

The applications for the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship for the 2024 academic year are now closed. The information below should be used for reference purposes only. By June 2024, applicants can expect to receive the results of their applications. Candidates must apply to the CSC and one of the nominating organizations mentioned below. Thereafter, nomination committees will present the candidates to the CSC. Please note that the CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships.

• National nominating agencies – this is the main route for applications.
• Selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies

Please be advised that each nominating agency has its own selection process and may have additional eligibility criteria. Candidates must check with the nominating agency for guidance, application rules, and eligibility criteria. The nominating agencies may also set their own deadlines for applications. In addition to any other applications required by the nominating agency, candidates must also apply through the CSC’s online application system. It is important to note that the CSC will only accept applications submitted via the online application system. Candidates must be nominated by their agencies to the CSC before December 2022. As the online application system may experience high traffic in the days leading up to the deadline, candidates are advised to complete and submit their applications as early as possible.

Required Documentation of Commonwealth Scholarships 2024-2025

To ensure that your application is considered, you must provide the appropriate supporting documents. This includes obtaining references from your chosen referees and uploading them in PDF format along with other supporting materials. Your references should be on institutional letterhead or in an email that displays the sender’s information. Please note that this year, referees will not receive a separate email requesting their statements. Therefore, it is your responsibility to gather the necessary references. Any references submitted in a format other than PDF, or after the application deadline, will not be accepted unless uploaded to the application system. Please ensure that you upload the following documents along with your application:

1. Proof that the applicant is a citizen or has refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) showing a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship
2. Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications, including to-date transcripts for any courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English
3. References from at least two individuals on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details

In order for the candidate’s application to be considered complete, all required supporting materials must be submitted by the deadline. Candidates may also upload any letters of university admission they have received for the programs they wish to pursue. It’s important to note that the CSC will only accept supporting documentation submitted through the online application system. Nominating organizations or applications submitted outside of the system will not be accepted.

Candidate Eligibility for Commonwealth Scholarships 2024-2025

Candidates who are interested in these scholarships must:

1. Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
2. Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country
3. Be available to start academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2024
4. By September 2024, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honors standard or a second class degree (2:2) and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree). The CSC would not normally fund a second UK Master’s degree. If you are applying for a second UK Master’s degree, you must justify why you wish to undertake this study.
5. Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship
6. Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) seeks out individuals with exceptional talent and the ability to bring about positive change. We adhere to a non-discrimination and equal opportunity policy and encourage applications from diverse candidates. It’s important to note that only candidates from the eligible countries listed below are eligible to apply for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships in 2024/25: Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, and Zambia.

Application form for Commonwealth Scholarships 2024-2025

In the application form, candidates are asked to:

1. List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications obtained.
2. List up to 10 publications and prizes.
3. Provide details of employment history and explain how each job is relevant to the program undertaken in the UK.
4. Provide a statement on the relevance of previous work experience to the proposed Scholarship.
5. 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 afterward. One of your referees must be a current employer (if applicable)
6. Provide a Development Impact statement in 4 parts.

In the first section, you should describe how your proposed scholarship relates to:

1. development issues at the global, national, and local level
2. 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. the outcomes that you aim to achieve
2. the timeframe for their implementation
3. who the beneficiaries will be

In the fourth part, you should:

1. Write about how the impact of your work could be best measured.
2. Confirm your award objectives and how the Scholarship program will meet each of them.
3. Confirm your objectives for the next two years and how the Scholarship program will meet each.
4. Confirm your objectives in the longer term and how the Scholarship program will meet each.
5. Provide a personal statement to summarise how your background has encouraged you to want to make an impact in your home country. You should indicate areas where you have already contributed, such as overcoming personal or community barriers to your chosen career.
6. Summarise how you have engaged in voluntary activities and the opportunities you have had to demonstrate leadership.

Please refer to this document for an illustrative example of the questions asked in the online application system. The linked document should not be filled out; it is only for your information. Only the online application system will accept applications.

Selection Process of Commonwealth Scholarships 2024-2025

Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:

1. Academic merit of the candidate
2. Quality of the plan of study
3. Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s home country

Primary Indicators result in transcripts and referees’ reports. Secondary Indicators prizes or awards achievements where appropriate
Grade	Academic merit	Primary Indicators results in transcripts and referees’ reports. Secondary Indicators prizes or awards achievements where appropriate	Quality of Study plans (Masters)	Development impact
Grading criteria	Primary Indicators result in transcripts and referees’ reports. Secondary Indicators prizes or awards achievements where appropriate	Primary Indicators of the need: how the plan of study/research relates to development in the sector and country outcomes, the projected timeframe to achieve them, and potential beneficiaries. Secondary Indicators of the benefit: how the impact of the work might be measured demonstrable commitment to ‘development’ agendas through voluntary work.	Quality of Research Proposal (Ph.D.)	Quality of Research Proposal (PhD)

Financial Support of Commonwealth Scholarships 2024-2025

Each scholarship provides:

1. Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before your award is confirmed)
2. Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by an agreement between the CSC and the UK university, and scholars are not liable to pay for any part of the tuition fee
3. Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,236 per month, or £1,516 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels)
4. Warm clothing allowance, where applicable
5. Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable
6. Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas
7. If you have children and are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, a child allowance of £529 per month for the first child and £131 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if your children accompany you and they are living with you at the same address in the UK (rates quoted at current levels)
8. If you share that you have a disability, the CSC will offer a full assessment of your needs and eligibility for additional financial support.

Please remember the following information: The family allowances provided by the CSC are intended to help you cover the expenses of supporting your family in the UK. However, it’s important to note that the actual costs involved are likely to be much higher than the allowances provided. Therefore, in order to support any family members who accompany you to the UK, you must be able to supplement these allowances with additional funds.

Student Insurance in the UK

International students studying in the UK may be required to have valid insurance coverage by many universities and educational institutions. This requirement is to ensure that students have access to necessary medical care and support, which provides them with peace of mind and protection against unforeseen circumstances. UK-specific student insurance plans may offer a variety of benefits beyond medical and travel coverage, such as assistance with lost documents, legal aid, or emergency medical evacuation.

When selecting a student insurance policy in the UK, international students should compare policies and providers carefully. Factors to consider include the extent of medical coverage, travel benefits, personal liability protection, and additional services. Some universities may partner with specific insurance providers, offering their students group policies or discounted rates. However, students must ensure that the provided coverage meets their needs and requirements.

Students should read and understand the terms of their insurance policy to know precisely what is covered and what may be excluded. Policies may have limitations on coverage for pre-existing medical conditions or specific activities. Additionally, students should be aware of the claim process and how to access medical care within the insurance network or get reimbursement for expenses. Complying with any university insurance requirements is crucial to ensure a smooth and successful academic experience in the UK. Having comprehensive student insurance can also help international students focus on their studies without worrying about potential financial burdens in case of emergencies.

Frequently Asked Questions: Commonwealth Scholarships 2024-2025