Fully Funded Commonwealth 2023 PhD Scholarships for Developing Countries

Scholarship details

Area of study
All
Country of the Scholarship
United Kingdom
Scholarship Valid Until (Year)
2022
Type of scholarship
Ph.D. scholarship
Scholarship amount given
All
Type of scholarship administrator
Government
Mode of scholarship (Online/Offline)
Offline
Applier's country
All
Expenses covered
All
Scholarship Contact Details
Https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/about-us/contact-us/

Full-time doctoral study at a university in the United Kingdom is possible thanks to Commonwealth PhD Scholarships, which are awarded to citizens of the Commonwealth’s least developed countries and fragile states. The UK government’s scholarship program is driven by worldwide development goals, and it is administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in the UK. It fits well into the CSFP and serves as a striking illustration of the UK’s longstanding dedication to the Commonwealth. The work of the CSC combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration by attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to become leaders and innovators upon their return to their home countries.

The UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO) offers funding for Commonwealth PhD scholarships so that researchers from those countries can do research that will have a positive influence on their respective economies and societies. The scholarships are meant for students who would not be able to afford studying in the United Kingdom otherwise, and they help to the country’s higher education and research industries by attracting high-caliber international candidates and encouraging ties and collaboration. Commonwealth PhD scholarships are awarded to outstanding students who demonstrate exceptional promise as future leaders in academia, government, or the nonprofit sector in their home countries.

About the Scholarship Provider:

In 1949, an affiliation amongst countries that had previously been a part of the British colonies but which were now considered to be “free and equal” led to the formation of the Commonwealth of Nations. This relationship is still in existence today.

Commonwealth nations are dispersed over the globe and account for approximately one third of the total world population thanks to their combined total of 2.2 billion people. It is a diversified club with members consisting of countries that range from the richest to the poorest, as well as the largest and the smallest in the globe. Sixteen of the members, including New Zealand, have the British monarch as their head of state, six of the members have their own monarch, and the remaining 32 members are republics.

The countries that are part of the Commonwealth share a sense of kinship and solidarity with one another, and they are frequently referred to as a “family of nations.” We have a lot in common culturally because of our shared colonial history, such as speaking English, participating in certain sports, and having legal, educational, and political institutions that are very similar to one another. Queen Elizabeth II currently serves as the Head of the Commonwealth.

The Commonwealth is an organization that seeks to promote peace and prosperity on behalf of its member countries. This includes assisting countries with the growth of small businesses, law, election monitoring, and human rights, with a special focus on strengthening the role of young people and the rights of women. This work is carried out and supported by a huge variety of organizations and networks that fall under the aegis of the Commonwealth. In 2012, the Commonwealth of Nations voted to adopt a charter that outlines the organization’s core ideals as well as the obligations that all members are expected to uphold. Beliefs in democracy, human rights, and the rule of law are at the heart of the charter’s guiding principles.

Scholarship Sponsor(s): The Commonwealth

Scholarship Country: United Kingdom

Scholarship Worth: Fully Funded

Study Level: PhD

Nationality: International Students

Scholarship Offer:

With each grant comes:
Flights from your home country to the United Kingdom and back after your award has concluded, if approved (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependants, nor the cost of journeys made before your award is confirmed)
Approved tuition fees: the CSC has made arrangements with a university in the United Kingdom to pay for all of the students’ tuition costs, and the students themselves are not responsible for paying any of these costs.
Monthly stipend (living allowance) of £1,236 or £1,516 for students attending universities in the Greater London area (rates quoted at current levels)
Allowance for warm clothing where necessary
Aid for expenses incurred while traveling within or outside of the United Kingdom for academic purposes
Funding to help with the expense of international fieldwork (the price of one round-trip ticket on an economy flight to your fieldsite), if accepted.
Unless you have received or plan to receive spouse and/or child allowances, or have been reimbursed for round-trip travel home for fieldwork, you are eligible for a paid mid-term visit (airfare) to your home country halfway through your scholarship’s duration.
Here are the several family allowances that are available at the present rates:
If your spouse is living with you in the UK and you do not have any children, you are eligible for a spousal allowance of £266 per month for a maximum of nine months (unless your spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply)
If your spouse and minor children are living with you in the UK, you will be eligible for a monthly allowance of £266 for your spouse and a monthly allowance of £266 for your first child and £131 for any additional kid under the age of 16 residing at the same residence (unless your spouse is also in receipt of a scholarship; other conditions also apply)
If you have minor children living with you in the UK and no spouse, you are eligible for a child allowance of £529 per month for the first kid and £131 per month for each additional child under the age of 16

