2014-2015 Commonwealth Scholarship for Developing Countries in UK..

The Commonwealth Scholarship offered by the Commonwealth
Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom for the citizens of
developing Commonwealth countries is now open for the 2014/2015
session. The Commonwealth Scholarships 2014 are prestigious
scholarships cover full tuition fees, maintenance fund to study at a UK
university as well as a return air ticket to the scholar’s home country.

Eligibility: To apply for the awards covered in this prospectus,
candidates should:
•Be Commonwealth citizens, refugees, or British protected persons
•Be permanently resident in a Commonwealth country other than the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man
•Be available to commence their academic studies in the United Kingdom by the start of the UK academic year in September/October 2014.
•Hold, by October 2014, a first degree of upper second class Honours standard (or above); or a second class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification,which will normally be a Master’s Degree
AND
For clinical training in the fields of medicine and dentistry, have qualified as a doctor or dentist between 1 October 2004 and 30 September 2009.

How to Apply: You must apply through a nominating agency as described below:
For the following Categories of Award.
●12-36 months’ support towards completion of either a full-time taught or a doctoral post graduate qualification at an eligible UK institution. These awards are open to those candidates nominated either by the Vice Chancellor/Executive Head of their employing institution or by the appointed agency in their home country.
●12 months’ non-degree study in the United Kingdom ona Split-Site basis to aid the completion of a doctoral degree undertaken at a university in the candidate’s home country.
●6 months’ clinical training in medicine or dentistry(available only to candidates from developing countries). These awards are open to candidates nominated by their Vice Chancellor/ Executive Head or by the appointed agency in the home country citizens of Seychelles can apply for undergraduate funding through their national nominating agency.

Nominations can be made through the following channels:
•The candidate’s national Commonwealth Scholarship agency. This is the main route of application and a full list of Commonwealth Scholarship agency addresses can be accessed from the link below
•The Executive Head of an eligible developing country university on whose staff the applicant serves .
•Selected non-governmental organisations, charitable bodies and development partnerships.

Selection Criteria: Applications are considered according to the
following selection criteria:
•Academic merit of the candidate
•The quality of the proposal
•For those candidates from developing Commonwealth countries (i.e. all others), the likely impact of thework on the development of the candidate’s home country.

Value of Awards
Each Scholarship Provides:
•Student concessionary or other approved airfare tothe United Kingdom and return on expiry of the Scholarship
•Approved tuition and examination fees
•A personal maintenance allowance
•A grant towards the expenses of preparing a thesis or dissertation, where applicable
•An initial arrival allowance, incorporating an initial clothing grant for Scholars from tropical countries
•A grant for expenses for approved travel within the United Kingdom or overseas
•A grant towards fieldwork costs for those Scholars undertaking doctoral studies for whom a case has been made for fieldwork outside the United Kingdom. This shall not normally exceed one economy class return airfare to the fieldwork location
•A paid mid-term fare to their home country for Scholars on three year doctoral awards. Scholars for whom fieldwork fares are provided to their home country shall not be entitled to a mid-term fare home,
nor Scholars who have claimed (or intend to claim) spouse or child allowances for more than 12 months during their award
•For married Scholars selected by the Commission for awards exceeding 18 months, a marriage allowance of £220 per month is payable provided that the husband and wife (or civil partners) are residing together at the same address in the United Kingdom
•Similar awards may not be held concurrently.

Application Deadline:
All candidates must complete and submit their applications through the Electronic Application System on or before December 3, 2013. You can start your application early, save and complete it when you have
all the information requested.
Nominating Agencies are expected to submit their nominations in electronic format latest by December
17, 2013.
Useful Links: Click on any of the following links to read the guidelines
for the Commonwealth scholarship 2014. It is important to approach
this patiently and read instructions carefully before applying.
List of Nominating Agencies Invited to Nominate Candidates http://
cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/apply/developing-cw-countries/
List of Universities/University Bodies invited to Nominate Candidates
for Split-Site (PhD) Study http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/apply/
scholarships-developing-cw/nominators-universities-split-site/
List of Universities/University Bodies invited to Nominate their own
Academic Staff members for Master’s, PhD, and Split-Site (PhD) Study
http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/apply/scholarships-developing-cw/
nominators-universities-academic/
List of UK Universities who have Agreed Part Funding Agreement CSC
for the Commonwealth Scholarship for Citizens of Developing
Countries http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/apply/uk-universities/
Commonwealth Scholarships Prospectus 2014 http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/
wp-content/uploads/2011/03/prospectus-scholarships-2014.pdf
The Electronic Application System is here http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/
apply/eas/applicants/scholarships/
The Scholarship Website is here http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/apply/

Thanks a lot for the info. Pls, how can i send my application to Nigeria commonwealth scholarship nomination agency? Is it by writing a letter to them or what? Thanks.

read wht I posted, u ll get your answer there.....u ll hv to fill an online application form on common wealth scholarsp website..it's tht form u r going to send to d nominating agency....just read wht I postd...


those interested, come let's share ideas

I'm seriously interested
One issue I wanna raise is do we need to first secure admission into the University before applying for the scholarship?

@ OP, I want to ask; in filling the e-form, there's a column to fill your Msc thesis proposal for taught Msc. How do one go about it? Can u give your self a project topic for a taught Msc?
Additionally, can we contact past winners to know how they did theirs?
Thanks

Anyi.:
I'm seriously interested
One issue I wanna raise is do we need to first secure admission into the University before applying for the scholarship?

it's nt mandatory you must hv an admission before you apply but having an admission I believe will give you an added adv., if u win the scholarsp, commonwealth ll help secure an admission for you if you hv none

petreli12: @ OP, I want to ask; in filling the e-form, there's a column to fill your Msc thesis proposal for taught Msc. How do one go about it? Can u give your self a project topic for a taught Msc?
Additionally, can we contact past winners to know how they did theirs?
Thanks

Not thesis but your study proposal, it ws explained there...y d course? y uk? etc ..u can go through threads related to this to get more info, also naijahotjobs hs a lot of info on this scholarship. ..good luck

I checked our nominating agency, and they require NYSC completion by November 2013 I'm completing February 2014. Do you suggest me applying directly to the school?
I heard they can also nominate persons for the scholarship.

Anyi.:
I checked our nominating agency, and they require NYSC completion by November 2013 I'm completing February 2014. Do you suggest me applying directly to the school?
I heard they can also nominate persons for the scholarship.

I'm a batch A corps member too that's why I'm still skeptical abt applying but may still reconsider shaa since there's no money involved and u can still apply nxt year if this year fails.....the one offerd by schs is commonwealth shared scholarship and this is offered to specific courses, u may check out the courses on their website

vivichocs: I'm a batch A corps member too that's why I'm still skeptical abt applying but may still reconsider shaa since there's no money involved and u can still apply nxt year if this year fails.....the one offerd by schs is commonwealth shared scholarship and this is offered to specific courses, u may check out the courses on their website

I'm in Lagos ooh, would be heart breaking to reach Abuja and hear nonsense because someone doesn't have Certificate of Service...
I've checked the shared scholarship courses for 2013, saw some courses I could fit in, not sure if they've uploaded 2014s' own


Anyways have you applied for anyone?

vivichocs: it's nt mandatory you must hv an admission before you apply but having an admission I believe will give you an added adv., if u win the scholarsp, commonwealth ll help secure an admission for you if you hv none Not thesis but your study proposal, it ws explained there...y d course? y uk? etc ..u can go through threads related to this to get more info, also naijahotjobs hs a lot of info on this scholarship. ..good luck

Thanks. Pls what's the diff btw study proposal and thesis. How do u write a study proposal for a course like MSc Biotechnology, considering its wide and diff areas? Also, I hrd there will be a screening too.

[b][/b]Please I need clarifications on how to submit to FSB as Common wealth claims they will not accept any application that does not come through a nominating agency. Will FSB Nigeria get the application once completed electronically via the commonwealth website?

Anyi.:

I'm in Lagos ooh, would be heart breaking to reach Abuja and hear nonsense because someone doesn't have Certificate of Service...
I've checked the shared scholarship courses for 2013, saw some courses I could fit in, not sure if they've uploaded 2014s' own


Anyways have you applied for anyone?

I'm in Enugu, far from Abj too. I strtd being discouraged abt applying after I read on naijahotjobs where someone warned tht whoever doesnt hv nysc cert need not apply to save the persn the kind of disgrace he and some others faced during the interview in Abj..since u hv a course u could fit in, just seek for admission into the uni then apply for the scholarship. .

haven't applied for anyone but i know a past scholar

Stone123: [b][/b]Please I need clarifications on how to submit to FSB as Common wealth claims they will not accept any application that does not come through a nominating agency. Will FSB Nigeria get the application once completed electronically via the commonwealth website?

I think once u submit online, FSB ll get it....then, print like four copies wch you ll take to the interview. ...

petreli12:

Thanks. Pls what's the diff btw study proposal and thesis. How do u write a study proposal for a course like MSc Biotechnology, considering its wide and diff areas? Also, I hrd there will be a screening too.

I don't really know about thesis but all I can say is that the proposal you are going to write should contain wht prompted ur interest in the cousre, y uk? wht u intend to gain from the study abroad and a lil of how the course is going to help Nigeria. ..biotechnology is broad buh you can just focus on general biotechnology ie the general uses and all of tht unless ur msc is on a branch of biotechnology, then u can focus on that area fully....yea, there's going to be an oral interview wch according to punch newspaper 19th sept ll be held btw 25 to 29th nov..goodluck

note:I'm nt saying these are wht commonwealth wants , just telling you what I know

@all, if you can lay your hands on sun newspaper(18 sept) or punch (19 sept), then do cos they hold all the info you need abt this scholarship. .goodluck to those applying, still doubtful abt my own application

Vivi, Please eh i dont want to go for nysc, is it easy to get discharge cert with medical report? Is there any discrimination to someone with nysc discharge with medical report as in unfit to serve?

Emzybrown: Vivi, Please eh i dont want to go for nysc, is it easy to get discharge cert with medical report? Is there any discrimination to someone with nysc discharge with medical report as in unfit to serve?

u can't get nysc cert without serving buh can get Exemption letter wch I think is only given to those older than 30, disabled people and those with serious health conditions. ...I don't really know how they go abt tht shaaa

lol...Make we finish service joor
I guess we're either impatient or ambitious ..
Take your pick... I'm looking into New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarship sef. I think that one try sha. Only problem is it requires 2 years working experience and adding up my IT is 1 year experience

Anyi.:
lol...Make we finish service joor
I guess we're either impatient or ambitious ..
Take your pick... I'm looking into New Zealand Commonwealth Scholarship sef. I think that one try sha. Only problem is it requires 2 years working experience and adding up my IT is 1 year experience

I think we are ambitious and a bit impatience too ...pls what's the website for the application? ? I want to be in uk for studies nxt sept

vivichocs: I think we are ambitious and a bit impatience too ...pls what's the website for the application? ? I want to be in uk for studies nxt sept

just google New Zealand Commonwealth scholarship.
However I think their academic year starts January so you should be looking at January 2015

@OP and all,tnx for this thread. I got the interview dates you posted,I read from the commonwealth webiste that the nominating agent will have their own closing date for screening,pls can anyone help out with the date and also the docs to attach to the form and if there will be a submission of the form bfor the interview dates

mz.kae:
@OP and all,tnx for this thread. I got the interview dates you posted,I read from the commonwealth webiste that the nominating agent will have their own closing date for screening,pls can anyone help out with the date and also the docs to attach to the form and if there will be a submission of the form bfor the interview dates

according to punch, the closing date is 20th nov..hv forgotten the docs tht were mentioned but I know birth cert, degree cert, transcript and evidence of admission in any uk uni are there...goodluck

I just hope this is handled with fairness. Infact, i believe it will since the main duties of the processing are not done by the Nigerian government. The BEA Award Processing done earlier this year was crap!

Davo93: I just hope this is handled with fairness. Infact, i believe it will since the main duties of the processing are not done by the Nigerian government. The BEA Award Processing done earlier this year was crap!

I hate to burst your bubbles mehn, but me thinks it's the same Federal Scholarship Board that's handling this as well but maybe Commonwealth go still supervise am sha

Anyi.:

I hate to burst your bubbles mehn, but me thinks it's the same Federal Scholarship Board that's handling this as well but maybe Commonwealth go still supervise am sha

Really? I thought once the applicants are nominated by their organisations, the nominations go directly to the Commonwealth team... Or how does FSB come into play?

Davo93: Really? I thought once the applicants are nominated by their organisations, the nominations go directly to the Commonwealth team... Or how does FSB come into play?

FSB is the nominating agency for Nigeria...but like I said I don't know if commonwealth supervises the nomination.

Hi all, in my own side I've evrything required ready but coming to Abuja for interview will cost me more than £1200 (300,000NGN) & I've concluded not to attend. Please will it be possible for FSB to acknowledge printed forms and documents send to them via post? Please I'd be pleased if anyone who has experience could advise me accordingly.

Stone123: Hi all, in my own side I've evrything required ready but coming to Abuja for interview will cost me more than £1200 (300,000NGN) & I've concluded not to attend. Please will it be possible for FSB to acknowledge printed forms and documents send to them via post? Please I'd be pleased if anyone who has experience could advise me accordingly.

I don't think it's your documents they need cos they already hv it on their data base...u need to be there for oral interview. ..u may want to mail or call them shaa..

Stone123: Hi all, in my own side I've evrything required ready but coming to Abuja for interview will cost me more than £1200 (300,000NGN) & I've concluded not to attend. Please will it be possible for FSB to acknowledge printed forms and documents send to them via post? Please I'd be pleased if anyone who has experience could advise me accordingly.

Apparently you aren't in Nigeria. I think a criteria is that you should be currently living in your country. Vivichocs can help us clarify that

fsb wouldnot accept ur forms till the interview dates. you are to bring 4 printed copies of your form to the interview venue.

Anyi.:

Apparently you aren't in Nigeria. I think a criteria is that you should be currently living in your country. Vivichocs can help us clarify that

Anyi.:

Apparently you aren't in Nigeria. I think a criteria is that you should be currently living in your country. Vivichocs can help us clarify that

] you are right...stone, where are you living? Cos according to the criteria, you must:
•Be Commonwealth citizens, refugees, or British protected persons
•Be permanently resident in a Commonwealth country other than the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man

Please from the notice of interview date and timetable for candidates of commonwealth scholarship posted on wednesday's punch paper, among the 8 docs to bring along, i need more clarification on these:
1-Original credentials and photocopy (what are d credentials?)
2-Evidence of submission of 3 referee report..........
3-Evidence of submission of academic transcript.......??

thanks

SegunMike: Please from the notice of interview date and timetable for candidates of commonwealth scholarship posted on wednesday's punch paper, among the 8 docs to bring along, i need more clarification on these:
1-Original credentials and photocopy (what are d credentials?)
2-Evidence of submission of 3 referee report..........
3-Evidence of submission of academic transcript.......??

thanks

1. Go with all your credentials since none was mentioned. .
2.i learnt from someone that wht is needed is the page where you were told during ur application, referees submitted..or that page where you included your referees.......same applies to no 3