The Federal Ministry of Education has officially announced the commencement of the application period for the 2024/2025 Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP).
This prestigious scholarship program, funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), is designed to support talented individuals from low and middle-income Commonwealth countries in pursuing higher education opportunities in the United Kingdom.
The application period is set to run from September 10 to October 15, 2024. Interested candidates are encouraged to apply online during this window.
The Federal Ministry of Education has provided detailed guidelines and application forms, accessible through their official X (formerly Twitter) handle.
To qualify for the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships, applicants must possess a First Class or Upper Second-Class Honours degree in their undergraduate studies. For those applying for PhD scholarships, a Second Class Lower Division degree is acceptable. Additionally, applicants must hold a valid National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) discharge or exemption certificate and secure at least two admissions from UK universities before applying.
The application process is free of charge, and candidates are required to print their completed forms before submission.
For PhD applicants, a supporting statement from a UK university supervisor is also mandatory. To be eligible, applicants must be citizens or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British-protected person permanently residing in one of these countries.
Furthermore, candidates must be available to start their academic studies in the UK by September 2024.
The Federal Ministry of Education emphasized that candidates must, by September 2024, hold a first degree of at least Upper Second-Class (2:1) Honours standard or a lower second-class degree with a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree).
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) generally does not fund a second Master’s degree, so applicants seeking this must provide a compelling justification for their application.
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Applicants must demonstrate financial need, proving that they cannot afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
All required documentation must be submitted in the correct format, with proof of citizenship or refugee status, full academic transcripts, and references from at least two individuals to be uploaded in PDF format via the online application system by the specified deadline.
The statement also emphasizes that the CSC will not accept documentation submitted outside the online system or after the closing date.
Furthermore, references and supporting statements must be on institutional letterhead or sent from a verified email source and must address specific criteria regarding the applicant’s qualifications and potential impact.
It also noted that the CSC will evaluate applications based on academic merit, the quality of the research proposal, and the potential impact on the candidate’s home country. They seek individuals who demonstrate the capability to contribute meaningfully to international development and who possess the drive to leverage their education for the benefit of their home nations.
Interested candidates can access further details through the following links:
- For Master’s candidates: Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships.
- For PhD candidates: Commonwealth PhD Scholarships.
The application portal will be open from September 5, 2023, and will close on October 17, 2023. The Ministry has stressed that the application process is entirely free, and no fees are required. Applicants must ensure that all requirements are met to stand a chance of securing this life-changing opportunity.
Aside from Nigeria, candidates interested in applying for the Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships must be from one of the following eligible countries: Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, or Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, The Gambia, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, and Zambia are also eligible.
