Full Program Details
Every year, a teacher in Accra, a health worker in Kisumu or a young civil servant in Abuja gets an email that changes the next twelve months of their life: a paid year of master's study in the United Kingdom. That email comes from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC), and the window to be considered for 2027 is closing fast.
The Commonwealth Master's Scholarships are for talented people from eligible Commonwealth countries who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK. Applications for courses starting in September or October 2027 close at 16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October 2026.
The CSC pays your full tuition, your return flight to the UK and a monthly stipend of £1,712, or £2,000 if your university is in the London area.
Details at a glance:
- Funder: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC)
- Level: one-year taught master's degree at a UK university
- Study starts: September or October 2027
- Final deadline on the CSC portal: 16:00 BST, Tuesday 20 October 2026
- Nominators send their shortlist to the CSC: by December 2026
- Results expected: by July 2027
- Application fee: none. The CSC does not charge for applications.
What the Scholarship Covers
At current rates, a scholar receives:
- Full tuition fees, paid by the CSC and the university
- An approved economy airfare to the UK and back home at the end of the award
- A stipend of £1,712 per month, or £2,000 per month at universities in the London metropolitan area
- A study travel grant
- A child allowance for widowed, divorced or single parent scholars whose children live with them in the UK
The CSC only funds one-year taught master's programmes, so pick courses that fit that length.
Who Can Apply
- You are a citizen of, or have refugee status in, an eligible Commonwealth country, or you are a British Protected Person
- You live permanently in an eligible Commonwealth country
- You will hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours by September 2027, or a lower second class degree plus a relevant postgraduate qualification
- You cannot afford to study in the UK without this scholarship
- You have not already studied at master's level in the UK and have not held a Commonwealth Master's Scholarship before
- You can start in the UK by September 2027
Eligible African countries listed by the CSC include Botswana, Eswatini, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda and Zambia. The CSC does not ask for an IELTS score.
How the Nomination Route Works
This is the part most applicants miss. The CSC does not accept direct applications. You first apply to a nominator in your country, usually the national nominating agency, or one of a small number of approved NGOs and charities. Each nominator runs its own selection and sets its own internal deadline, which is often earlier than the CSC date.
If your nominator puts you forward, you still have to complete your full application on the CSC portal by 20 October 2026. Being nominated does not guarantee an award. The CSC then picks scholars from the nominations it receives.
How to Apply
- Check the list of national nominating agencies on the CSC website and confirm your nominator's own process and deadline today.
- Choose three UK universities and one-year master's courses that fit one of the CSC's six development themes, in order of preference. The CSC strongly recommends listing a second and third choice.
- Write the development impact statement, which comes in four parts, and a personal statement on how your background drives the change you want to make at home.
- Upload a passport or national ID, full transcripts (with certified English translations if needed) and at least two signed references in PDF form.
- Submit on the CSC Central portal before 16:00 BST on 20 October 2026. Late applications are not accepted, and you cannot edit an application once it is submitted.
Selection Timeline
- 20 October 2026: CSC portal closes
- December 2026: nominators send their final nominations to the CSC
- By July 2027: candidates hear the outcome
- September or October 2027: study begins in the UK
GizPulse Verdict
Who this is for: Graduates from Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and other eligible Commonwealth countries who already work on a real development problem, such as health, energy, education or public services, and want one focused year in the UK to come back stronger.
Who should pause: If you already hold a UK master's degree, want a two-year course or a PhD, or have not been nominated by an approved nominator, this scheme will not fund you.
One tip to stand out: The CSC scores you on development impact in your home country. Name one specific problem, show what you have already done about it, and explain exactly how your chosen UK course will help you do more when you return.
Check the full rules, the nominator list and the application portal on the official Commonwealth Scholarship Commission website.
