Commonwealth Fellowship Programme 2026/2027 for mid-career professionals and academics (Fully Funded Study in the United Kingdom) – Opportunities For Africans

Application Deadline:  25 August, 2026

Applications are actually open for the 2026/2027 Commonwealth Fellowship Programme. From 2026/27, the CSC has launched a brand new ‘Commonwealth Fellowship Programme’ that includes two strands: the present Professional Fellowships alongside a brand new strand of Academic Fellowships. 

Both strands are open to candidates from ALL Commonwealth international locations. 

Commonwealth Professional Fellowships are for mid-career professionals from eligible Commonwealth international locations (apart from the UK) to undertake a programme {of professional} growth at a UK host organisation working in their sector.   

Commonwealth Academic Fellowships are for tutorial employees who maintain a PhD and are employed at a college in an eligible Commonwealth nation (apart from the UK) to undertake a programme of educational abilities replace, data trade and networking, with a view to establishing future collaboration, at a UK college.  

Purpose: Commonwealth Academic and Professional Fellowships are for residents of Commonwealth international locations to spend a time frame in the UK at an organisation working on a programme {of professional} or tutorial growth which could have a developmental impression upon their return home.  

Intended beneficiaries:  

• Professional Fellows needs to be mid-career professionals with 5 years’ related expertise working in organisations in an eligible Commonwealth nation.   
• Academic Fellows ought to have a PhD and be employed by a college in an eligible Commonwealth nation.   

The progrram provisionally plan to supply round 40 Fellowships in complete: 

• Approximately 30 Fellowships accessible for residents of Commonwealth international locations eligible for ODA.  
• Approximately 10 Fellowships can be found for residents of Commonwealth international locations not eligible for ODA (abroad growth help). 

Themes

These fellowships are provided beneath six growth themes:  

• Science and know-how for growth
• Improving inhabitants well being, well being techniques and capability
• Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship
• Strengthening peace, safety and governance
• Strengthening resilience and response to crises
• Access, inclusion and alternative

Professional Fellowships in 2026/27 should:  

• Begin between mid-February to mid-March 2027
• Be between six weeks and three months period

Academic Fellowships in 2026/27 should:  

• Begin in January/February 2027
• Be of three months period

To be eligible for these Fellowships, potential Fellows should:

• 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 an eligible Commonwealth nation. Prospective Fellows mustn’t have indefinite depart to stay in the UK.
• Professional Fellows: have at the least 5 years’ full-time, or equal part-time, related work expertise, in a occupation associated to the topic of the Fellowships programme, by the proposed begin of the fellowship – voluntary work expertise won’t be counted in direction of this minimal. 
• Academic Fellows: maintain a PhD and be employed by a college in a Commonwealth nation apart from the UK.  
• Be in employment at the time of application at an organisation that they’ll return to upon completion of the fellowship.
• Provide at the least two references, considered one of which should be from their present employer. Any functions for which references are usually not acquired will probably be thought of ineligible.
• Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Fellowship inside the final 5 years (at the time of taking over the award).
• Be accessible to undertake their fellowship from the prescribed begin date.

Eligible Countries

Candidates ought to check the eligibility necessities for every particular person programme.

Bangladesh • Belize • Botswana • Cameroon • Dominica • Eswatini • Fiji • Gabon • The Gambia • 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 • Togo • Tonga • Tuvalu • Uganda • Vanuatu • Zambia

Benefits

Each fellowship gives: 

• Approved return airfare from the Fellow’s home nation to the UK.  
• Reimbursement of the commonplace visa application charge.  
• Stipend (residing allowance) payable month-to-month (or professional rata) for the period of the award at the fee of £2,218 monthly, or £2,753 monthly for these at organisations in the London metropolitan space (charges quoted at 2025/26 ranges).  
• If a Fellow declares a incapacity, a full evaluation of wants and eligibility for further monetary help will probably be provided by the CSC. See the CSC disability support statement for extra data.  
• Arrival allowance of as much as £1,247.09 (charges quoted at 2025/26 ranges), together with a component for heat clothes.  
• Additional charges could be agreed for prices related to Fellows attending quick programs/conferences in addition to journey to go to different UK organisations the place this varieties an integral part of the programme. Programmes from six weeks to 2 months can declare as much as £1,000 and programmes of two months to three months can declare as much as £2,000.  See additional steerage beneath.  These prices will probably be paid on to the host organisation. 

​Applications for the 2027 Commonwealth Fellowships are actually open. To apply for a Commonwealth Fellowship you should full the application kind by clicking on the hyperlink beneath:

Commonwealth Fellowship application form 

For More Information:

Visit the Official Webpage of the Commonwealth Fellowship Programme