Deadline: February 18, 2019.

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 Department for International Development (DFID), 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:

1. Science and technology for development
2. Strengthening health systems and capacity
3. Promoting global prosperity
4. Strengthening global peace, security and governance
5. Strengthening resilience and response to crises
6. Access, inclusion and opportunity

 

ELIGIBILITY

These scholarships are for:

• Applicants who are citizens of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person
• 12 months study at a UK university as part of an applicant’s doctoral studies in their home country, starting in October 2019
• Applicants who are registered (or will be registered by September 2019) for a PhD at a university in an eligible Commonwealth country
• Study at a UK university with which your home university has an established institutional or departmental link.
• Study at a UK university which has a part funding agreement with the CSC

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES

Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Dominica, Eswatini
Fiji, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi
Malaysia, 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
The Gambia, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia.

 

 

BENEFITS

Each scholarship provides:
I. 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
the cost of journeys made before your award is confirmed)

II.  Approved tuition fees

III.  Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,084 per month, or £1,330 per
month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted
at 2018-2019 levels)
IV. Warm clothing allowance, where applicable
V. Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or
overseas
VI. If you are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £465 per
month for the first child, and £114 per month for the second and third child
under the age of 16, if you are accompanied by  your children and they are
living with you at the same address in the UK

 

APPLICATION

You must make your application directly to the CSC using the CSC’s online application system. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the online application system. You are not required to apply via a nominating body for these scholarships.

Only one application per applicant for these scholarships will be accepted.

Application deadline: Your application must be submitted by 16:00 (GMT) on 04 February 2019 at the latest.

You are advised to complete and submit your application as soon as possible, as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.

Supporting documentation deadline: Your application must include the following supporting documentation by 16:00 (GMT) on 18 February 2019

• Copy of your valid passport (or national ID card) showing your photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship – uploaded to the online application system
• Full transcripts detailing all your higher education qualifications (with certified translations if not in English) – uploaded to the online application system
• Supporting statement from your supervisor at your home country university, highlighting current institutional links submitted directly by your supervisor to the online application system (supervisors will be sent an email request).
• Supporting statement from your proposed supervisor at a UK university, highlighting current institutional links submitted directly by your supervisor to the online application system (supervisors will be sent an email request).
• Reference from at least one other individual – submitted directly by the referee to the online application system (referees will be sent an email request).

 

SELECTION CRITERIA

Eligible applications will be considered firstly by an academic adviser with expertise in the subject area concerned, and then 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 of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country

 

OFFICIAL LINK

 

Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships