UK Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme 2013/2014. (Masters Scholarship to Study in the UK)

Application Deadline: 30 April 2013

The Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, set up by the Department for International Development (DFID) in 1986, represent a unique partnership between the United Kingdom government and UK universities. To date, more than 3,500 students from developing Commonwealth countries have been awarded Shared Scholarships.

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are for taught Master’s courses only. All courses undertaken must be demonstrably relevant to the economic, social or technological development of the candidate’s home country. Awards are available at participating institutions in the UK only.

• Commonwealth Shared Scholarships prospectus 2013 – includes full details of the UK institutions offering Shared Scholarships in 2013. A hard copy of the prospectus can be obtained from the Shared Scholarship scheme administrators.

Please note that participating universities are required to support the student stipend for the award holder (at the rate set by the UK government). The CSC funds the cost of tuition fees (at overseas rate), return airfares, and other allowances.

• Former Shared Scholars’ views

Eligibility

Applicants must:

• be nationals of (or permanently domiciled in) a developing Commonwealth country, and not currently be living or studying in a developed country (please see the Commonwealth Shared Scholarships prospectus 2013 for a list of eligible countries)
• hold a first degree at either first or upper second class level
• be sufficiently fluent in English to pursue the course
• have not previously studied for one year or more in a developed country
• be able to confirm in writing that neither they or their families would otherwise be able to pay for the proposed course of study
• be willing to confirm that they will return to their home country as soon as their period of study is complete

Scholarship value:

DFID and participating United Kingdom institutions will jointly meet the full costs of an award holder’s study in the United Kingdom including air fares to and from the United Kingdom. Maintenance allowance is paid by the scholar’s host institution, at the level set by the UK Government: £1,134 per month for scholars based in London and £917 per month for the rest of the UK. (July 2012 figures).

A grant of up to £225 to cover thesis (Master’s) costs is available; also available is £200 for study travel. The cost of up to 10 Kilograms of excess baggage (books only) is available for scholars returning home at the end of their awards.  No additional allowances are paid for spouses or other dependents.

Fields of study:

Shared Scholarship Scheme Awards are offered only for subjects relating to the economic, social and technological development of a candidate’s country.  Additional details of the eligible courses (or departments) offered by the institutions is found at the 2013 Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Prospectus.

Participating Institutions:

For 2013,  62 universities from the United Kingdom will be participating in the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship-  to support the scholarships by contributing the stipend for the students from their own resources,or those which the university has been able to generate from elsewhere.

How to apply

All enquiries should be addressed to the university at which you wish to study and through which you should therefore apply for a Shared Scholarship, not to the CSC. The university will advise you on eligibility issues and how to make an application. There are two options:

Option 1
Most universities will handle advertising and recruitment directly using their own application form, and you should therefore apply to the university direct. Following their closing date for applications, the university will ask those candidates which it selects to complete the CSC’s application form using our Electronic Application System (EAS). Please note that candidates must complete their application via the EAS by 16 April 2013 at the latest, in order to be nominated to the CSC by their host university.

Option 2
Some universities request all of their Shared Scholarship candidates to apply via the CSC’s Electronic Application System (EAS). You will be advised by the institution if this is the case, and should then access the EAS once it is open for Shared Scholarship applications by the end of October 2012. Applications must be submitted in time to meet the university’s own deadline, which will be made clear in the EAS and is listed in the Commonwealth Shared Scholarships prospectus. (Where a university has not specified a closing date, you should contact the institution to ascertain the latest date that applications will be accepted).

All institutions are asked to forward their nominations to the CSC no later than 30 April 2013 using the EAS.

Further information about Shared Scholarships