If you are interested in pursuing your full-time doctoral studies in the UK, then we have some great news to share with you. The 2019 Commonwealth Scholarship (PhD) is now accepting doctoral candidates that come from high-income Commonwealth countries. The scholarships are funded by the UK Department of Education in association with other UK universities that are supporting world-class researchers and desire to help and sustain the education and research in the UK. In addition, the 2019 Commonwealth Scholarship (PhD) doesn’t offer scholarships to any candidates that come already started other PhD studies in the UK.
2019 Commonwealth Scholarship (PhD): Benefits
- 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 dependents, nor usually, the cost of journeys made before your award is finally confirmed)
- Approved tuition fees
- 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.
- Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable.
- Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
- Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
- Provision towards the cost of fieldwork undertaken overseas (usually the cost of one economy class return airfare to your fieldwork location), were approved.
- 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)
- Family allowances, as follows:
- If you are accompanied by your spouse but no children: spouse allowance of £239 per month for a maximum period of nine months, if you and your spouse are living together at the same address in the UK (unless your spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply)
- If you are accompanied by your spouse and children: spouse allowance of £239 per month and child allowance of £239 per month for the first child, and £117 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if your spouse and children are living with you at the same address in the UK (unless your spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply)
- If you are accompanied by your children but no spouse: child allowance of £478 per month for the first child, and £117 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if your children are living with you at the same address in the UK
2019 Commonwealth Scholarship (PhD): Eligible Countries
Anguilla
Australia
Bahamas
Barbados
Bermuda
The 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 Island
2019 Commonwealth Scholarship (PhD): Criteria
- 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 is 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) honors 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
Deadline and Official Letter
Interested students who want to apply for this scholarship will need to CLICK HERE and access the official website where they can fill in their online application form. In addition, the deadline is August 28th.