2021-22 Commonwealth Shared Scholarships (NGH)

Overview

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are for candidates from least developed and lower-middle income Commonwealth countries, for full-time Master’s study on selected courses, jointly supported by UK universities.

Funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and LSHTM, the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSSS) enables talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required to support sustainable development. These scholarships are aimed at those who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.

This year, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission UK (CSC) and LSHTM are offering one scholarship award under the CSSS ‘Science and technology for development’ theme for MSc Nutrition for Global Health programme.

Each scholarship award will provide:

• CSC-approved airfare for the  awardee from their home country to the United Kingdom, and return home at the end of the award
• MSc Nutrition for Global Health tuition fees (at the overseas fee rate)
• GBP 1,369.00 monthly maintenance stipend (London metropolitan area rate)
• Warm clothing allowance, where applicable
• Reimbursement of Tuberculosis test fees, when required for a visa application, at a pre-determined amount set by the CSC
• Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable
• Study travel grant towards the costs of study-related travel within the UK or overseas
• Excess baggage allowance for return home up to the specific rate as set by the CSC
• Disability Support Allowance for personal living costs (if eligible)
• For Scholars who are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of GBP 478.00 per month for the first child, and GBP 118.00 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16

Amounts quoted are at the 2020-21 UK HMG rates. These are subject to an annual increase. 2021-22 rates will be released by CSC in due course.

CSSS Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for these scholarships:

• Applicants must be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country*, or be a British Protected Person.
• Applicants must be permanently and continually resident in an eligible Commonwealth country*.
• Applicants must be available to start their academic studies in the UK at the start of the 2021-22 academic year (September 2021).
• Applicants must hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2.1) standard, or a lower second class level (2.2) plus a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree) by September 2021. CSC cannot accept work experience in lieu of this minimum academic qualification. Neither will CSC fund a second UK Master’s degree, unless suitable justification for this is submitted. Please do not apply unless you meet the CSC minimum requirements.
• Applicants must be sufficiently fluent in English to pursue their proposed course of study and meet LSHTM’s English language proficiency requirements.
• Applicants must not have studied for one academic year or more in a high-income country 
• Applicants must not have worked for one year or more in a high-income country
• Applicants must confirm that neither they nor their families would otherwise be able to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
• Applicants must commit to return to their home country within one month of the end of the end of their award.

* Eligible Commonwealth countries: Bangladesh, Cameroon, Eswatini, The Gambia, Ghana, India, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuata, Zambia. 

How to Apply

The application process has two steps. To be considered for this funding, applicants must meet all eligibility criteria and complete both application steps outlined below by the scholarship application deadline of 16:00 (BST) on Friday 9 April 2021.