Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships

Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships are for PhD candidates from low and middle income Commonwealth countries, to spend up to 12 months at a UK university as part of their doctoral studies in their home country.

Funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development, and are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK. These scholarships are offered under six themes:

• 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

Split-site Scholarships are now open
These scholarships are for:
• 12 months study at a UK university as part of an applicant’s doctoral studies in their home country, starting in October 2020
• Applicants who are registered (or will be registered by September 2020) for a PhD at a university in an eligible Commonwealth country
• Study at a UK university with which your home university has an established institutional or departmental link
• Study at a UK university which has a part funding agreement with the CSC. View a full list of UK universities with part funding agreements

Eligible Commonwealth countries
Antigua and Barbuda
Bangladesh
Belize
Botswana
Cameroon
Dominica
Eswatini
Fiji
The Gambia
Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
India
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Malawi
Malaysia
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Rwanda
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
St Helena
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Tanzania
Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Zambia

How to apply
You must make your application directly to the CSC using the CSC’s online application system. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the online application system. You are not required to apply via a nominating body for these scholarships.

Only one application per applicant for these scholarships will be accepted.

Application deadline: Your application must be submitted by 16:00 (GMT) on 06 November 2019 at the latest.

You are advised to complete and submit your application as soon as possible, as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.

Supporting documentation: Your application must include the following supporting documentation by 16:00 (GMT) on 27 November 2019
• Proof of citizenship or refugee status: copy of your valid passport (or national ID card) showing your photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship or refugee status– uploaded to the online application system
• Full transcripts detailing all your higher education qualifications including to-date transcripts for any qualifications you are currently studying (with certified translations if not in English) – uploaded to the online application system
• Supporting statement from your supervisor at your home country university, including details of current institutional links, submitted directly by your supervisor to the online application system (supervisors will be sent an email request).
• Supporting statement from your proposed supervisor at a UK university, including details of current institutional links, submitted directly by your supervisor to the online application system (supervisors will be sent an email request).
• Reference from at least one other individual – submitted directly by the referee to the online application system (referees will be sent an email request)

It is your responsibility to ensure that your referees and supervisors are able to complete the references and supporting statements by the deadline and that they receive the reference and statement requests.

The CSC will not accept supporting documentation submitted outside the online application system.

Selection process
Eligible applications will be considered in line with the CSC’s Split-site Scholarships Selection Critera, including by the CSC selection committee in competition with other candidates.

Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:
• Academic merit of the candidate
• Quality of the research proposal
• Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s home country