Master’s, PhD scholarships to study in the UK
Applications are invited from Indian students for the Commonwealth Scholarships for master’s and PhD study in the UK. These scholarships are funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), with the aim of contributing to the UK’s international development plans and wider overseas interests, supporting excellence in UK higher education, and sustaining the principles of the Commonwealth. All subject areas are eligible, although priority will be given to applicants who demonstrate the strongest relevance to development.
You should apply to study at a UK university with which the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) has a part funding agreement. To apply for these scholarships, you must be available to start your academic studies in the UK by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2017. The CSC promotes equal opportunity, gender equity, and cultural exchange. Applications are encouraged from a diverse range of candidates.
The CSC invites around three times more nominations than scholarships available – therefore, nominated candidates are not guaranteed a scholarship. There are no quotas for scholarships for any individual country. Candidates nominated by national nominating agencies are in competition with those nominated by other bodies, and the same standards will be applied to applications made through either channel.
Each nominated candidate’s application is first considered by a member of the CSC’s panel of advisers with expertise in the subject area concerned, and then by the CSC’s selection committee in competition with other candidates.
Applications are considered according to the following selection criteria: academic merit of the candidate, quality of the plan of study and potential impact of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country.
You must apply to one of the nominating bodies in the first instance. All applications must be made through your nominating body in India. Each nominating body is responsible for its own selection process. You must check with your nominating body for their specific advice and rules for applying, their own eligibility criteria, and their own closing date for applications. All applications must be submitted by November 15, 2016.
The master’s scholarships includes 12 months’ support towards completion of a fulltime taught postgraduate qualification at an eligible UK university. MBA courses are not covered under the scholarships.
Awards are tenable at any approved UK university or higher education institution with which the CSC has a part funding agreement for a specific programme of study or research. Awards are not restricted to any particular subject area and are given out for obtaining just one degree. Funding will not be extended to enable candidates to complete a qualification in addition to or higher than that for which the selection was made.
Each scholarship provides stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,043 (`91,000 approximately) per month, or £1,279 (`1.1 lakh approximately) per month for those at universities in the London metropolitan area. Visit http://cscuk.dfid. gov.uk/ for more.