Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships in the UK

Commonwealth scholarships and fellowships support eligible applicants and professionals from selected Commonwealth countries, with the United Kingdom as the main host country. The programmes cover master’s study, PhD study, professional development and entrepreneurship, but you must check each official programme page for current dates and application instructions.

Key facts

• The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK offers master’s, PhD, fellowship and startup programmes for applicants from selected Commonwealth countries.
• Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are open to applicants from countries including Botswana, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia, with the United Kingdom as the host country.
• Commonwealth PhD Scholarships are open to applicants from Gambia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia, and last 36 months.
• Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are available to applicants from a wider list of eligible countries and last 12 months in the United Kingdom.
• Commonwealth Fellowships cover health and medicine, entrepreneurship, and public policy and governance for eligible professionals from Australia, Canada and Seychelles.
• Commonwealth Startup Fellowships support entrepreneurship, include travel and accommodation funding, and offer remote participation over six months.
• The Commonwealth Fellowship Programme 2026/27 for Mid-Career Professionals and Academic Staff is open to eligible professionals and PhD-level applicants from African, Asian, Pacific and other listed Commonwealth countries.

Which Commonwealth programme matches your study or career level?

Your first decision is the level of the programme. Master’s applicants should examine Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships. The programme is hosted in the United Kingdom and accepts applicants from 21 listed countries, including Botswana, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

This matters if you want a postgraduate degree rather than a professional placement. The available facts identify the level as master’s, but they do not provide the funding package, document list, selection criteria or current closing date. Check the official programme page before preparing an application.

PhD applicants should look at Commonwealth PhD Scholarships. The eligible countries are Gambia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia. The host country is the United Kingdom, and the stated duration is 36 months.

The three-year duration matters when you compare doctoral opportunities with shorter programmes. The available information does not state the required academic documents, research proposal format, funding details or application route. Confirm each point on the official programme page rather than relying on a general Commonwealth scholarship checklist.

Which Commonwealth scholarships are available for a one-year programme?

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are listed as 12-month scholarships hosted in the United Kingdom. Eligible countries include Botswana, Cameroon, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Gambia, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

This programme matters if your planning depends on a one-year period of study. The facts identify the duration and eligible countries, but they do not state the academic level, subjects, funding coverage, language evidence or documents required. Review the official programme page for the current application rules.

Do not assume that eligibility for one Commonwealth programme transfers to another. The country lists differ. For example, Cameroon appears in the Shared Scholarships list but not in the Master’s Scholarships list provided here, while the PhD list is narrower than both.

Create a separate eligibility check for every programme. Use your citizenship or eligible-country status first, then confirm the study level and host-country conditions. A country appearing in one list does not establish eligibility for every other programme.

Which Commonwealth fellowships are designed for professionals?

Commonwealth Fellowships, information for UK host organisations, are professional fellowships hosted in the United Kingdom. The listed fields are health and medicine, entrepreneurship, and public policy and governance. Eligible countries are Australia, Canada and Seychelles.

This fellowship matters if you are a professional in one of those fields and your country appears on the eligibility list. The listed funding covers a monthly stipend and travel, with an amount of 2218 to 2753 GBP per month. The information is specifically for UK host organisations, so you should check the official programme page to establish how candidates are nominated or considered.

The Commonwealth Fellowship Programme 2026/27 for Mid-Career Professionals and Academic Staff covers PhD and professional levels. Its eligible-country list includes Botswana, Cameroon, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia, as well as Australia, Canada and Seychelles.

This programme matters if you are a mid-career professional or academic staff member and need to compare a professional route with a PhD-level route. The host country is the United Kingdom. The available information does not state the duration, fields, funding, language requirements or application documents, so check the official programme page for the current details.

What does the Commonwealth Startup Fellowship provide?

Commonwealth Startup Fellowships focus on entrepreneurship. They are open to applicants from Botswana, Cameroon, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

This fellowship matters if your goal is an entrepreneurship-focused opportunity rather than a degree. It can be completed remotely, lasts six months, and lists Ghana and the United Kingdom as host countries. The funding covers travel and accommodation, with an amount of 2000 GBP per total.

