Commonwealth Scholarships for Indian Students 2024: Countries, Process

The Commonwealth Scholarship is among the highly regarded need-based scholarships offered to talented students in low and middle-income Commonwealth countries. The main aim of the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission (the official body that offers Commonwealth scholarships) in India is to provide higher education in the UK, New Zealand, and Singapore to financially weak students.

This Story also Contains

1. Types of Commonwealth Scholarships
2. Eligibility Requirements for Commonwealth Scholarship UK
3. How to apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship?
4. Commonwealth Scholarships Application Deadlines
5. Documents Checklist for Commonwealth scholarships
6. Selection Process for Commonwealth Scholarships
7. Commonwealth Scholarship UK Selection Process for Indian Students
8. Commonwealth Scholarship Grants Details

The awards are generally funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Moreover, almost all Commonwealth scholarships 2025 are fully funded with a few partial ones covering university fees, travel, and accommodation fees, etc.

To be eligible, students must be enrolled in at least master-level courses in the UK, be below 40 years of age, not be financially strong enough to study in the UK/New Zealand/Singapore, and must hold an admission letter from the university. However, these Commonwealth Scholarship and fellowship requirements may vary depending on the country as well as the type of award.

Read the article to learn the entire details about Commonwealth Scholarship 2025 from eligibility, deadlines, and application process to the grants offered!

Types of Commonwealth Scholarships

There are different types of awards and financial scholarships that are offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. Generally, students pursuing regular or distance learning masters and PhDs are eligible for Commonwealth Scholarship and fellowship. Hence, The CSC offers various types of scholarships, including:

• Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships (for low and middle-income countries)

• Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships

• Commonwealth Shared Scholarships

• Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships

• Commonwealth Professional Fellowships

Note: There are other types of Commonwealth scholarships available as well. However, the above-mentioned ones are for Indian students.

CSC does not offer scholarships for pursuing an MBA. Furthermore, all these scholarships are offered under six disciplines that include the following:

• Science and technology for development

• Strengthening health systems and capacity

• Promoting global prosperity

• Strengthening global peace, security and governance

• Strengthening resilience and response to crises

• Access, inclusion and opportunity

Eligibility Requirements for Commonwealth Scholarship UK

One must be qualified to apply for Commonwealth Scholarships and fellowships. Certain entry requirements must be met by students from eligible Commonwealth countries to be considered for the award. So, the Commonwealth Scholarships eligibility parameters for masters and PhDs are as follows:

Eligibility for Commonwealth Master Scholarships

To be eligible for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships, international students must have the following eligibility:

• Students must be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country

• Students must be able to prove that they are permanent residents of India (Commonwealth Commonwealth-eligible country)

• They must be below 40 years of age.

• They must be available for academic studies in the UK at the start of the next UK academic year in September.

• They must at least have a bachelors of at least upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a second class degree (2:2) and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree).

• They must demonstrate that they are not financially capable of affording higher studies in the UK without the scholarship.

Eligibility for Commonwealth PhD Scholarships (Split-Site)

International students must have the following eligibility to be considered for PhD scholarships by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission:

• Students must be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country

• They must be below 40 years of age.

• Students must be able to prove that they are permanent residents of India ( Commonwealth-eligible country)

• A student must be registered for a PhD at a university in an eligible Commonwealth country by the time the scholarship starts (at the start of the next UK academic year).

• They must be available for academic studies in the UK at the start of the next UK academic year in September.

• Students must hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree).

• They must be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.

How to apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship?

The application process for a Commonwealth Scholarship UK is entirely online. Indian students are required to submit their respective applications on the ‘Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s Online Application System’ as well as on the ‘Ministry of Education’s SAKSHAT Portal’. However, the application portal is closed for the academic year 2024-2025.

Application Process for Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships

• Visit the official online application portal of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s website

• Fill out the application form with correct information such as academic records, personal details, intended study details, etc.

• Attach all relevant documents with the application form as per the specified format and size.

• Submit the application form before the Commonwealth Scholarship application deadline for the year.

• Once submitted, apply with the same details on the SAKSHAT portal of India’s Ministry of Education.

Commonwealth Scholarships Application Deadlines

The Commonwealth Scholarship 2024 deadline has passed. However, the application deadlines for the Commonwealth Scholarships 2025 are tentatively mentioned below as per the latest updates from the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.

Generally, the Ministry of Education application portal is active from mid-December to February for Commonwealth Scholarships. On the other hand, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s Online Application System (OAS) is active from December to January. Hence, the exact Commonwealth Scholarship 2025 deadlines will be provided within this timeframe.

Documents Checklist for Commonwealth scholarships

Some of the important documents that are required to be considered for the scholarships as per the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission are mentioned below:

• Citizenship Proof (Passport)

• Academic transcripts

• At least 2 LORs that clearly state the sender’s address

• UK university admission letter

• Standardised test results (GRE/GMAT)

• English test scores (IELTS/TOEFL/DET) (Important for UK universities admission)

Selection Process for Commonwealth Scholarships

Applications for Commonwealth Scholarship are considered according to particular selection criteria keeping in mind some primary indicators such as academic achievements as well as some secondary indicators such as academic awards, feasibility of the proposed research, presentation clarity, etc.

The three important criteria for selecting Indian candidates for the awards are:

• Academic merit

• Quality of research proposal/study plans

• Potential impact on the development of India

Academic merit criteria for Commonwealth scholarships:

Quality of research proposal criteria for Commonwealth PhD scholarships:

Quality of study plans for Commonwealth Master scholarships:

Potential impact on the development of India for Commonwealth scholarships:

Commonwealth Scholarship UK Selection Process for Indian Students

Indian students must note the following selection process for Commonwealth Scholarship UK:

• Only a few candidates who are shortlisted are called for interviews that are undertaken by some notable subject experts.

• The selection for the Commonwealth Scholarships 2025 is then decided based on the above criteria.

• These nominations (around 20) are sent to the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission for final selection.

• Nomination of a candidate by the Government of India does not, in any way, guarantee final selection or placement.

• The final decision for the recipient of the Commonwealth Scholarship and fellowship plan is then made by the CSC from the overall nominees recommended by all the participating countries in the Programme.

Commonwealth Scholarship Grants Details

Each type of Commonwealth Scholarship provides some financial assistance to its recipients. Generally, these scholarships are fully funded and include the living expenses in UK as well. The benefits include the following:

Commonwealth Scholarship UK Allowances: