Commonwealth Master's Scholarship 2027-28: Apply Now

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and cover a full-time taught master’s degree at a UK university. Applications for the 2027/28 academic year are open, and the closing date is 16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October 2026.

The most important thing to know before you start: the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission does not accept direct applications. You must apply to the CSC and be nominated by an official nominating agency – for India, that is the Ministry of Education.

Commonwealth Master's Scholarship for Indian students

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Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship 2027-28

Quick facts2026-27

Scholarship from	Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC), funded by the FCDO
Study level	Full-time one-year taught master’s degree in the UK (MBA not funded)
Who can apply	Citizens and permanent residents of eligible Commonwealth countries, including India
What is covered	Full tuition fees, return airfare, a monthly stipend, a study travel grant and child allowance where applicable
Last date to apply	16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October 2026 (nominators may set earlier internal deadlines)
Official website	cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk

Go to official website

What a Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship covers

The financial assistance section of the official page lists the following:

Approved airfare from the scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award.
Approved tuition fees – full fees are covered by agreement between the CSC and the UK university, and scholars are not liable for any part of the tuition fee.
A stipend (living allowance) of £1,712 per month, or £2,000 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area. These rates are quoted at current levels.
A study travel grant towards study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
A child allowance of £622 per month for the first child and £154 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, for scholars who are widowed, divorced or a single parent and whose children live with them at the same UK address.

If a scholar shares that they have a disability, the CSC offers a full assessment of their needs and eligibility for additional financial support. The CSC also states that it does not require candidates to take an IELTS test.

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship eligibility

Be a citizen of, or have been granted refugee status by, an eligible Commonwealth country – India is on the official eligible-country list.
Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
Be available to start academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September 2027.
By September 2027, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours, or a lower second-class degree plus a relevant postgraduate qualification, usually a master’s degree.
Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
Provide all supporting documentation in the required format.

There is no age limit for CSC applications. However, the CSC has a preference for applicants who have already completed their undergraduate degrees and it does not normally fund a second master’s degree – if you apply for a second master’s you must justify why. Applicants who have already studied at master’s level at a UK institution, or who have already received a Commonwealth Scholarship at master’s level, are not eligible. All Commonwealth Scholars must return home after the scholarship, and switching to a graduate or other visa to stay in the UK is not permitted.

How to apply: the two-part process

Choose three UK universities and courses, in order of preference.
Apply for admission to those UK universities separately – many courses have strict admission deadlines.
Register on CSC Central, the CSC’s application system, and complete the CSC application.
Apply to a nominator as well. The main route is the national nominating agency for your country; selected NGOs and charitable bodies can also nominate.
Check the nominator’s own eligibility criteria and closing date, because nominators may set earlier deadlines than the CSC’s 20 October date.
Upload the supporting documentation to CSC Central before the deadline.
Submit the application by 16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October 2026.

For India, the national nominating agency listed on the CSC website is the Ministry of Education: Under Secretary to the Govt. of India, West Block-1, Wing-6, 2nd Floor, R.K. Puram, New Delhi 110066. Telephone 011-26172492, email [email protected], website education.gov.in/scholarships-education-loan-2. Nominators put forward an agreed number of candidates and nominate them to the CSC by December 2026 – a nomination is not a guarantee of selection.

Documents required

Proof of citizenship or refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country – a copy of a valid passport or national ID card showing your photograph, date of birth and country of citizenship.
Full transcripts covering all higher education qualifications, including to-date transcripts for courses you are still studying, with certified translations if they are not in English. If transcripts are missing pages, the application is treated as ineligible.
References from at least two individuals, in PDF, signed, on institutional letterhead or from an email that clearly shows the sender’s details.

The application form itself asks for a development impact statement in four parts, a plan of study, a personal statement, your employment history, up to 10 publications and prizes, and the names of three referees. The CSC recommends preparing your answers outside the system and pasting them in, and it warns that refreshing the browser will lose unsaved data.

Selection process and criteria

Candidate merit, including academic experience.
Quality of the research proposal.
Potential impact on the development of the candidate’s home country.

Applications are assessed against the six CSC development themes, and the scholarship is tenable only at approved UK universities that have a part-funding agreement with the CSC for the specific programme. Scholarships fund full-time study only, for one degree, and the CSC does not fund MBA degrees. Applicants are advised to list three university and course choices, because the CSC will not change the course or the order of preference after selection and the scholarship cannot proceed if placement is not possible. Applicants can expect to hear the outcome by July 2027.

What is the last date to apply for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships 2027-28?

The closing date is 16:00 BST on Tuesday 20 October 2026, for study in the UK beginning in September or October 2027. Some nominating agencies set their own earlier closing dates, so check with your nominator.

Can Indian students apply for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships?

Yes. India is on the official list of eligible Commonwealth countries for the Master’s programme. You must be a citizen of, or have refugee status in, an eligible Commonwealth country and be permanently resident there.

Can I apply directly to the CSC?

No. The CSC does not accept direct applications. You must apply through a nominator – the main route is the national nominating agency for your country, and selected NGOs and charitable bodies can also nominate.

Who is the nominating agency for India?

The CSC lists the Ministry of Education as India’s nominating agency: Under Secretary to the Govt. of India, West Block-1, Wing-6, 2nd Floor, R.K. Puram, New Delhi 110066. The email is [email protected] and the website is education.gov.in/scholarships-education-loan-2.

How much is the Commonwealth Master’s stipend?

The stipend is £1,712 per month, or £2,000 per month for scholars at universities in the London metropolitan area, at current rates. Tuition fees, return airfare and a study travel grant are also covered.

Is there an age limit for Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships?

No. The CSC states that there is no age limit for applications, though applicants are advised to check any age restrictions on leave entitlement with their employer.

Do I need an IELTS score for a Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship?

The CSC states that it does not require candidates to take an IELTS test. Individual UK universities may still have their own English language requirements for admission.

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship 2027-28: Apply by 20 October 2026