Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships 2025: Fully Funded Online Master’s Degrees for Developing Countries

The Commonwealth Distance Learning programme is one in every of three Master’s programmes supplied by the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission within the UK (CSC) supplies the UK authorities scholarship scheme led by worldwide growth goals. It operates throughout the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship plan (CSFP) and gives a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring dedication to the Commonwealth. By attracting people with excellent expertise and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to turn into leaders and innovators on returning to their home international locations, the CSC’s work combines sustainable growth with the UK nationwide curiosity and supplies alternatives for worldwide partnerships and collaboration.

Purpose: Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships allow proficient and motivated people to entry coaching and abilities required for sustainable growth not obtainable of their home international locations.

Intended beneficiaries: Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships are for candidate from eligible low and center revenue Commonwealth international locations, to undertake part-time taught Master’s study with UK universities whereas remaining of their home international locations.

These scholarships are supplied underneath six CSC development themes.

 

Applications for Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships for the 2025/26 educational 12 months are actually open. The deadline for submitting an application is 16:00 GMT on Tuesday 20 May 2025. The scholarships are for study starting in September/October 2025.

Applications to the CSC should be made utilizing the CSC’s online application system. 

The CSC is unable to simply accept any functions or documentation not submitted through the web application system. 

Applicants should apply and safe admission to study an accredited Master’s course at a taking part UK college as well as to making use of for a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship through the CSC’s on-line application system. 

Applicants can apply for multiple course and to multiple college, however they could solely settle for one supply of a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship. Please observe that Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships are solely for Master’s programs and never for undergraduate or PhD study.  

Please check with the chosen college for their particular recommendation on when to apply, admission necessities, and guidelines for making use of. 

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship functions might be shared with UK universities, who will nominate their chosen candidates to obtain a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship in June 2025. The CSC then checks that the candidates nominated meet the CSC’s eligibility standards. Universities inform candidates if they’ve efficiently been awarded a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship by August 2025.

 

Applications should embrace supporting documentation to be eligible.

Please observe that candidates are required to gather references, on establishment letterhead or an e mail clearly exhibiting the sender’s particulars, from referees after which add them to the application system in PDF format with their different supporting documentation.  

The references should be uploaded to the application system by the deadline for functions and we’re unable to simply accept references another approach or after this date. 

Applicants should add the next paperwork with the application: 

• Proof that they’re a citizen or have refugee standing in an eligible Commonwealth nation: a replica of a legitimate passport (or nationwide ID card) exhibiting {a photograph}, date of start, and nation of citizenship.
• Full transcripts detailing all greater schooling {qualifications}, together with up-to-date transcripts for any programs presently being studied, with licensed translations if not in English. Where any transcripts are lacking or don’t embrace all pages, the application might be thought-about ineligible. 
• References from a minimum of two people, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an e mail clearly exhibiting the sender’s particulars. 

Applications might be thought-about ineligible if any of the required documentation isn’t included by the deadline. 

The CSC won’t settle for supporting documentation submitted outdoors the web application system. 

When finishing the references, referees must be requested to remark as absolutely as attainable on the applicant, preserving in thoughts the next factors for inclusion, as acceptable: 

• How lengthy, and in what capability, the referee has recognized the applicant. 
• The referee’s views on the applicant’s suitability for the proposed scholarship and the necessity for the actual topic of study within the UK. 
• Information on how, and to what extent, the applicant has proven capability when it comes to functionality to understand ideas and purpose analytically; capability for authentic thought; and motivation and perseverance in reaching goals. 
• Assessment of the applicant’s specific strengths and weaknesses. 
• The applicant’s potential to influence growth of their home nation. 
• Any different common qualities which the referee considers would make the applicant a superb recipient of a scholarship. 

 

Applicants can discover common details about making use of for a Commonwealth Scholarship on our advice for applicants page.

Please learn and full the Distance Learning Scholarships eligibility checklist earlier than submitting your application.

