Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2027/28 for Study in the UK by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (Stipend £1,712 per Month, Tuition and Airfare Covered)

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) runs the UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives, within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan. Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are for candidates from eligible low and middle income Commonwealth countries to undertake full-time taught Master’s study at a UK university, and are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.

Applications for the 2027/28 academic year are open, for study in the UK beginning in September/October 2027. The scholarships are offered under the six CSC development themes. The CSC funds one-year taught Master’s programmes only and does not fund MBA degrees.

• Approved airfare from the scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award.
• Approved tuition fees, covered in full by agreement between the CSC and the UK university.
• Stipend (living allowance) of £1,712 per month, or £2,000 per month at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
• Study travel grant towards study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
• Child allowance for widowed, divorced or single-parent scholars whose children live with them in the UK: £622 per month for the first child and £154 per month for the second and third child under 16.
• For scholars who share that they have a disability, a full assessment of needs and eligibility for additional financial support.

India is on the CSC’s list of eligible countries. To be considered, applicants 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 academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2027;
• by September 2027, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree);
• be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship; and
• provide all supporting documentation in the required format.

There is no age limit. The CSC prefers applicants who have completed their undergraduate degrees and would not normally fund a second Master’s degree; anyone who has already studied at Master’s level at a UK institution, or already held a Commonwealth Scholarship at Master’s level, is not eligible. Scholars commit to returning home after the award, and switching to a graduate or other visa to remain in the UK is not permitted.

The CSC does not accept direct applications for these scholarships. As well as applying to the CSC, applicants must apply to a nominator. For India, the national nominating agency listed by the CSC is the Ministry of Education, Government of India (Under Secretary, West Block-1, Wing-6, 2nd Floor, R.K. Puram, New Delhi 110066). A small number of selected NGOs and charitable bodies also nominate.

Each nominator runs its own selection process, may set additional eligibility criteria and may set its own closing date. Nominators put candidates forward to the CSC by December 2026, and a nomination is no guarantee of selection. Check the Ministry of Education’s current call and closing date before relying on the CSC deadline alone.

• Proof of citizenship or refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport or national ID card showing a photograph, date of birth and country of citizenship.
• Full transcripts of all higher education qualifications, including to-date transcripts for courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English. Missing transcripts or pages make the application ineligible.
• References from at least two individuals, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or as an email clearly showing the sender’s details, uploaded by the applicant before the deadline.

Applications are ineligible if any required document is missing by the closing date, and the CSC accepts no documents outside the online system.

The form asks for university qualifications, up to 10 publications and prizes, employment history, three referees (one a current employer, if applicable), a four-part Development Impact statement, award objectives, five-year and long-term career plans, a detailed plan of study and a personal statement. Applicants should list three UK universities and courses in order of preference and apply for admission to them separately in advance.

Applications are assessed on candidate merit (including academic experience), quality of research proposal and potential impact on the development of the candidate’s home country. Outcomes are expected by July 2027.

Apply online through the CSC’s application system, CSC Central. The CSC closing date is 16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October 2026 (8:30 pm IST); late applications are not accepted. The form uses two-factor authentication, so keep a smartphone or a second email account ready, and save often, because refreshing the browser loses unsaved data and applications cannot be edited after submission. A template application form and a guidance document are available to prepare answers offline.

The CSC does not charge any fee to apply. Separately, apply to the Ministry of Education for nomination.