Commonwealth Split-Site PhD Scholarships

Award details

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. This scholarship allows doctoral students the opportunity to study at a UK university for 12 months.

Purpose: To widen access to UK equipment and expertise for quality doctoral candidates from Commonwealth countries, and to contribute to UK and Commonwealth higher education and research through collaboration and partnerships.

Intended beneficiaries: High-quality graduates from Least Developed and middle- income countries (including fragile and conflict affected states) who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK but who have the potential to become influential leaders, teachers, or researchers in their home countries, and whose proposed research has a developmental and leadership focus.

Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships are offered under six CSC Development themes.

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

Award value

Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarships cover the following:

• Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before the award is confirmed).
• Approved tuition fees: full fees are covered by agreement between the CSC and the UK university, and Scholars are not liable to pay for any part of the tuition fee.
• Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,378 per month, or £1,690 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
• Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
• Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
• If a Scholar is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £590 per month for the first child, and £146 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.

Eligibility criteria

To apply for this scholarship, applicants must:

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country.
• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
• Be registered for a PhD at a university in an eligible Commonwealth country by the time the scholarship starts in September 2025.
• Ensure that an institutional or departmental link exists between the home university and proposed UK university. This link must be greater than simply a collaboration between individuals – see section on ‘Tenure and placement’ below for further details. Both supervisors must provide a supporting statement with further details of the link to ensure the application is eligible.
• Be available to start academic study in the UK in September 2025.
• By September 2025, 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).
• Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
• Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.

Eligibility is set by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and may be subject to change, please check their website for full details.

Award conditions

For full conditions please check the Commonwealth Scholarship Commissions webpage.

Application process

Please check the Commonwealth Scholarship Committee webpage for information on the application process.