The Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship for 2025/26 offers an exceptional opportunity for international students to pursue postgraduate studies in the United Kingdom. This fully funded program aims to enhance educational access and foster global collaboration.

Selected candidates will enjoy tuition coverage, enabling them to advance their careers while contributing to sustainable development in their home countries.

A Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship covers tuition fees and study grants where required. Other scholarships, awards, or bursaries that cover the same costs may not be held concurrently.

Fully Funded Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship 2025/26: Unlock Global Opportunities in the UK

For the CSC to administer the application effectively and efficiently after submission, it will be necessary to create a record in the applicant’s name. If they apply for an award to the CSC, their details will be kept on file. Basic anonymised demographic data for all applicants will be kept for analytical research. 

Selection process

Each participating UK University will conduct its own recruitment process to select a specified number of candidates for Distance Learning Scholarships. Universities must put forward their selected candidates to the CSC.

The CSC will then confirm that these candidates meet the eligibility criteria for this scheme and universities will inform candidates of their results. Further details on expected dates are in the How to Apply section.

Selection criteria include:

• Academic merit of the applicant
• Potential impact of the work on the development of the applicant’s home country

If an applicant does not agree to personal data being used for the purpose of conducting due diligence, unfortunately the CSC will not be able to proceed further with the application process. 

If an application is successful, the applicant’s university will notify them that they have been selected.

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The CSC does not require any applicants to take an IELTS (English language) test. Please note, however, that, as a further condition of a scholarship, applicants may be required by their university to provide evidence of a particular level of English language proficiency.

The CSC will not be able to offer a scholarship to an applicant if it would contravene the terms and conditions of another scholarship that they have previously held.

Eligible countries

Please see list of eligible countries below as stated in the DAC List published in 2024.

Bangladesh
Belize
Botswana
Cameroon
Dominica
Eswatini
Fiji

Gabon
Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
India
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho

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Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea

Rwanda
Saint Helena
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
The Gambia
Togo

Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Zambia

Applicant eligibility

To be eligible for a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship, applicants should:

• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
• Be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country.

• Hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) standard. A lower qualification and sufficient relevant experience may be considered in certain cases.
• Be unable to afford to study the programme without this scholarship.

How to apply

Applications for Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships for the 2025/26 academic year are now open. The deadline for submitting an application is 16:00 GMT on Tuesday 20 May 2025.

The scholarships are for study beginning in September/October 2025.

Applications to the CSC must be made using the CSC’s online application system. 

The CSC is unable to accept any applications or documentation not submitted via the online application system. 

Applicants must apply and secure admission to study an approved Master’s course at a participating UK university in addition to applying for a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship via the CSC’s online application system. 

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