 

An inventory of eligible programs for 2025 could be discovered on the methods to apply tab, sorted by CSC development theme.

Candidate’s could discover the next sources helpful when researching their decisions of establishment:

• Study UK – British Council web site, with steering for worldwide college students and a course and establishment search
• Postgrad.com – info for postgraduate college students, with a course search
• Research Excellent Framework 2021 results – outcomes of a system for assessing the standard of analysis in UK greater schooling establishments
• UCAS Postgraduate – steering on methods to discover and apply for a postgraduate course
• Unistats – the official web site for evaluating UK greater schooling course knowledge
• UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs) – recommendation for worldwide college students on selecting a course of study

The CSC isn’t accountable for the content material of exterior websites.

 

To be eligible for a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship, candidates ought to:

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee standing by an eligible Commonwealth nation, or be a British Protected Person.
• Be completely resident in a growing Commonwealth nation.
• Hold a primary diploma of a minimum of higher second class (2:1) commonplace. A decrease qualification and adequate related expertise could also be thought-about in sure instances.
• Be unable to afford to study the programme with out this scholarship.

The CSC goals to establish proficient people who’ve the potential to make change. We are dedicated to a coverage of equal alternative and non-discrimination, and encourage functions from a various vary of candidates. For additional info on the help obtainable to candidates with a incapacity, see the CSC disability support statement.

The CSC is dedicated to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a good and clear method. For additional info, see the CSC Anti-Fraud Policy and Procedure and the steering on reporting fraud.

The CSC is dedicated to proactively safeguard and promote the welfare of our beneficiaries, and to guard its workers, Commissioners, beneficiaries and all these with whom the CSC comes into contact. The CSC requires workers, members of the Commission, candidates for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to behave constantly with its necessities for safeguarding. Applicants ought to observe the CSC’s Safeguarding Policy which units out the duty for workers, members of the Commission, candidates for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to behave constantly with its necessities for safeguarding. Any safeguarding issues must be reported to the Commission at: csc.safeguarding@cscuk.org.uk

 

Please see listing of eligible international locations under as acknowledged within the DAC List revealed in 2024.

Bangladesh
Belize
Botswana
Cameroon
Dominica
Eswatini
Fiji
Gabon
Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
India
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Rwanda
Saint Helena
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
The Gambia
Togo
Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Zambia

 

In the application type, candidates are requested to:

• List all undergraduate and postgraduate college {qualifications} obtained.
• List as much as 10 publications and prizes.
• Provide particulars of their employment historical past and clarify how every job is related to the programme to be undertaken.
• Provide an announcement on the relevance of their earlier work expertise to the proposed Scholarship.
• List names and positions of two referees who’re certified to touch upon each the candidate’s capability to profit from the proposed scholarship within the UK and their capability to ship growth influence afterwards. One referee should be a present employer (if relevant).
• Provide a Development Impact assertion in 4 components.

In the primary part candidates ought to clarify how the proposed scholarship pertains to: 

1. Development points on the world, nationwide, and native degree.
2. Development points related to your chosen CSC growth theme and the broader sector.

The second part ought to clarify how they intend to apply their new abilities as soon as the scholarship ends. 

The third part ought to define what they anticipate will change in growth phrases following the scholarship, together with:

1. The outcomes they intention to attain
2. The timeframe for their implementation
3. Who the beneficiaries might be

In the fourth part candidates ought to write about how the influence of their work might be finest measured and evidenced. Applicants are additionally requested to: 

1. Confirm what their award goals are and the way every of them might be met by the scholarship programme.
2. Confirm what their profession plans are for the 5 years following the scholarship. 
3. Confirm their long-term profession plans. 
4. Provide an in depth plan of study. 
5. Provide a private assertion to summarise the methods wherein their private background has inspired them to wish to make an influence of their home nation. Applicants could want to spotlight any areas the place they’ve already made vital contributions, together with overcoming private or neighborhood limitations in accessing greater schooling or inside their discipline. 
6. Summarise the methods wherein they’ve engaged in voluntary actions and the alternatives they’ve needed to reveal management. 

