Applications are now open for the Commonwealth Split-Site PhD Scholarships 2025-2026 for applicants from low and middle income countries who want to study in the United Kingdom and are interested in conducting research at a university in the United Kingdom for 12 months.
The Split-Site Scholarship aims to widen access to UK equipment and expertise for quality doctoral candidates from Commonwealth countries, and to contribute to UK and Commonwealth higher education and research through partnerships and collaboration.
SUMMARY:
- Scholarship Sponsor(s): UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)
- Host Institution(s): UK universities
- Scholarship Type: Fully Funded
- Scholarship Worth: Not specified
- Number of Awards: Several
- Study Level: PhD
- Nationality: Commonwealth Countries
See Also: Tips on How to Apply for Commonwealth Scholarship 2025
Commonwealth Split-Site PhD Scholarships 2025 | Eligibility Criteria
To be considered for the Commonwealth Split-Site Scholarships 2025, applicants must meet the following requirements:
- Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Be registered for a PhD at a university in an eligible Commonwealth country by the time the scholarship starts in September 2025.
- Ensure that an institutional or departmental link exists between the home university and proposed UK university. This link must be greater than simply a collaboration between individuals – see section on ‘Tenure and placement’ below for further details. Both supervisors must provide a supporting statement with further details of the link to ensure the application is eligible.
- Be available to start academic study in the UK in September 2025.
- By September 2025, hold a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree).
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
- Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format.
Scholarship Benefits
- Approved airfare from the Scholar’s home country to the UK and return at the end of the award.
- Approved tuition fees
- Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,378 per month, or £1,690 per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at current levels).
- Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
- Study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
- If a Scholar is widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £590 per month for the first child, and £146 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if their children are living with them at the same address in the UK.
Application Procedures
How-to-Apply: Interested applicants for the Commonwealth Split-Site Scholarships 2025 must complete their application using the CSC Central application system. Applicants will be required to provide all the required answers to questions on the application form and provide all the required supporting documents.
Supporting Documents:
- Proof of citizenship or refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country: a copy of a valid passport (or national ID card) showing a photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship.
- Full transcripts detailing all higher education qualifications with certified translations if not in English.
- References from at least two individuals, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details.
- A supporting statement, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details, from a proposed supervisor in the UK from the institution named on the application form.
- A supporting statement, in PDF format, signed and on institutional letterhead or an email clearly showing the sender’s details, from the current supervisor at the home university.
Application Deadline: 16th December 2024