Commonwealth Foundation is offering fully funded Split-site Scholarship to PhD candidates from low and middle-income Commonwealth countries. This is an opportunity for the prospective PhD candidates to spend up to 12 months at a UK university as part of their doctoral studies in their home country.

With the Commonwealth Split-site Scholarship, the foundation enables talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development. Further,  the scholarship widens access to UK equipment and expertise for high-quality doctoral candidates from low and middle-income Commonwealth countries, and to contribute to UK and Commonwealth higher education and research through collaboration and partnerships.

Fully Funded Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarship

Each student receiving the fully funded Commonwealth 2020 Split-Site PhD Scholarship will receive:

• Approved tuition fee
• Approved airfare from home country to the UK at the beginning of the studies and a return ticket at the end of the studies
• Further, Stipend (living allowance) payable monthly at a rate £1,110 per month. While for students in the London Metropolitan Area will receive a stipend at a rate £1,362.
• Warm clothing allowance, where applicable.
• Thesis grant towards the cost of preparing a thesis, where applicable.
• Also, study travel grant towards the cost of study-related travel within the UK or overseas.
• If you are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £476 per month for the first child, and £117 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if you are accompanied by your children

Eligibility for the Commonwealth 2020 Split-Site PhD Scholarship

The Commonwealth Foundation awards the Split-Site scholarship to PhD Students whose profile aligns with the scholarship’s requirement. Moreover, the candidates should:

• Be a citizen of or have a refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or a British Protected Person
• Further, the fellows must be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country
• Be available to start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2020
• Moreover, the candidates must enroll for a PhD program in an eligible Commonwealth Country.
• Ensure that an institutional or departmental link exists between your home university and your proposed UK university.
• By September 2020, hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) honors standard, or a second class degree (2:2) as well as a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree).
• Also, the candidates should be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship
• Further, the students should provide all supporting documentation in the required format

How to apply for the Commonwealth Split-site PhD Scholarship?

An applicant may apply to study at a UK university which has a part funding agreement with the CSC. Part funding agreements are at the discretion of individual universities.

In order to apply, the candidates must submit the application directly to the CSC using the CSC’s online application system. Along with the application, a student must submit

• Proof of citizenship or refugee status – uploaded to the online application system
• Full transcripts detailing all your higher education qualifications including to-date transcripts for any qualifications.
• References from at least two individuals – submitted directly by the referees to the online application system (referees will be sent an email request)

Deadline

The Commonwealth Foundation has set the deadline for the fully funded Split-Site PhD Scholarship for international students in the UK for 6 November 2019. While the deadline for submitting the recommendation letter is on 27 November 2019.