The Commonwealth Scholarship is a great chance to study for free in the UK. If you are chosen, your full fees and travel costs will be covered, and you will get a monthly living allowance of £1,652. This program is a partnership between the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK and different UK universities, and it aims to support high-quality research. Commonwealth PhD Scholarships are for people from the poorest countries and those in difficult situations. They help you study for a full-time PhD at a university in the UK.
These scholarships are funded by the UK Department for Education. They are looking for talented graduates who can make a difference through their research and become leaders or educators when they go back home.
Eligibility
To apply for the Commonwealth Scholarships in 2026, you need to:
- Be a citizen or refugee from an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
- Live permanently in an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Be ready to start your studies in the UK by September 2026.
- By September 2026, have at least a first degree with upper second-class (2:1) honors, or a lower second-class degree with a relevant postgraduate qualification (like a Master’s degree)*.
- Not be already registered for a PhD or an MPhil leading to a PhD at a UK university or in your home country before September/October 2026.
- Show that you need financial help to study in the UK without this scholarship.
- Provide all the necessary documents in the correct format.
Duration and Rewards
- The scholarship covers the cost of a round trip flight from your home country to the UK. The CSC will not pay for flights for any family members or trips taken before the scholarship is approved.
- Your tuition fees will be fully covered. Scholars do not have to pay any tuition fees.
- You will receive a monthly living allowance of £1,452, or £1,781 if you are studying in London.
- If you need it, a clothing allowance will be provided.
- You can get a travel grant to help with study-related travel, whether it’s in the UK or abroad.
- If you will do fieldwork overseas, the scholarship will cover the cost of one economy class return flight to that location, if approved.
- You can make a paid visit back to your home country during the scholarship, unless you’ve already asked for allowances for a spouse or child, or have used a flight for fieldwork.
- If you are a single parent (widowed, divorced, or never married) with kids, you can get £622 each month for your first child and £154 for the second and third child under 16 if they live with you in the UK.
- If you disclose a disability, the CSC will evaluate your needs for extra financial support.
Required Documents
Applicants need to upload these documents with their application:
- Proof of citizenship or refugee status from an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport or national ID showing your photo, date of birth, and country of citizenship.
- Full transcripts showing all your higher education qualifications, including current studies, with certified translations if they are not in English. If any transcripts are missing or incomplete, your application won’t be valid.
- References from at least two people in PDF format, signed and on official letterhead, or emails with clear sender details.
- A signed supporting statement in PDF format from a potential supervisor at one of the UK institutions listed in your application.
- An unconditional offer, or an offer that only depends on finance, for the 2023 UK academic year from all the institutions mentioned in your application.
Your application will be deemed ineligible if you do not include all required documents by the deadline.
How to Apply
To apply for the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship, you must use the online application system provided by the CSC.
The CSC will not accept any applications or documents that are not submitted through this online system.
It’s a good idea to fill out and send your application as soon as you can. The online system gets very busy just before the deadline.
You also need to apply to a nominator.
There are three types of nominators you can choose from:
- National nominating agencies – this is the main way to apply.
- Selected universities – these can nominate their own staff.
- Selected non-governmental organizations and charities.
Important date: Submit your application by October 14, 2025.
