Commonwealth Distance Learning Master’s Scholarships to Study in Your Home Country
The Commonwealth Distance Learning programme is one of three Master’s programmes offered by the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission.
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship plan (CSFP) and offers a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth. By attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential from all backgrounds and supporting them to become leaders and innovators on returning to their home countries, the CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest and provides opportunities for international partnerships and collaboration.
Purpose: Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships enable talented and motivated individuals to access training and skills required for sustainable development not available in their home countries.
Intended beneficiaries: Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships are for candidate from eligible low and middle income Commonwealth countries, to undertake part-time taught Master’s study with UK universities while remaining in their home countries.
These scholarships are offered under six CSC Development themes.
Scholar eligibility
To be eligible for a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship, candidates should:
- Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person
- Be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country
- Hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) standard. A lower qualification and sufficient relevant experience may be considered in certain cases.
- Be unable to afford to study the programme without this scholarship.
Intended beneficiaries: Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships are for candidate from eligible low and middle income Commonwealthcountries, to undertake part-time taught Master’s study with UK universities while remaining in their home countries.
Eligible countries for the Commonwealth Distance Learning
(Please see list of eligible countries below as stated in the DAC list published in January 2022)
- Bangladesh
Belize
Botswana
Cameroon
Dominica
Eswatini
Fiji
Gabon
The Gambia
Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
India
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Rwanda
Saint Helena
Saint Lucia
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
Togo
Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Zambia
General conditions for the Commonwealth Distance Learning
- A Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship covers tuition fees and study grants where required. Other scholarships, awards, or bursaries that cover the same costs may not be held concurrently.
- For the CSC to administer submitted applications effectively and efficiently, it will be necessary to create a record in each candidate’s name. Where a candidate is nominated 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 candidates’ and scholars’ personal information and to being transparent about the information we are collecting about them and what we do with it. Personal information will be used to conduct necessary due diligence checks to the CSC’s satisfaction, before the 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 scholars for full co-operation to speed up the process. If scholars do not agree to personal data being used for the purpose of conducting due diligence, the CSC will not be able to proceed further with the application process. To find out more, see our privacy notice.
- If an application is successful, the candidate’s university will notify them that they have been selected university via email.
- The CSC does not require any candidates to take an IELTS (English language) test. Please note, however, that, as a further condition of a Scholarship, candidates may be required by their university to provide evidence of a particular level of English language proficiency.
- The CSC will not be able to offer Scholarship to candidates if it would contravene the terms and conditions of another Scholarship that they have previously held.
- When terms of admission to the university have been agreed, the university will send a formal Notification of Award letter.
- Scholars will be expected to abide by the Commission’s Code of Conduct for Award-Holders and Disciplinary Policy and Procedure. Your award may be terminated at any time for reasons of unsatisfactory conduct, progress, or attendance, or if your registration is suspended or terminated by your university for any reason.
- Candidates are not eligible to apply for a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship if they; are 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 and Scholars will be expected to abide by the Commission’s Code of Conduct for Award Holders and Disciplinary Policy and Procedure. Awards may be terminated at any time for reasons of unsatisfactory conduct, progress, or attendance, or if a candidate’s registration is suspended or terminated by their 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.
- All conditions of award are subject to UK local law and practices and are subject to change by the CSC.
How to apply
Visit the how-to-apply page regularly for the next batch of intakes. Applications for the Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships for the 2023/24 academic year are now closed.
Candidates must apply and secure admission to study an approved Master’s course at a participating UK university in addition to applying for a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship via the CSC’s online application system.
Candidates can apply for more than one course and to more than one university, however they may only accept one offer of a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship. Note that Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships are only for Master’s courses and not for undergraduate or PhD study. Please check with the chosen university for their specific advice on when to apply, admission requirements and rules for applying.
The CSC is unable to accept any applications that are not submitted via the CSC’s online application system.
Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship applications will be shared with UK universities, who will nominate their chosen candidates to receive a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship in May 2023. The CSC then checks that the candidates nominated meet the CSC’s eligibility criteria. Universities inform candidates if they have successfully been awarded a Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship in July 2023.
Candidates are advised to complete and submit their Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarship application as early as possible as the CSC’s online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.
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