Fully Funded Verified against official source Upcoming call

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships

Offered by Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) and participating UK universities

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships fully fund selected one-year taught master's courses in the UK for eligible Commonwealth-country applicants. The 2027/28 candidate call is expected in early November 2026.

Current status

Upcoming call

The 2027/28 Commonwealth Shared Scholarship candidate round is scheduled to open in early November 2026 and close in mid-December. Exact dates will be published nearer the time.

Last verified: 21 September 2026

Next review: 5 November 2026

Quick facts

Current statusUpcoming call
Study destinationUnited Kingdom
Degree levelMaster's
FundingFully Funded
DeadlineNo current deadline announced
Duration1 year taught master's
Study subjectsAgriculture & Forestry, Business & Management, Education, Engineering & Technology, Environment & Earth Sciences, Health & Medicine, Natural Sciences, Social Sciences
Pakistan eligibleYes
Last checked21 September 2026

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When will Commonwealth Shared applications open?

The CSC says 2027/28 candidate applications are scheduled to open in early November 2026 and close in mid-December. Exact dates will be published nearer the time.

What does the scholarship cover?

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships cover approved tuition, return airfare and a living stipend, with additional allowances available under the award terms. The next cycle’s final stipend rates should be checked when applications open.

Is Pakistan eligible?

Yes. Pakistan appears on the CSC’s published eligible-country list for the 2027/28 Shared Scholarship cycle.

What level of study is funded?

The Shared Scholarship programme supports one-year full-time taught master’s courses at participating UK universities. It does not fund undergraduate or research-degree study under this scheme.

What does this scholarship actually cover?

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are jointly funded by the CSC and participating UK universities. They cover approved tuition fees, return airfare and a living stipend, with other allowances available under the award terms. New 2027/28 stipend rates should be confirmed when candidate applications open.

TuitionFull
Living stipendCurrent amount not published
AccommodationPartial
TravelFull
Health insuranceUnknown
Visa costsCheck the 2027/28 candidate terms when published.

Other verified benefits

Full approved tuition, return airfare, living stipend and additional allowances under CSC/university terms.

Costs not confirmed or not covered

Dependants' fares are not covered; personal expenses beyond scholarship allowances remain the scholar's responsibility.

Who is eligible to apply?

Applicants must be citizens or recognised refugees of an eligible Commonwealth country, be permanently resident there, meet the academic standard, be unable to afford UK study without the scholarship and be ready to begin an approved one-year taught master's course in the UK.

The 2027/28 programme is for one-year taught postgraduate courses. Candidates apply for the scholarship and separately for admission to an approved participating university course. Pakistan is on the published eligible-country list.

Prior educationNormally at least upper-second-class (2:1) first degree, or lower-second-class plus a relevant postgraduate qualification
ExperienceNot a substitute for the minimum academic qualification
Gender requirementNo restriction
IELTSDepends on host/course
Host institution requiredYes
Supervisor approvalNo
Admission before applicationConditional

Eligible countries

Eligible low and lower-middle income Commonwealth countries listed by the CSC for the 2027/28 Shared Scholarship cycle, including Pakistan.

Language requirements

Applicants must be sufficiently fluent in written and oral English and meet the chosen university/UK immigration requirements.

Which documents should you prepare?

  • Passport/ID
  • Academic transcripts
  • Two reference letters

Which documents may be required conditionally?

  • Degree certificate
  • English test certificate
  • Admission/offer letter

What should you do next?

  1. Wait for the 2027/28 candidate call to open in early November 2026.
  2. Check the approved courses and participating universities when published.
  3. Confirm that your nationality and academic background are eligible.
  4. Apply through CSC Central when the form opens.
  5. Apply separately for admission to your chosen approved UK master's course.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pakistan eligible for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships?

Yes. Pakistan is included in the CSC's published eligible-country list for the 2027/28 Commonwealth Shared Scholarship programme. Applicants must also meet residence, academic, financial-need and approved-course requirements when the candidate call opens.

When do 2027 Commonwealth Shared applications open?

The CSC says candidate applications for 2027/28 are scheduled to open in early November 2026 and close in mid-December 2026. Exact dates have not yet been published, so applicants should wait for the official timetable before relying on a deadline.