Eligibility for Scholarship.

Those interested in applying for these scholarships must:
You must be a citizen of, a refugee from, or a British Protected Person to apply for this position.
Possess a valid right to remain indefinitely in a Commonwealth member
You must be available to begin formal academic study in the UK by the beginning of the UK academic year in September 2023.
Have earned a Bachelor’s degree with at least an upper-second-class (2:1) grade point average by September 2023, or a Bachelor’s degree with a 2:1 grade point average plus a relevant Master’s degree or other postgraduate qualification*.
Do NOT have a PhD or MPhil (leading to a PhD) registration in the UK or your native country before September/October 2023.
Unless they receive this scholarship, they will not be able to afford to attend a university in the United Kingdom.
have submitted all necessary materials in the appropriate format

The following criteria will be used to evaluate applications:

Candidates’ performance in school is taken into account.
Study Strategy Quality
influence that could be exerted on the progress of the candidate’s native nation
The following materials must be submitted by candidates along with their application:
Documentation establishing that the applicant is a citizen of, or a refugee from, a member state of the Commonwealth: verification of identity in the form of a photocopy of a current passport or other government-issued photo identification card bearing the applicant’s photograph, birth date, and country of citizenship
Complete academic transcripts outlining all degrees earned, including current coursework, with official English translations if necessary.
Two character references on official letterhead
Statement of support on institution letterhead from a prospective UK supervisor from one of the listed institutions

Nationality

The Commonwealth 2023 PhD Scholarships for Developing Countries is open to all International Students

Awarding international students with tuition waivers for the 2022-2023 school year in select degree programs, the University of Innsbruck in Austria is committed to removing financial barriers to education. This award is for international students who have demonstrated academic excellence. Scholars of all levels are urged to apply for the upcoming 2022-2023 academic year at the university.

Application Procedure

Convinced you’re competent and interested? You can submit your application to The Commonwealth online at fs29.formsite.com.
Candidates must submit their applications to the CSC and one of the following nominating agencies. The CSC will receive nominations from many organizations. This scholarship is not available through direct application to the CSC.
The primary entry point is through national nominating agencies.
Select educational institutions/organizations, who may propose their own faculty members
Certain philanthropic organizations and non-profits
Each nominating organization is responsible for its own selection procedure, which may include extra requirements for candidacy. Candidates should get in touch with the nominating organization for application guidance, rules, and eligibility requirements. Applications will be accepted until the deadline determined by the nominating organization.
In addition to any other application required by the nominating agency, candidates must use the CSC’s online application system. If you want to apply to the CSC, you must use their official online application system.
As of December of 2022, agencies will have submitted their nominees to the CSC.
As the online application system is expected to be particularly active in the days leading up to the application deadline, candidates are encouraged to complete and submit their applications as soon as feasible.
The application will be deemed ineligible if all of the necessary materials are not submitted by the due date.
All candidates are encouraged to upload any acceptance letters they have received to their preferred schools.
Please note that the CSC will not accept any additional materials outside of the online application system or from nominated agencies.
Please be aware that the CSC does not charge either individuals or organizations to apply for or be nominated for any of its scholarships or fellowships through its online application system.