Apply: Fully Funded Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2021-2022

September 24, 2021October 2, 2021 Chila Andrew Aondofa 2063 Views Commonwealth PhD Scholarships, Scholarships in Nigeria min read

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Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are for candidates from eligible lower and upper middle income Commonwealth countries, to undertake full-time taught Master’s study at a UK university.

Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK. These scholarships are offered under six development themes:

Science and technology for development
Strengthening health systems and capacity
Promoting global prosperity
Strengthening global peace, security and governance
Strengthening resilience and response to crises
Access, inclusion and opportunity

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2021 Overview

Candidates may note that in 2021 that some national agencies will not be invited to nominate for Master’s Scholarships. In the context of broader constraints on the UK’s development assistance budget, the CSC must regrettably select fewer Master’s candidates in 2021.

Recommended: Apply for Fully Funded Commonwealth PhD Scholarships 2021 for LDC and Fragile States

New Master’s recruitment will be drawn from countries not invited to nominate for PhD study, while countries not invited to nominate this year will be represented by Master’s Scholars selected in 2020 but who, due to the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic this year, have been supported by the CSC in deferring their scholarship to commence in 2021. This has included the deferral of a significant number of Master’s Scholarships.

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2021 Eligibility

To apply for these scholarships, you must:

Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person
Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country
Be available to start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2021
By September 2021, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a second class degree (2:2) and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree). The CSC would not normally fund a second UK Master’s degree. If you are applying for a second UK Master’s degree, you will need to provide justification as to why you wish to undertake this study
NOT be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, at a UK university or in your home country before September/October 2021
Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship
Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format

Terms and Conditions

For full terms and conditions – including further details of the scholarship themes, tenure and placement, value of the scholarship, and general conditions – see the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2021 terms and conditions.

You should apply to study at a UK university which has a part funding agreement with the CSC. View a full list of UK universities with part funding agreements.

Selection process

Each year, the CSC invites selected nominating bodies to submit a specific number of nominations. Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:

Academic merit of the candidate
Quality of the plan of study
Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s home country

For further details, see the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2021 selection criteria.

How to apply for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2021

You must apply to one of the following nominating bodies in the first instance – the CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships:

National nominating agencies – this is the main route of application
Selected non-governmental organisations and charitable bodies

Each nominating body is responsible for its own selection process and may have additional eligibility criteria. You must check with your nominating body for their specific advice and rules for applying, their own eligibility criteria, and their own closing date for applications.

You must make your application using the CSC’s online application system, in addition to any other application that you are required to complete by your nominating body. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the online application system.

Applications must be submitted by 16:00 (GMT) on 1 November 2021. References must be submitted by 16:00 (GMT) on 22 November 2021. The nomination deadline is 22 December 2021.

Choosing a university/course

You may find the following resources useful when researching your choices of institution and course of study in the UK:

Study UK – British Council website, with guidance for international students and a course and institution search
Postgraduate.com – information for postgraduate students, with a course search
Prospects – information on postgraduate study in the UK
Research Excellent Framework 2014 results – results of a system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions
UCAS Postgraduate – guidance on how to find and apply for a postgraduate course
Unistats – the official website for comparing UK higher education course data
UKCISA (UK Council for International Student Affairs) – advice for international students on choosing a course of study

Eligible countries

Please note that only candidates from the eligible countries listed below can apply for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships in 2022.

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

You are advised to complete and submit your application as soon as possible, as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.