Advice for Applicants
All of the CSC’s scholarship schemes are highly competitive. This means that many very able applicants will be disappointed. Only candidates whose applications are outstanding across the board are likely to be successful. You must therefore consider carefully what you choose to include. This page provides advice and guidance to applicants completing the application form, including feedback from the selection panel and common mistakes to avoid.
Eligibility and Required Documentation
Before you start writing your application, it is important you check you are eligible to apply. Guidance on eligibility requirements for each programme can be found under the ‘Candidate eligibility’ sections on the individual programme pages.
In addition, all candidates must ensure they include all necessary documentation with their application. Every year many strong candidates are disqualified due to incomplete applications, so please make sure you check this carefully.
See individual programme pages for a checklist of all the essential requirements for an eligible application.
Selection Criteria
The selection panels assess applications using three key criteria: academic merit, impact of the work on development, and study/research plan.
The CSC makes its decisions on who receives a Commonwealth Scholarship purely on the basis of the information provided in the application form. There are no quotas for people from different countries.
For more details on how applications are graded, see the Commonwealth Scholarships Selection Criteria.
Please note that there is separate selection criteria for PhD Scholarships (for high-income countries). Please visit the Programme Page for more information.
Below is some feedback and advice from the CSC’s selection panels which may be helpful when completing an application form for a Commonwealth Scholarship.
Academic merit
Successful applicants are those with strong academic grades at both undergraduate or, where relevant, postgraduate level. Many have a first-class honours undergraduate degree, or a distinction at Master’s level, or other relevant experience and qualifications. While applicants with upper second-class undergraduate degrees or a pass at Master’s level do receive Commonwealth Scholarships, these scholarships are highly competitive in terms of academic quality and must ensure their plan of study and development impact statements are exceptional to have a chance of being selected
We understand that external factors can impact a candidate’s academic performance. If there are reasons why an applicant has not scored particularly well in part of their academic career however, it is important that these are explained in the Personal Statement.
For PhD Scholarships, many applicants have a good list of publications and conference papers, sometimes in internationally respected academic journals. It is important, therefore, for applicants to ensure that they reference these appropriately if they have them.
It is important for applicants to identify referees who will provide references that are detailed and contain sufficient information to be evaluated. A five-line reference is unlikely to provide the level of support necessary.
The CSC recognises that applicants with a disability, may have experienced additional challenges or barriers in their higher education experience which has made meeting the minimum academic standard difficult. Disabled applicants with an otherwise strong application who apply through the CSC’s disability nominator may be eligible for consideration under a contextualised nomination policy. Applicants should contact the nominating agency directly.
Impact of the proposed work on development
The selection committee places great emphasis on the case made by applicants for how their proposed work will have an impact on development when they return home. Brief statements written in the Development Impact section is unlikely to be as convincing as a well-crafted argument that uses the full word count available.
Some applicants focus on how a Commonwealth Scholarship would help them to become personally successful, rather than on how their work can specifically contribute to development in their home country. Such focus does not provide the information that the selection panel requires.
There are many ways in which ‘development’ can be defined, and the CSC does not seek to impose specific definitions on applicants. However, it is important that applicants demonstrate how their specific project contributes to development objectives that are relevant for their country and region. It is not sufficient to state that the proposed subject of study is by its nature developmental; applicants must make the case clearly that what they will go on to do after studying will have an impact on development.
Study/research plan
Applicants who are unclear or vague about what they intend to do, or who write using overly technical language, are likely to score poorly regardless of content. It is important that this section is written clearly so that a non-specialist can understand what the aims of the research are and how they will be implemented.
Applicants for PhD Scholarships who do not provide information about the precise methodology and any sampling strategy to be used in the research do not score highly.
All applicants must explain in some detail why they have applied to the courses and institutions listed on their application forms. It is insufficient only to say that the universities are excellent, or even that they are ranked xth on a global listing of universities. Providing further reasons why these are relevant institutions to support academic plans will strengthen an application.
Study or research plans must be written by the applicant, and not by the intended supervisor.
Cutting and pasting text about a department, course, or institution from a website or brochure is insufficient and may be considered plagiarism. Merely listing the options available for a Master’s course is likewise insufficient.
Other Information/Terms & Condition
General conditions
A Commonwealth Shared Scholarship covers fees, approved fares and personal maintenance. Other scholarships, awards, or bursaries that cover the same costs may not be held concurrently.
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. The CSC is committed to protecting personal information and to being transparent about the information we are collecting about applicants and what we do with it. To find out more, see our privacy notice.
Applicant’s personal information will be used to conduct necessary due diligence checks to CSC’s satisfaction, before CSC proceeds with any type of formal agreement or contractual relationship. In most cases, the due diligence checks will be straightforward, however further information may be requested, so we ask for full co-operation to speed up the process.
If a applicant does not agree to personal data being used for the purpose of conducting due diligence, unfortunately CSC will not be able to proceed further with the application process.
If an application is successful and the CSC has confirmed all eligibility requirements are met, the university will notify the applicant that they have been provisionally selected (selected for an award subject to the CSC agreeing terms of admission to the university) at which point they will be a provisional scholarship candidate.
The CSC does not require any candidates to take an IELTS (English language) test. Universities may require candidates to provide evidence of a particular level of English language proficiency as a condition of the scholarship.
The CSC will not be able to offer a scholarship if it would contravene the terms and conditions of another scholarship previously held.
When terms of admission to the university have been agreed, the CSC will provide a formal Confirmation of Award letter.
Applicants will be required to submit a Health and Disability Form before the Confirmation of Award can be issued.
Candidates will be required to sign an undertaking to return to their home country as soon as possible after the end of the award.
Candidates are expected to start the award on the date stated in the Confirmation of Award letter.
If a candidate requires a Student visa to come to the UK to study, they must meet all relevant immigration requirements set by UK Visas and Immigration. They should check the GOV.UK website for updated information.
All UK immigration regulations are set by UK Visas and Immigration and are subject to change. The CSC has no control over these regulations.
Candidates will be selected for an award based on the plan of study outlined on the application form, which is not expected to change significantly during the award. Any such changes must be agreed by the CSC.
Throughout the award, Scholars are expected to reside in the UK, and must to seek approval from the CSC in advance of any overseas travel.
Scholars must not undertake paid employment during the award without approval from the CSC in advance.
The CSC will consider a request to extend a scholar’s leave to remain in the UK after their award only if they wish to move from Master’s to PhD study. Strict conditions will apply.
The CSC cannot provide a letter of support or permission for Scholars to remain in or return to the UK after the award to enable them to work or undertake postdoctoral study.
The following are not eligible to apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship; an employee, a former employee, or relative of an employee of the Government of the United Kingdom; or a staff member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities or the British Council; or a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner, former Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner or a relative of a Commonwealth Scholarship Commissioner. Former employees of the organisations listed above are eligible to apply three years after ceasing their employment with them.
In line with the UK Bribery Act 2010, any applicant convicted of bribery will be banned from reapplying for a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship for a period of up to five years.
Applicants are expected to adhere to the CSC’s Code of Conduct for award holders and the Disciplinary Policy and Procedure.
An award may be terminated at any time for reasons of unsatisfactory conduct, progress, or attendance, or if registration is suspended or terminated by the university for any reason.
The CSC is committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a fair and transparent manner. For more information, see the CSC Anti-Fraud Policy and Procedure at and the FCDO guidance on reporting fraud.
The CSC is committed proactively to safeguard and promote the welfare of our beneficiaries, and to protect its staff, Commissioners, beneficiaries and all those with whom the CSC comes into contact. The CSC requires staff, members of the Commission, applicants for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to act consistently with its requirements for safeguarding. Applicants should note the CSC Safeguarding Policy which sets out the obligation for staff, members of the Commission, applicants for and recipients of CSC awards and suppliers to act consistently with its requirements for safeguarding. Any safeguarding concerns should be reported to the Commission at: csc.safeguarding@cscuk.org.uk
All conditions of award are subject to UK local law and practices and are subject to change by the CSC.
For more information, see the current Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars. Please note that the conditions outlined in the Handbook are subject to change.