Fluent written and spoken English is listed as a language requirement. Treat that requirement as specific to this fellowship. It should not be applied automatically to the other programmes, because the available information does not state their language rules.

The phrase “per total” means the listed amount is presented as a total amount rather than a monthly figure. Do not convert it into another currency without checking the exchange rate and the official payment terms. The available information does not explain when or how the funding is paid.

How should applicants compare country eligibility?

Country eligibility is one of the clearest screening points. The Master’s Scholarships list includes 21 countries. The PhD Scholarships list includes 11 countries. The Shared Scholarships and Startup Fellowships lists include the same broad group of countries, with Cameroon included and Australia, Canada and Seychelles excluded.

The professional fellowship information has the opposite pattern. It lists Australia, Canada and Seychelles, while the Startup Fellowship lists many African and Asian countries instead. These differences can remove a programme from consideration before you spend time preparing documents.

Write down the exact country list for the programme you are assessing. Check the country name against the official page, especially where regional or nationality rules may apply. The facts provided here do not explain whether residence, citizenship, employment or nomination status determines eligibility.

Host-country information also differs. The United Kingdom hosts the Master’s Scholarships, PhD Scholarships, Shared Scholarships and professional fellowships. The Startup Fellowships list Ghana and the United Kingdom as host countries. The Fellowship Programme for Mid-Career Professionals and Academic Staff lists the United Kingdom.

What should you check before preparing an application?

Start with the official programme page for the specific opportunity. The coming-cycle deadlines are not confirmed in the available programme profiles, so do not rely on an old closing date or assume that several programmes share one timetable.

Next, confirm the application route. The professional fellowship information is directed at UK host organisations, while the Startup Fellowship information is directed at candidates. That distinction matters because the person who reads the guidance may not be the person who submits the application.

Then verify the missing requirements. The available facts do not provide a standard document list for these programmes. They also do not state whether IELTS or another English test is required for the Master’s, PhD, Shared Scholarship or professional fellowship routes. Check the official page instead of uploading an unrequested test result or omitting a required document.

Finally, confirm funding terms in the correct unit. The professional fellowship lists a monthly amount of 2218 to 2753 GBP, while the Startup Fellowship lists 2000 GBP per total. These figures describe different payment bases and should not be compared as if they covered the same period.

Commonwealth scholarships and fellowships FAQ

Which countries can apply for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships?

Applicants from Botswana, Eswatini, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia are listed as eligible. The host country is the United Kingdom. Check the official programme page for the current conditions and dates.

How long are Commonwealth PhD Scholarships?

Commonwealth PhD Scholarships have a stated duration of 36 months. They are hosted in the United Kingdom and are open to applicants from Gambia, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia. The official page must confirm the documents and application rules.

Are Commonwealth Startup Fellowships remote?

Yes. Commonwealth Startup Fellowships are listed as remote and last six months. They focus on entrepreneurship, require fluent written and spoken English, and list travel and accommodation funding of 2000 GBP per total.

Which Commonwealth fellowships cover a monthly stipend?

Commonwealth Fellowships, information for UK host organisations, list a monthly stipend and travel as funded items. The stated amount is 2218 to 2753 GBP per month. The eligible countries listed for this fellowship are Australia, Canada and Seychelles.

Do Commonwealth programmes require IELTS?

The available information only states fluent written and spoken English for Commonwealth Startup Fellowships. It does not confirm an IELTS requirement for that fellowship or for the other listed programmes. Check the official programme page for the accepted evidence of English ability.

What should you do next?

Choose the programme that matches your country and level before collecting documents. If you are applying for a master’s degree, review Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships. If you are seeking a 36-month PhD route, review Commonwealth PhD Scholarships. For a 12-month United Kingdom scholarship, check Commonwealth Shared Scholarships. Professionals should compare the two fellowship routes, while entrepreneurs should examine Commonwealth Startup Fellowships.

After making that shortlist, open the official programme page for each option and confirm the current deadline, application route, documents, funding terms and eligibility conditions. The coming-cycle dates are not confirmed in the information available here, so checking the official page is the only reliable way to plan your submission.