This is one of the few PhD scholarships that will not let you apply directly. Every application to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission has to go through a nominator first, which changes how you should plan your timeline compared with a standard university application.
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships
Sponsor: UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, via the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission
Level of Study: PhD
Study in: United Kingdom
Funding Type: Fully funded (tuition, stipend, airfare, family allowances)
Deadline: October 20, 2026, 16:00 BST, submitted via a nominator (not direct to CSC)
Results Announcement: By July 2027
Tenure: 36 months (3 years) full time study only
Who this scholarship is for
Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, this award targets citizens of countries the OECD classifies as least developed or vulnerable states within the Commonwealth. It funds three years of full time doctoral study at a UK university for candidates whose research has clear developmental relevance to their home country.
Eligible countries: Bangladesh, The Gambia, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, and Zambia.
Eligibility requirements
- Citizenship or refugee status in one of the eligible countries above, and permanent residence there
- Available to start in the UK by the beginning of the 2027 academic year (September)
- At least an upper second class (2:1) honours degree, or a lower second plus a relevant postgraduate qualification
- Not already registered for a PhD or an MPhil leading to one, at a UK or home country university before September/October 2026
- Demonstrated inability to afford UK study without the scholarship
- There is no age limit on applications.
- Disabled applicants who do not meet the standard academic threshold may still be considered through a contextualised nomination via the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum.
What it covers
- Approved return airfare from your home country to the UK
- Full tuition fees, paid directly between the CSC and the university
- A monthly stipend, £1,712 outside London or £2,000 for those studying in the London metropolitan area
- A study travel grant and fieldwork travel support where approved
- A paid mid term visit home
- Family allowances for an accompanying spouse and children, at set monthly rates
How the application actually works
This is the part applicants most often get wrong: the CSC does not accept direct applications. You apply through a nominator, either a national nominating agency in your country or an approved NGO or charitable body. Each nominator runs its own selection process and may set additional criteria or an earlier internal deadline, so check with them directly rather than relying solely on the CSC’s dates.
- Applications for 2027/28 open Tuesday, September 8, 2026
- The CSC’s own closing date is 16:00 BST on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, submitted through CSC Central
- Nominators send their shortlist to the CSC by December 2026
- Outcomes are expected by July 2027
Required supporting documents
- Proof of citizenship
- Full academic transcripts
- At least two references on institutional letterhead
- Supporting statement from a proposed UK supervisor at one of your named universities.
Missing documentation makes an application ineligible outright, so start collecting references and a supervisor statement well ahead of the October deadline.
Selection criteria
Reviewers weigh candidate merit and academic experience, the quality of your research proposal, and the likely development impact of your work back home. List three preferred UK universities and supervisors in order, since the CSC will not swap your placement after selection except in exceptional circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I apply to the CSC directly?
No. All applications must go through a national nominating agency or an approved NGO nominator.
Is there an IELTS requirement?
No. The CSC does not require an English language test for this scholarship. How long does the scholarship fund study for? Three years of full time doctoral study; the CSC does not support four year PhDs.
Related reading: for help with your research proposal and referee requests, see our scholarship recommendation letter guide. Browse more PhD funding and United Kingdom scholarships
Apply directly: CSC Central Application Portal
Official information: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission – Commonwealth PhD Scholarships
Kukual verifies scholarship details against official sponsor pages at the time of publication. Confirm current stipend rates, deadlines, and your specific nominator’s requirements on the CSC’s official site before applying.
