*Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme

How does the Scheme work?

Awards are for taught masters courses only. No awards will be made for undergraduate or doctoral study. All courses undertaken must be demonstrably relevant to the economic, social or technological development of the candidate’s home country.

Awards are only available at participating institutions in the UK. The booklet giving details of the UK institutions offering Scholarships joint-funded with the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in 2010 is available for download here or can be obtained in print copy from the Scheme Administrators (see below).

Please note that participating universities are required to support the student stipend for the award holder (at the rate set by the UK Government). The Commission funds the cost of tuition fees (at overseas rate), return airfares and other allowances. It is envisaged that around 170 Scholarships will be offered in 2010.

Who is eligible?

Applicants should:

• be nationals of (or permanently domiciled in) a Commonwealth developing country, and not be currently living or studying in a developed country
• hold a first degree at either first or upper second class level
• be sufficiently fluent in English to pursue the course
• have not previously studied for one year or more in a developed country
• not be employed by a government department (at national level) or a parastatal organisation (employees of universities are normally acceptable however)
• be able to confirm in writing that neither they nor their families would otherwise be able to pay for the proposed course of study
• be willing to confirm that they will return to their home country as soon as their period of study is complete

How can I apply?

All enquiries should be addressed to the University at which you wish to study and through which you should therefore apply for a Scholarship.  They will advise you on how to make an application direct to them.  Most universities will handle advertising and recruitment directly using their own application form and applications should therefore be addressed to the participating university direct (option 1). A few universities want all candidates for their Shared Scholarship courses to apply via the Commission’s Electronic Application System (EAS) (option 2).  You will be advised by the institution if this is the case and should then access the EAS through the link above.

Following an option 1 university’s closing date, the university will ask the candidates it selects to complete the CSC application form. Candidates should note that institutions are asked to forward their nominations to the CSC no later than 31 May 2010; where institutions have not specified a closing date candidates should contact the institution so as to ascertain the latest date that the institution is willing to accept applications.

COSTS

• DFID and participating United Kingdom institutions will jointly meet the full costs of an award holder’s study in the United Kingdom including air fares to and from the United Kingdom. Maintenance allowance is paid by the scholar’s host institution, at the level set by the UK Government: £1,024 per month for scholars based in London and £828 per month for the rest of the UK. (July 2009 figures)

Where can I get further information?

Although applications for specific courses should be addressed to the individual university concerned, general inquiries regarding the scheme should be sent to the scheme administrators at the address below. Please note that applications sent to this office will be disregarded and will not be passed on to the institutions.
Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme

Commonwealth Scholarship Commission
c/o Association of Commonwealth Universities
Woburn House, 20-24 Tavistock Square
London WC1H 9HF
Telephone : 44 (0) 207 380 6700

Fax : 44 (0) 207 387 2655
E-Mail : info@acu.ac.uk

List of developing Commonwealth countries

Anguilla                                                         Kiribati                            Sri Lanka

Antigua and Barbuda                               Lesotho                           Swaziland

Bangladesh                                                   Malawi                             Tanzania

Barbados                                                      Malaysia                           Tonga

Belize                                                              Maldives                          Trinidad and Tobago

Bermuda                                                        Mauritius                         Tristan da Cunha

Botswana                                                       Montserrat                     Turks and Caicos

British Virgin Islands                              Mozambique                   Tuvalu

Cameroon                                                    Namibia                            Uganda

Cayman Islands                                         Nauru                               Vanuatu

Dominica                                                      Nigeria                              Western Samoa

Falkland Islands                                        Pakistan                            Zambia

Fiji                                                                   Papua New Guinea

Gambia                                                         Pitcairn

Ghana                                                            St. Helena

Gibraltar                                                    St. Kitts and Nevis

Grenada                                                       St. Lucia

Guyana                                                       St. Vincent

India                                                           Sierra Leone

Jamaica                                                     Solomon Islands

Kenya                                                         South Africa

Fiji is currently suspended from the Commonwealth

FULL FREE SCHOLARSHIPS – http://www.freeundergraduatescholarships.info

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO – Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme