Study Abroad Scholarship · Masters

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships

Q: Can I defer my Commonwealth Shared Scholarship to a later academic year?

No, generally Commonwealth Shared Scholarships cannot be deferred. The scholarship is awarded for a specific course of study and academic year. While a university might, at its discretion, agree to defer your offer of admission, the scholarship itself cannot be carried over to the next year. If you wish to be considered for a scholarship in a subsequent academic year, you would typically need to reapply.

Q: Am I allowed to stay and work in the UK after completing my scholarship?

No. By accepting a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship, you commit to returning to your home country (e.g., India) within one month of completing your studies and before your UK visa expires. This scholarship aims to equip scholars with skills to contribute to sustainable development in their home countries. Exceptions to remain in the UK are rare and only considered if a scholar secures a fully funded PhD study offer in the UK, with strict conditions and prior approval from the CSC.

Q: What specifically does the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship cover financially?

The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship is a comprehensive, fully funded award. It covers all approved tuition fees, the cost of an economy class return airfare from your home country to the UK, and a monthly living stipend. Additionally, it provides a warm clothing allowance, study travel grants, a grant for thesis preparation (if required), reimbursement for mandatory TB tests, and child allowances for eligible scholars. Visa application fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge are typically waived for Commonwealth Scholars.

Commonwealth Scholarship Commission · All India

Annual Award£1,378/mo (approx. ₹43.4 Lakh+)

Deadline15 Oct

Scheme Name	Commonwealth Shared Scholarships
Provided By	Commonwealth Scholarship Commission
Eligibility Summary	Class 11-12, Graduation, Engineering (< ₹8L Income)

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Understand the bigger pictureOBC Scholarships in India: The Complete Guide (2026)

About the Program

Comprehensive guide for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships. Get eligibility details, stipend amounts, and registration instructions here.

Benefits & Financial Support

£1,378/mo (approx. ₹43.4 Lakh+)

The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship is a fully funded award. It covers approved tuition fees, economy return airfare from the scholar's home country to the UK, and a monthly living allowance (stipend). For the 2025/26 academic year, the monthly stipend was approximately £1,378 for areas outside London and £1,516 for London. Some universities offered higher stipends, for example, the University of Edinburgh's payments for 2025-2026 were set at £1,687 per month. In addition, the scholarship provides a warm clothing allowance, study travel grants, a thesis preparation grant (if needed), TB test reimbursement, and child allowances (if applicable). The stipend is paid directly to the scholar by their host UK university, not via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to Aadhaar-seeded accounts. The estimated highest annual stipend, based on London rates for 2025/26, is approximately £20,280, which is around INR 2,129,400 (using an approximate conversion rate of 1 GBP = 105 INR).

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Nationality:Be a citizen of, or have been granted refugee status by, an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
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Residency:Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
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Academic Qualification:By September 2026, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class (2:2) degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master's degree).
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Previous Study/Work:Not have studied or worked for more than one (academic) year or more in a high-income country.
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Financial Need:Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
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Course of Study:Be applying for a full-time Master's course on a selected programme at a participating UK university, which must be related to one of the six CSC development themes.
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Availability:Be available to start academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2026.

Eligibility Criteria & Income Limit

Education Level	Masters
Course / Stream	Masters
Minimum Marks	65%
Income Limit	No income bar
Category / Caste	General, OBC, SC, ST
Domicile State	All India

Mandatory Documents Checklist

✓Proof of citizenship or refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country (copy of a valid passport or national ID card showing photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship).
✓Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications, including up-to-date transcripts for any courses currently being studied, with certified translations if not in English.
✓Degree certificate for the highest degree completed (a statement of result can be used if the certificate is not yet available).
✓Names and positions of three referees who are qualified to comment on both your capacity to benefit from the proposed Scholarship and your ability to deliver development impact afterwards. One referee must be a current employer (if applicable).
✓A Development Impact statement and a detailed Plan of Study, outlining how the proposed study relates to development issues, how new skills will be applied, expected developmental changes, and how impact will be measured.
✓Proof of English language proficiency, if required by the UK host university and/or UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI).
✓A complete online application to an eligible Master's course at a participating UK university (an admission offer may be required before final scholarship shortlisting or confirmation).
✓Completed CSC online application form (via CSC Central).

Selection Process

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Candidates are selected based on academic merit, the quality of their study or research proposal, and the potential impact their studies will have on the development of their home country
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To be considered, applicants must be citizens of an eligible Commonwealth country (including India), be permanently resident there, and be unable to afford to study in the UK without the scholarship
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They must hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard by September of the award year, or a lower second-class degree (2:2) with a relevant postgraduate qualification
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For Indian applicants, this often translates to securing 60% or more in Humanities and Social Sciences or 65% or more in Engineering, Technology, Science, and Agriculture groups
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Applicants must apply to an approved Master's course at a participating UK university and separately submit a scholarship application through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission's (CSC) online system, CSC Central
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UK universities review applications, shortlist candidates, and nominate them to the CSC for final approval.

Renewal Policy

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Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are tenable for one year and cannot be extended or renewed
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The scholarship is awarded for a specific course of study only
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All Commonwealth Shared Scholars are required to return to their home country within one month of completing their studies and before their UK visa expires
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The CSC will only consider requests to extend leave to remain in the UK for those wishing to move from a Master's to a PhD study, provided they have secured full funding for three years of PhD study from a university or recognised scholarship body and have obtained CSC approval well in advance
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Strict conditions apply to such extensions.

How to Apply Online

Applications are submitted online via the official portal. Complete eKYC, upload scanned documents, and submit before the closing date.

1
Review Eligibility and Find an Eligible Course * Carefully read all eligibility criteria on the official Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) website. Ensure you meet requirements regarding citizenship, residency, academic qualifications (minimum 2:1 honours degree or equivalent, e.g., 65% in relevant fields for Indian students), and financial need. * Identify a Master's course at a participating UK university that is approved for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships. The list of eligible courses and universities is published on the CSC website.
2
Apply for University Admission * Apply for admission to your chosen Master's course directly through the specific UK university's admissions process. You may need to secure an offer of admission (conditional or unconditional) by a certain date. * Ensure you meet the university's English language proficiency requirements by their specified deadline, as pre-sessional English courses are not supported by this scholarship.
3
Submit Scholarship Application to CSC * Access the CSC's online application system, known as 'CSC Central', via the official Commonwealth Shared Scholarships webpage. * Complete the online application form thoroughly. This is a separate application from your university application. * Upload all required supporting documentation: * Proof of citizenship or refugee status (e.g., valid passport or national ID). * Full academic transcripts for all higher education qualifications (including those in progress), with certified English translations if necessary. * Two signed academic references, submitted directly by your referees through the online system. Contact your referees early and provide them with instructions. * A personal statement and a development impact statement outlining your academic achievements, future goals, and how you plan to contribute to your home country's development. * Submit your application to CSC Central before the deadline (e.g., 16:00 GMT on December 9th for the 2026/27 cycle).
4
Application Tracking and Notification * After submission, the CSC will forward relevant applications to the universities. Universities will then shortlist candidates and nominate them to the CSC. * All applicants will typically be informed of the result of their application by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. * Nominated candidates usually receive email notifications around April/May of the year preceding the academic start. Regularly check your email, including spam/junk folders.
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Visa Application (for successful candidates)** * If selected, you will need to apply for a UK Student Visa. Commonwealth Scholars are typically eligible for a waiver of the visa application fee and the Immigration Health Surcharge (IHS). Ensure you indicate you are a Commonwealth Scholar during the visa application process.

Common Questions (FAQs)

Can I defer my Commonwealth Shared Scholarship to a later academic year?

No, generally Commonwealth Shared Scholarships cannot be deferred. The scholarship is awarded for a specific course of study and academic year. While a university might, at its discretion, agree to defer your offer of admission, the scholarship itself cannot be carried over to the next year. If you wish to be considered for a scholarship in a subsequent academic year, you would typically need to reapply.

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IndiaScholarships.in attempts to provide accurate information manually curated from official sources. Scholarship details, timelines, and eligibility can change without notice as per the provider's discretion. Applying for a scholarship does not guarantee selection. Always verify all information on the official Commonwealth Scholarship Commission website before final submission.