Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for Master’s Courses in UK, 2015-2016 Read more: 2015-2016 Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, UK Scholarship Positions 2014 2015

Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC) in partnership with UK universities offers Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for students from developing Commonwealth countries. Shared Scholarships are usually tenable for one-year Master’s courses only. Candidates are recruited and selected by UK host universities in the first instance. Selection criteria include: the academic merit of the candidate, as well as the likely impact of their work on the development of their home country. The EAS will close to applicants on 16 April 2015 and no further applications can be submitted after that date.

Study Subject(s): Scholarships are awarded to study subjects related to the development of their home country at participating UK universities only
Course Level: Scholarships are available for pursuing masters degree program at UK Institutions.
Scholarship Provider: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC) in partnership with UK universities.
Scholarship can be taken at: UK

Eligibility: To apply for a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, candidates must:
-Be Commonwealth citizens, refugees, or British protected persons
-Be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country
-Be available to commence their academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2015
-Hold, by October 2015, a first degree of at least upper second class Honours standard
-Not have undertaken studies lasting one year or more in a developed country
-Be unable themselves, or through their families, to pay to study in the UK
-The Commission wishes to promote equal opportunity, gender equity and cultural exchange. Applications are encouraged from a diverse range of candidates.

Scholarship Open for International Students: Students of developing Commonwealth countries (Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, British Virgin Islands, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Falkland Islands, Fiji*, Gambia, Ghana, Gibraltar, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Pitcairn  Islands, Rwanda, St Helena, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Seychelles, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Tonga, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia and Zimbabwe) can apply for these Commonwealth Shared Scholarships.

Scholarship Description: Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are offered by the CSC in partnership with UK universities. These scholarships are intended for students from developing countries who would not otherwise be able to afford to undertake Master’s level study in the UK, to gain skills and knowledge which will allow them to contribute to the development of their home countries. In 2015-2016, over 70 UK universities are jointly funding Shared Scholarships with the CSC. The CSC extends its thanks to these host
universities; while the scheme is managed by the CSC, its success depends critically on their support.

Number of award(s): Not Known

Duration of award(s): Shared Scholarships are usually tenable for one-year Master’s courses only.

What does it cover? The CSC and host UK universities jointly meet the full costs of Commonwealth Shared Scholarships. Each Scholarship provides:
-Student concessionary or other approved airfare to the United Kingdom and return on expiry of the Scholarship (arranged by the host university; funded by the CSC)
-Approved tuition and examination fees (funded by the CSC)
-A personal maintenance allowance at the rate of £977 per month (£1,208 per month for those studying at institutions in the London Metropolitan area) – rates quoted at 2014-2015 levels (paid and funded by the
host university)
-A grant of £225 towards the expenses of preparing a dissertation, where applicable (claimed from the host
university; funded by the CSC)
-An initial arrival allowance, including visa reimbursement where applicable (funded by the host university)
-A grant of £200 for expenses for approved study travel within the UK or overseas (claimed from the host university; funded by the CSC)
-Excess baggage allowance for up to 10 kilograms of books only, when returning home (funded by the CSC) No additional allowances are available for spouses or other dependents.

Selection Criteria: Candidates are recruited and selected by UK host universities in the first instance. Selection criteria include: the academic merit of the candidate, as well as the likely impact of their work on the development of their home country.

Notification: Host UK universities must forward details of their selected candidates to the CSC by 30 April 2015. Universities will inform candidates of their results by July 2015.

How to Apply: All applications must be made through your host UK university. You must check with them in the first instance for specific advice on how to make an application and for their own closing date. All Commonwealth Shared Scholarship candidates must be selected and put forward to the CSC by their host UK university, and must submit their application to the CSC using Electronic Application System (EAS). Candidates must apply for a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship using one of two methods, as instructed by the university:
-Via university: Applying to the university in the first instance using the university’s own application form. If selected, candidates will then be asked to submit an application to the CSC using the EAS. Any applications made via the EAS only and not directly to the university first will not be considered.
-EAS only: Applying to both the university and the CSC at the same time using the EAS. Each university has its own closing date for applications. Any applications received after this date will be deemed ineligible.

Scholarship Application Deadline: The EAS will close to applicants on 16 April 2015 and no further applications can be submitted after that date. Candidates should note that most university closing dates fall before 16 April and you must submit your application by the date advised by the university to which you are applying.

Further Official Scholarship Information and Application