University of Birmingham UK Commonwealth Shared Scholarships

The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme provides scholarships for students from Commonwealth countries who would not otherwise be able to study in the UK. It is a joint initiative between the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and UK universities, including the University of Birmingham, and the award is financed jointly by the University and the DFID.

The scholarship is for candidates commencing a taught postgraduate course at the University of Birmingham on the Birmingham (Edgbaston) campus. Eligible postgraduate taught Masters programmes listed are MA Africa and Development, MSc Environment, Development and Politics, MSc International Development, MSc Respiratory Medicine, and MSc Conflict, Security and Development. Eligible nationalities are listed across many Commonwealth developing countries.

DFID requires that the University certifies, when submitting its shortlist of candidates, that candidates are sufficiently proficient in English to cope with the course for which they have applied. Candidates must also meet the eligibility conditions related to nationality, residence/study in developed countries, prior study duration in developed countries, ability to pay, and an agreement to return to their country to work or study after the award ends.

The award includes full tuition fees, a maintenance stipend, air fare to and from the United Kingdom, Immigration Health Surcharge costs, and other specified costs (including a one-off arrival allowance payment, thesis expenses, study travel grant, and optical and dental allowance). After the award ends, candidates must agree to return to their own country to work or study. Requests to extend leave to remain in the UK post-award for moving from Masters to PhD study may be considered under strict conditions.

• Candidates should be commencing a course in September 2026.
• Candidates must certify that they are nationals of a Commonwealth developing country, and not at present living or studying in a developed country.
• Candidates must certify that they have not undertaken studies lasting one year or more in a developed country.
• Candidates must certify that they are themselves, or through their families, unable to pay to study in the United Kingdom.
• Candidates must agree to return to their own country to work or study as soon as the award ends.
• The commission will only consider requests to extend leave to remain in the UK post-award for those wishing to move from Masters to PhD study, with strict conditions applying.
• DFID requires the University to certify that candidates are sufficiently proficient in the English language to cope with the course for which they have applied; this will normally mean satisfying English language requirements that are a condition of the offer of admission.
• Candidates must have been offered a place at the University of Birmingham on one of the listed postgraduate programmes: MA Africa and Development; MSc Environment, Development and Politics; MSc International Development; MSc Respiratory Medicine; MSc Conflict, Security and Development.
• Candidates must be nationals of one of the eligible nationalities listed: Bangladesh, Botswana, Belize, Cameroon, Ghana, Dominica, Fiji, Gabon, Gambia, Grenada, Guyana, India, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, and Zambia.

• Full tuition fees.
• Maintenance stipend.
• Air fare to and from the United Kingdom.
• Immigration Health Surcharge costs.
• A one-off arrival allowance payment.
• Thesis expenses.
• Study travel grant.
• Optical and Dental allowance.

1. Make an application on the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship website by the deadline given by Commonwealth Scholarships.
2. Make an application to study one of the approved programmes at the University of Birmingham.