Commonwealth PhD Scholarships 2027/28 — Fully Funded UK Doctoral Study
Organisation: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK / UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development OfficeCountry: United KingdomType: ScholarshipFunding: Fully Funded2026-10-20 16:00 Europe/London
Read the complete scholarship conditions and confirm your citizenship or refugee status, permanent residence, academic qualifications, registration status and financial need.
Research appropriate UK universities and proposed supervisors. The CSC strongly recommends listing three universities and supervisors in order of preference.
Take the necessary steps to apply for admission to the preferred UK universities. University deadlines and admission requirements are separate from the scholarship deadline.
Obtain a supervisor statementRequired
Obtain a signed PDF supporting statement from a proposed supervisor at at least one university listed in the scholarship application. The statement should confirm willingness to supervise, availability of research facilities and feasibility within the 36-month award.
Apply through an approved nominator
Funding and Verification Details
Coverage: Approved tuition fees.
Approved return airfare.
£1,712 monthly living allowance outside the London metropolitan area.
£2,000 monthly living allowance in the London metropolitan area.
Study-related travel grant.
Approved overseas fieldwork support.
Conditional mid-term home visit.
Conditional family allowances.
Assessed disability-related support where applicable.
Funding conditions
The London rate applies only at universities within the London metropolitan area.
The award supports 36 months of full-time study.
The mid-term home visit is subject to conditions involving fieldwork travel and family allowances.
Family support depends on household circumstances and accompanying dependants.
Published allowance rates may change.
Conditional family allowances
Spouse without children: £313 monthly for up to nine months.
Spouse and children: £313 monthly for the spouse, £313 for the first child, and £154 each for the second and third children under 16.
Widowed, divorced or single parent: £622 monthly for the first child and £154 each for the second and third children under 16.
Costs and exclusions
Dependant airfares are not reimbursed.
Journeys made before the scholarship is confirmed are not reimbursed.
Family allowances may not cover the full cost of supporting dependants.
Four-year PhDs are not funded.
I cannot confirm whether visa fees, the immigration health surcharge, university application fees or English-language testing costs are covered.
Evidence note: The 2027/28 application round, official deadline, funding package, country list and CSC Central route were verified on 15 September 2026. Applicants must also apply through an approved nominator, which may impose an earlier deadline. Coverage of visa fees and other pre-departure costs could not be confirmed.
The Commonwealth PhD Scholarships support eligible candidates from least-developed Commonwealth countries and vulnerable states to undertake full-time doctoral study at an approved university in the United Kingdom.
The programme is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK.
The scholarships are intended for research that can contribute to development in the applicant’s home country. Awards support 36 months of full-time PhD study beginning in September or October 2027.
Who can apply
Applicants must:
be a citizen of an eligible Commonwealth country, have refugee status granted by an eligible country, or be a British Protected Person;
be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country;
be available to begin academic study in the UK in September 2027;
hold, by September 2027, at least a UK-equivalent upper-second-class first degree;
alternatively, hold a lower-second-class degree together with a relevant postgraduate qualification, normally a Master’s degree;
not have been registered for a PhD or an MPhil leading to a PhD before September/October 2026;
demonstrate that they could not afford UK study without the scholarship;
submit every required document in the prescribed format.
There is no age limit imposed by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.
Apply through one approved nominating organisation. The national nominating agency is the main route, but some applicants may qualify through an approved NGO. Check the nominator’s eligibility rules and deadline independently.
Review participating NGOs only if you meet their country, gender, disability, affiliation or other specific requirements. An NGO route is an alternative nominating route, not an additional universal requirement.
Submit CSC Central application and documentsRequired
Complete the online form and upload the identification document, complete transcripts, translations where applicable, at least two references and the UK supervisor’s statement before the deadline. Save regularly because submitted applications cannot be edited.
Applicants from other Commonwealth countries are not eligible for this particular PhD scholarship.
What the opportunity provides
The scholarship provides:
approved tuition fees;
approved airfare from the scholar’s home country to the UK and return airfare after the award;
a living allowance of £1,712 per month;
a living allowance of £2,000 per month for scholars studying at universities in the London metropolitan area;
a study-travel grant for approved study-related travel;
provision for approved overseas fieldwork, including one economy return airfare to the fieldwork location;
a qualifying mid-term visit to the scholar’s home country;
conditional family allowances;
assessment for additional disability-related financial support where applicable.
Published allowance rates are stated at their current levels and may change.
Required documents
Applicants must upload:
a valid passport or national identity card showing their photograph, date of birth and eligible citizenship;
proof of qualifying refugee status where applicable;
complete transcripts for every higher-education qualification;
current transcripts for studies still in progress;
certified English translations where original documents are not in English;
at least two references in PDF format;
a supporting statement from a proposed supervisor at a UK university named in the application.
References and the supervisor statement must be signed and provided on institutional letterhead or as an email clearly showing the sender’s details.
The application also requires information covering:
undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications;
employment history;
publications and prizes, where applicable;
three proposed referees;
a four-part Development Impact statement;
award objectives;
five-year and long-term career plans;
a detailed plan of study;
a personal statement;
leadership and voluntary activities.
A nominating agency or university may require additional documents.
Selection process and timeline
Applications are evaluated according to:
academic merit;
quality of the research proposal;
potential development impact in the applicant’s home country.
Applicants must apply through CSC Central and through one approved nominating organisation.
National nominating agencies are the main route. Selected NGOs and charitable bodies may nominate applicants who satisfy their narrower criteria.
Nominators are expected to submit their nominations to the CSC in December 2026. Nomination does not guarantee selection.
Applicants are expected to receive the outcome by July 2027. Successful candidates will begin their studies in September or October 2027.
Important conditions
The scholarship supports 36 months of full-time PhD study only. Four-year PhD programmes are not supported.
Applicants should identify three suitable UK universities and supervisors in order of preference. A supporting statement from a named proposed supervisor at at least one selected university is mandatory.
Applicants must take the necessary steps to apply for admission to their preferred universities in advance. University admission and scholarship selection are separate decisions.
Applications cannot be edited after submission. Late or separately submitted supporting documents will not be accepted.
Applicants must return to their home country after completing the scholarship. Switching to the UK Graduate visa or another visa to remain in the UK is not permitted under the scholarship conditions.
Scholars cannot hold another award covering the same tuition, travel or maintenance costs concurrently.
Paid employment during the award requires prior CSC approval.
Visa and immigration information
Successful applicants who require a UK Student visa must satisfy all current UK Visas and Immigration requirements.
The scholarship does not guarantee visa approval. Immigration decisions are made by UK Visas and Immigration, not by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.
I cannot confirm from the official scholarship information whether Student visa fees, the immigration health surcharge or other immigration-related costs are covered.
TripDoc verification notes
TripDoc verified that the 2027/28 application round is open, the CSC Central application route is active and the official closing time is 16:00 BST on 20 October 2026.
Applicants must also apply through an approved nominator. A nominator may have an earlier deadline and additional eligibility requirements.
The scholarship is restricted to 17 officially listed countries. It must not be promoted as available to every Commonwealth citizen.
