The Commonwealth Master’s Scholarship is a UK government-funded route to a full-time, one-year taught master’s degree. Nigeria and India are both on the eligible-country list for 2027/28. The key application detail is easy to miss: submitting the CSC form alone does not complete the process.
Deadline and funding
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) application page says the 2027/28 round is open for courses beginning in September or October 2027. Its deadline is Tuesday 20 October 2026, 16:00 BST. The award pays approved tuition fees, approved return airfare and a monthly living allowance, with a study-travel grant. CSC charges no fee to apply through its system.
Who is eligible?
You must be a citizen of, or hold refugee status in, an eligible Commonwealth country and be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country. You must be available to begin UK study in September 2027 and unable to afford it without the award. By that September, the usual academic threshold is at least a 2:1 first degree, or a 2:2 plus a relevant postgraduate qualification, usually a master’s. The CSC page also explains a contextual route for certain disabled applicants. Check your own circumstances against the full published rules.
Apply through both routes
- Use CSC Central to submit the scholarship form and supporting documents. The CSC does not accept documents sent outside its system.
- Apply to an approved national nominating agency or selected NGO/charitable body. Each nominator can set additional requirements and an earlier deadline. Check the current instructions for Nigeria or India directly with your chosen nominator.
- Research suitable one-year taught UK master’s courses and take admission steps early. The CSC recommends listing three sensible course choices in order of preference.
Documents and the application story
Prepare proof of citizenship or eligible refugee status, complete higher-education transcripts and at least two references in the prescribed PDF format. References must be uploaded by the CSC deadline. The form asks how your proposed study fits a CSC development theme, what you intend to change after returning home and how you would measure that impact. Give a specific Nigerian or Indian problem, a plausible course-to-work connection and evidence from your experience.
Do not confuse this award with Commonwealth PhD or Distance Learning scholarships: those are separate schemes with separate requirements. A nominator’s local checklist is also distinct from CSC’s general eligibility rules.
Status checked 24 September 2026. Confirm local nominator deadlines on the official sites.