The Commonwealth Split-Site Scholarships will enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills essential for sustainable development. It is funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) and is aimed to support those who cannot afford to study in the UK.
The scholarship awards PhD students studying across the Commonwealth the opportunity to conduct research at an institute in the UK for 12 months. Commonwealth Split-Site Scholarships are offered under six CSC Development themes.
The award is designed for high-flying graduates whose intended research has a developmental focus with a potential to become influential researchers or teachers in their home countries.
Deadline: 02 March, 2023 at 16:00 GMT.
To be Eligible:
Prospective scholars must:
- Be a citizen of have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
- Be permanently residing in an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Be registered for PhD at a university in an eligible Commonwealth country as at September 2023
- Ensure there is a departmental link between your home university and your proposed UK research university. This link ought to be greater than a partnership between individuals. See the section on Tenure and Placement for more details.
- Be available to resume your academic studies in the UK in September 2023.
- By September 2023, hold a first degree of at least upper second class honors standards, or a lower second class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (typically a Master’s degree).
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
Eligible Countries
Only candidates from these eligible countries are qualified to apply for the Commonwealth Split-Site Scholarships 2023/24/
- Bangladesh
- Belize
- Botswana
- Cameroon
- Fiji
- Gabon
- Ghana
- Grenada
- Guyana
- India
- Jamaica
- Kenya
- Kiribati
- Lesotho
- Malawi
- Malaysia
- Mauritius
- Montserrat
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Rwanda
- St Helena
- St Lucia
- St. Vincent and the Grenadines
- Samoa
- Sierra Leone
- Solomon Islands
- South Africa
- Sri Lanka
- Tanzania
- The Gambia
- Togo
- Tonga
- Tuvalu
- Uganda
- Vanuatu
- Zambia
How to Apply
Candidates must apply through the CSC’s online application system. It’s advisable to submit applications as early as possible, as the system will get busier in the days closer to the deadline.
Required Documentation for the Application Form
Candidates must upload identification and supporting documents when filling the form. They include:
- A copy of valid passport/national ID card showing a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship.
- Full transcripts of all higher education credentials, including current transcripts for any courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English language.
- References from at least two individuals on the institutional letterhead.
- Supporting statement on institutional letterhead from a proposed supervisor in the UK institute listed in the application form.
- Supporting statement on institutional letterhead from the current supervisor at the home university.
Note: If any of the required documentation is not provided before the deadline, the application will be null and void. Candidates can also upload any university admission letter held for their selected courses.
