Scholarship Details:
The Commonwealth Professional Fellowships target mid-career professionals from low and middle income countries. These individuals are given the opportunity to undertake a period of professional development by working with a UK host organization in their respective sectors.
The main purpose of these fellowships is to empower professionals by enabling them to enhance their knowledge and skills within their specific fields. Additionally, it is expected that the experience gained during the fellowship will have a transformative impact on their workplaces and bring about positive changes. The fellowship is aimed at mid-career professionals who possess at least five years of relevant work experience and are employed in organizations located in low and middle income Commonwealth countries.
Degree Level:
Commonwealth Professional Fellowships 2023/24, Study in UK. (Fully Funded) is available to undertake Fellowship level programs at UK Universities.
Available Subjects:
These fellowships 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
Note: The CSC aims to identify talented individuals who have the potential to make change. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination, and encourage applications from a diverse range of candidates. For further information on the support available to candidates with a disability, see the CSC disability support statement.
If you wish to apply for our Gender and Sexuality Fellowship programme then please see the Gender and Sexuality Fellowship webpage.
Scholarship Benefits:
Each Fellowship provides:
- Approved return airfare from the Fellow’s home country to the UK.
- Reimbursement of the standard visa application fee.
- Stipend (living allowance) payable monthly (or pro rata) for the duration of the award at the rate of £1,944 per month, or £2,397 per month for those at organisations in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2022/23 levels).
- If a Fellow declares a disability, a full assessment of needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC. See the CSC disability support statement for more information.
- Arrival allowance of up to £1,061.10 (rates quoted at 2022/23 levels), including an element for warm clothing.
- A maximum of £3,000 per Fellow can be agreed by host organisations for short courses/conferences as well as travel to visit other UK organisations where this forms an integral part of the programme. Host organisations should bear in mind the restrictions set out in our guidance on claimable costs.
Eligible Nationalities:
International students from the following countries can apply for this fellowship:
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
St Helena
St Lucia
St Vincent and The Grenadines
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
Togo
Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Zambia
Eligibility Criteria:
To be eligible for these Fellowships, prospective Fellows 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
- Have at least five years’ full-time, or equivalent part-time, relevant work experience, in a profession related to the subject of the fellowship programme, by the proposed start of the fellowship – voluntary work experience will not be counted towards this minimum
- Be in employment at the time of application at an organisation that they will return to upon completion of the fellowship
- Provide at least two references, one of which must be from their current employer. Any applications for which references are not received by the reference closing date will be considered ineligible.
- Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship within the last five years (at the time of taking up the award)
- Not be seeking to undertake an academic programme of research or study. Academics are eligible to apply for the scheme, but only to undertake programmes of academic management, not research or courses relevant to their research subject
Application Procedure:
Fellowship applications are now open and will close at 16:00 BST on Wednesday 16 August 2023.
You can apply by completing our online application form. Please refer to the ‘Completing application form ’ tab to access the application form.
The 2024 Professional Fellowship programme is aimed at professionals whose work supports the CSC’s six development themes.
Fellowships will be tenable for between six weeks and three months starting from February 2024.
