Deadline: August 28, 2019.

Commonwealth 2019 PhD Scholarships are for candidates from high income Commonwealth countries, for full-time doctoral study at a UK university for awards commencing  between January to March 2020.

These scholarships are funded by the UK Department for Education in conjunction with UK universities to support world class research and to contribute to UK higher education and research to help sustain international recognition of the UK higher education system and for the benefit of wider society. The CSC does not offer scholarships to candidates from high income Commonwealth countries who have already started their PhD study in the UK.

 

ELIGIBILITY

To apply for these scholarships, you must:

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country
• Show evidence that you are permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country. You must have lived in an eligible Commonwealth country for a period of 5 years for a continuous period within the last 10 years. If the CSC are unable to interpret this from your application, you will be contacted to provide further evidence.
• Be available to start your academic studies in the UK between January to March 2020 (to be agreed by the CSC)
• 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) by the time of submitting your scholarship application
• Not be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, at a UK university before January 2020
• Not have commenced and be currently registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, in your home country or elsewhere
• Hold an unconditional offer from your chosen university/universities listed on your CSC online application, at the point of being notified that you have been provisionally selected for an award by the CSC*
• References from at least two individuals
• A supporting statement from a proposed supervisor at one or more of the UK universities

*When applying for this scholarship you should ensure that you have contacted your chosen university/universities to confirm you are able to secure admission between January-March 2020; please be aware that some universities may not offer January-March 2020 admission for some of their courses.

 

ELIGIBLE COUNTRIES

Anguilla, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Malta
New Zealand, Seychelles, St Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands

 

BENEFITS

Each scholarship provides:

1. Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award

2. Approved tuition fees

3. Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,110 per month, or £1,362 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area

4. Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable

5. Warm clothing allowance, where applicable

6. Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas

7. Provision towards the cost of fieldwork undertaken overseas (usually the cost of one economy class return airfare to your fieldwork location), where approved

8. Paid mid-term visit (airfare) to your home country (unless you have claimed (or intend to claim) spouse and/or child allowances during your scholarship, or have received a return airfare to your home country for fieldwork)

 

APPLICATION

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: Your application must include the following supporting documentation by 16:00 (BST) on 18 September 2019

• Proof that you are a citizen of an eligible Commonwealth country: a 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 listed on your online application form (with certified translations if not in English). All transcripts must be up to date at the time of submitting your application, including any transcripts to date for qualifications for which you are currently reading – uploaded to the online application system
• References from at least two individuals – submitted directly by the referee to the online application system (referees will be sent an email request).
• A supporting statement from a proposed supervisor at one or more of the UK universities named on your application form – submitted directly by your supervisor to the online application system (supervisors will be sent an email request).

Click here to access the online application system

 

OFFICIAL LINK

 

Click here to apply