Commonwealth PhD Scholarships 2027/28

Study levels

PhD

Funding

Fully funded

Applications open

See official source

Deadline

20 Oct 2026BST (closed 16:00 BST)

What the funding covers

Full tuition fees, a stipend of £1,712 per month (£2,000 in London), approved return airfare and family allowances, for 36 months full-time.

• Full tuition fees
• Stipend £1,712/month (£2,000 London)
• Approved return airfare
• Study travel grant
• Family allowances where applicable

Tuition

Approved tuition fees in full

Stipend / living allowance

£1,712/month (£2,000 for London metropolitan-area universities)

Travel

Approved return airfare; paid mid-term home visit; approved overseas fieldwork airfare

Other support

Family allowances: £313/month spouse; £313 first child, £154 second/third child under 16. Tenure 36 months full-time only; 4-year PhDs not supported.

Eligibility

• Who can apply: Bangladesh is explicitly named first in the official eligible-countries list for this scheme (least developed countries and vulnerable states).
• The CSC does not require an IELTS test; universities may require English evidence.
• Citizen of / refugee status in an eligible country and permanently resident there.
• By September 2027 a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1), or lower second-class plus a relevant postgraduate qualification.
• Not registered for a PhD/MPhil leading to a PhD before September/October 2026.
• Unable to afford UK study without the scholarship.
• A nominator application is also required; CSC accepts no direct applications.

English / IELTS

No IELTS required

CSC does not require IELTS.

Application fee

No application fee

The CSC does not charge to apply.

Run the eligibility checker to see how you line up.

Apply — official links only

The 2027/28 round closed at 16:00 BST on 20 October 2026. This record is kept as a verified archive entry; watch the official CSC page for the next round.