 

Each taking part UK University will conduct its personal recruitment course of to pick a specified variety of candidates for Distance Learning Scholarships. Universities should put ahead their chosen candidates to the CSC. The CSC will then affirm that these candidates meet the eligibility standards for this scheme and universities will inform candidates of their outcomes. Further particulars on anticipated dates are within the How to Apply part.

Selection standards embrace:

• Academic advantage of the applicant
• Potential influence of the work on the event of the applicant’s home nation

 

A Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship covers tuition charges and study grants the place required. Other scholarships, awards, or bursaries that cowl the identical prices will not be held concurrently.

For the CSC to manage the application successfully and effectively after submission, it is going to be essential to create a report within the applicant’s title. If they apply for an award to the CSC, their particulars might be saved on file. Basic anonymised demographic knowledge for all candidates might be saved for analytical analysis. The CSC is dedicated to defending private info and to being clear in regards to the info we’re gathering about candidates and what we do with it. To discover out extra, see our privacy notice. 

Applicant’s private info might be used to conduct essential due diligence checks to the CSC’s satisfaction, earlier than the CSC proceeds with any kind of formal settlement or contractual relationship. In most instances, the due diligence checks might be easy, however additional info could also be requested, so we ask for full co-operation to hurry up the method. 

If an applicant doesn’t agree to private knowledge getting used for the aim of conducting due diligence, sadly the CSC won’t be able to proceed additional with the application course of. 

If an application is profitable, the applicant’s college will notify them that they’ve been chosen.

The CSC doesn’t require any candidates to take an IELTS (English language) check. Please observe, nevertheless, that, as an extra situation of a scholarship, candidates could also be required by their college to offer proof of a selected degree of English language proficiency.

The CSC won’t be able to supply a scholarship to an applicant if it could contravene the phrases and situations of one other scholarship that they’ve beforehand held.

When phrases of admission to the college have been agreed, the college will ship a proper Notification of Award letter.

The following  are not eligible to apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship; an worker, a former worker, or relative of an worker of the Government of the United Kingdom; or a workers member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities or the British Council; or a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner, former Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner or a relative of a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner. Former staff of the organisations listed above are eligible to apply three years after ceasing their employment with them.

In line with the UK Bribery Act 2010, any applicant convicted of bribery might be banned from reapplying for a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship for a interval of as much as 5 years.  

Scholars are anticipated to stick to the CSC’s Code of Conduct for award holders and the Disciplinary Policy and Procedure. 

An award could also be terminated at any time for causes of unsatisfactory conduct, progress, or attendance, or if registration is suspended or terminated by the college for any purpose. 

The CSC is dedicated to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a good and clear method. For extra info, see the CSC Anti-Fraud Policy and Procedure at and the FCDO guidance on reporting fraud.

The CSC is dedicated to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a good and clear method. For extra info, see the CSC Anti-Fraud Policy and Procedure at and the FCDO guidance on reporting fraud.

The CSC is dedicated proactively to safeguard and promote the welfare of our beneficiaries, and to guard its workers, Commissioners, beneficiaries and all these with whom the CSC comes into contact. The CSC requires workers, members of the Commission, candidates for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to behave constantly with its necessities for safeguarding. Applicants ought to observe the CSC Safeguarding Policy which units out the duty for workers, members of the Commission, candidates for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to behave constantly with its necessities for safeguarding. Any safeguarding issues must be reported to the Commission at: csc.safeguarding@cscuk.org.uk

All situations of award are topic to UK native regulation and practices and are topic to alter by the CSC.

 

For common details about making use of for Commonwealth Scholarships or Fellowships, please see our FAQs page. 

For queries not lined on the web site, please use the contact us form. 

 

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