• The deadline for applications to this Master’s Scholarship is 18th October.
• The scholarship only applies to Master’s programmes taught over one year.
• Only UK universities or higher education institutions with an affiliation to the CSC are available.

For those pursuing their Master’s in 2023, there is an interesting opportunity from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in the UK that you want to take note of. This as the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship is looking for a student to assist for a full-time qualification at a university in the UK next year.

If you are indeed interested, you will need to act quickly, as the closing date for applications in 18th October 2022.

“Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are aimed at students who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK,” a listing for the scholarship by the Department of Higher Education and Training explains.

“Candidates are selected on the basis of merit and their potential to contribute to sustainable development in their home countries. The Department of Higher Education and Training (the Department) is the Nominating Agency for South African citizens who wish to apply for this scholarship. Final selection of candidates will be made by the CSC,” it adds.

As for what the the scholarship will cover while studying, approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your studies will be provided for. As will your approved tuition fees, along with a living allowance, warm clothing allowance, a thesis grant towards their dissertation and any other study-related travel costs.

In terms of the criteria you must meet before applying, the CSC lists the following:

• “Be citizens of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person;
• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country;
• Be available to start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2023;
• By September 2023, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a second class degree (2:2) and a relevant postgraduate qualification;
• Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship;
• Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.”

While the Master’s programmes are not limited in terms of fields of study, there are some areas that will be considered over others. Theses are:

• “Science and technology for development
• Promoting global prosperity
• Strengthening resilience and response to crises
• Strengthening health systems and capacity
• Strengthening global peace, security and governance
• Access, inclusion and opportunity.”

Full details on how to apply can be found at the following portal.

[Image – Photo by Joshua Hoehne on Unsplash]