Students from developing countries who would not otherwise be able to study in the UK can apply for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for master’s study, jointly supported by ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥.

Purpose: to contribute to development needs of Commonwealth countries by providing training for skilled and qualified professionals and academics who would not otherwise have been able to study in the UK.

Intended beneficiaries: High-quality postgraduate students from Least Developed and middle-income countries (including fragile and conflict affected states), who have not studied for a year or more in a high-income country before, who would not otherwise afford to study in the UK, and who have the potential to enhance the development of their home countries with the knowledge and leadership skills they acquire.

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are offered for selected taught full-time master’s courses. These scholarships do not cover PhD study, or any pre-sessional English language teaching.

At a glance

  • Funding valueAll tuition fees, travel and living costs
  • Suitable for Applicants fromRest of world
  • Deadline09 Dec 2025
  • Funding provider(s)Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and ÂãÁÄÖ±²¥


What it covers

An indication of the support you will receive if you are successful as a Commonwealth Shared scholar:

  • 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 usually the cost of journeys made before your award is finally confirmed).
  • Approved tuition and examination fees.
  • Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,452 per month.
  • Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable.
  • Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
  • Study travel grant towards the costs of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
  • Contribution towards tuberculosis (TB) tests, where required for visa application. 
  • A child allowance, where specific circumstances apply.
  • If a Scholar shares that they have a disability, a full assessment of their needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.

Please see the for full details on the financial assistance and access to the Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars.

Who can apply

To apply for these scholarships, you must:

  • Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country;
  • Be permanently resident in an ;
  • Be available to start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October;
  • By September, hold a first degree or at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard;
  • Not have studied or worked for one (academic) year or more in a high income country;
  • Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
  • Have provided all supporting documentation (to the CSC) in the required format. 
  • Be studying one of the applicable courses: 

The CSC aims to identify talented individuals who have the potential to make change. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination and encourage applications from a diverse range of applicants. For further information on the support available to scholars who share that they have a disability, see the

There is no age limit for CSC applications. Applicants are advised to confirm with their employers any age restrictions on leave entitlement they may have in place.

Further information

To access the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission's Complaints Procedure and Safeguarding Policy, please visit the .

The CSC is committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a fair and transparent manner. For further information, see the and the .

How to apply

For guidance of how to apply and to access the application process, please see the 

Your application to the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship should be submitted before you make an application for admission to your chosen Cranfield course. If your scholarship application progresses to the next stage you will be given instructions on the further steps you must undertake.