Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships are for candidates from low and middle-income countries, as classified by the OECD Development Assistance Committee (DAC), in the Commonwealth, to conduct research at a university in the UK for 12 months.

Purpose: To widen access to UK equipment and expertise for quality doctoral candidates from Commonwealth countries.

Intended beneficiaries: High-quality graduates from Least Developed and middle-income countries (including fragile and conflict-affected states).

Award duration: 12 months, which can be taken as a single 12-month period or separated into two six-month periods.

Applicant Eligibility

To apply for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country.
• Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
• By September 2024, 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).

CSC disability support statement.

Financial assistance

• Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by agreement between the CSC.
• Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,347 per month, or £1,652 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
• If a Scholar is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, a child allowance of £576.61 per month for the first child, and £143 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.

For more information, see the current Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars.

Please note that the conditions outlined in the Handbook are subject to change.

FAQs and enquiries

For general information about applying for Commonwealth Scholarships or Fellowships, please see our FAQs page.

How to apply

Applications for Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships for the 2024/25 academic year are now open. The deadline for submitting an application is 16:00 GMT on 5 December 2023. The scholarships are for study in the UK beginning in September/October 2024.

click HERE to apply