Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarships

Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships are for PhD candidates from low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries, to spend up to 12 months at a UK university as part of their doctoral studies in their home country.

Funded by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships 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. These scholarships are offered under six 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.

What it covers:

Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor usually the cost of journeys made before your award is finally confirmed).

• Approved tuition and examination fees.
• Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,133 per month (2021/22 level).
• Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable.
• Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
• Study travel grant towards the costs of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
• If you are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £478 per month for the first child, and £118 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if you are accompanied by your children and solely legally responsible for them

In order to apply for an award, you 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 registered for a PhD at a university in your home country by the time your scholarship is confirmed;
• Ensure that an institutional or departmental link exists between your home university and your proposed UK university - this link must be greater than simply a collaboration between individuals;
• Be available to start your academic studies in the UK by September;
• By September, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a 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;
• Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format

Further information:

Eligible applications will be considered in line with the CSC’s Split-site Scholarships selection criteria, including by the CSC selection committee in competition with other candidates.

Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:

• Academic merit of the candidate,
• Quality of the research proposal,
• Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s home country.

Anti-fraud policy:

The CSC is committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a fair and transparent manner. For further information, see the CSC anti-fraud policy and the DFID guidance on reporting fraud.

For more information please visit the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission website