Requirements

Who Can Apply

• You must be a citizen of an eligible Commonwealth country, or have refugee status there.

• You must live permanently in an eligible Commonwealth country.

• Eligible African countries: Botswana, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Uganda and Zambia.

• Some countries outside Africa are also eligible. Check the full list on the official notice.

• There is no age limit.

Education

• By September 2027, you must hold a first degree with at least upper second-class (2:1) honours.

• A lower second-class degree is also accepted if you also have a relevant postgraduate qualification, usually a Master's.

Experience

• The official notice does not set a minimum amount of work experience.

Language

• The CSC does not require an IELTS test. Your university may ask for proof that your English is good enough.

Other Requirements

• You must be able to start your studies in the UK by September 2027.

• You must not have studied or worked for one academic year or more in a high-income country. Distance learning from home is allowed.

• You must be unable to afford UK study without this scholarship.

• You must apply for, and get a place on, an approved Master's course at a participating UK university.

• UK government employees, British Council and Association of Commonwealth Universities staff, and some of their relatives cannot apply. Former employees can apply three years after leaving.

• Selection looks at academic merit, the quality of your study plan, and your likely impact on your home country's development.