Skip to Content

The Graduate School

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
Deadline: Not specified
Level of Study
Postgraduate Taught
Country Group
International
Funding Amount
Stipend/living cost £1,236 per month (rates quoted at 2022-23 level) plus approved tuition fees
Application Status
Open

Eligibility summary

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

Overview

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast. These scholarships are for students from least developed and lower middle income Commonwealth countries, who would not otherwise be able to afford to undertake Master’s level study in the UK, to gain skills and knowledge which will allow them to contribute to the development of their home countries.

Further Information

Applications for the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship for 2023 are open 03 November 2022 and close on 13 December 2022 16:00 (GMT).

Candidates must apply for both admission to the eligible course at Queen’s and for a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship by the closing date. Candidates should provide any information that they wish to be considered by 13 December 2022 closing date to facilitate the selection process. The University will consider scholarship applications according to: academic merit of the candidate; quality of the plan of study; and potential impact of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country. The University will put forward their selected candidates to the CSC. The CSC will then confirm that the nominated candidate(s) meet the eligibility criteria for this scheme. Universities will inform candidates of their results by July 2023.

Funding Towards

Living Costs / Stipend, Miscellaneous, Travel Costs, Tuition Fees

Funding Body

Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, 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.

Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK

 

Funding Amount

Stipend/living cost £1,236 per month (rates quoted at 2022-23 level) plus approved tuition fees

The scholarship will cover approved tuition fees and a monthly stipend (living cost), approved air fare for the scholar to and from the UK at the start and end of the programme, a grant to cover thesis costs and study travel.

 

Number of Awards

3

Funding Body

Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, in partnership with Queen’s University Belfast, 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.

Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK

 

Terms and Conditions

Further details relating to the value of the scholarship, eligibility, and general conditions is available at Commonwealth Shared Scholarships - Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (fcdo.gov.uk)

Eligibility

Candidate Eligibility - candidates 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, or remotely if required, by the start of the UK academic year in September 2023
  • By the specified closing date (13 December 2022), hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) standard, or a second class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree). For comparability of qualifications refer to International students. Please select your country, click on the 'Applying' tab and then select 'Postgraduate' option
  • Not have studied or worked for one (academic) year or more in a high income country
  • Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship
  • Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format
  • Have applied for and been offered a full time place at Queen’s on the eligible one year Masters programme and must also make a separate scholarship application
  • Satisfy the University’s English Language requirements for entry to the programme normally by the closing date specified or shortly afterwards
  • Confirm that they will return to their home country after the award comes to an end

Eligible Masters Course 2023-24

CSC Theme

MPH Global Health

Strengthening health systems and capacity

MSc City Planning and Design

Access, inclusion and opportunity

Candidates must ensure to apply for one of the eligible courses listed above.  Note the MPH Public Health is NOT eligible for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships.

Funding Type

Help with new course

Fee Status

International

Nationality

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

Country Group

International

Study Level

Postgraduate Taught

Start Date

Thu, 03 Nov 2022 16:00:00 GMT

Contact Us

Queries about Commonwealth Shared Scholarships at Queen’s should be directed initially to pgawards@qub.ac.uk 

Queries about Admission should be sent to: intl.student@qub.ac.uk 

How to Apply

Candidates must apply for both admission and a scholarship. See step 1 and step 2 below. It is recommended candidate(s) should where possible wait until an offer of a University place has been confirmed before applying for the Shared scholarship 

Step 1 – Apply for Admission

Candidates must apply online for a place on an eligible course at Queen’s University Belfast.  Further guidance is provided on the University website in Applying for Postgraduate Study at Queen's.

It will not be possible to assess your application without a fully-completed application form and supporting documentation as detailed at Essential Supporting Documentation and English Language Requirements. It is recommended candidates apply for admission at least two weeks in advance of the closing date to allow sufficient time for a decision to be processed. 

Note entry to postgraduate taught Masters programmes at Queen’s usually requires either a UK upper second-class (2:1) or equivalent qualification acceptable to the University. 

To be eligible for consideration for the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, candidates must have qualifications equivalent to a UK upper second-class (2:1) undergraduate degree or a lower second class undergraduate degree (2:2) and also a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree) by the specified closing date. For comparability of qualifications refer to International students. Please select your country, click on the 'Applying' tab and then select 'Postgraduate' option

Step 2 – Apply for a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship

Candidates must make a scholarship application using the CSC’s online application system. You will need to confirm your Queen’s application number on the scholarship form. The CSC will not accept applications that are not submitted using their online application system.  Details of the required supporting documentation to be submitted in order to be eligible for consideration are listed on the CSC website and in the Commonwealth Shared Scholarships Completing Application Form

Scholarship applications must be submitted by 16:00 (GMT) on 13 December 2022 at the latest.  Applications for admission to Queen's must be submitted by 23.59 (GMT) on 13 December 2022.  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 and the Commission cannot make allowances for local or personal difficulties which might affect your ability to submit

Please check Commonwealth Shared Scholarships website for more information about how to apply for the scholarship.