Applications for the 2027/28 Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are open, and they close at 16:00 GMT on Tuesday 8 December 2026 — 21:30 IST. India is on the eligible-country list, the award covers tuition in full, and there is no age limit.
Before you spend three weeks on it, read the eligibility section below carefully. One rule in particular rules out a large number of otherwise strong Indian applicants, and it is not the one people expect.
What is actually open
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission has opened the 2027/28 round of Commonwealth Shared Scholarships. These fund approved, full-time taught Master's courses at participating UK universities, starting in September or October 2027.
Note the word approved. This is not an award you can take to any UK Master's. The CSC publishes a list of approved courses at participating universities, and your application has to name one of them.
Who can apply from India
India is listed, but nationality on its own is not eligibility. The CSC requires that you:
- are a citizen of, or have refugee status in, an eligible Commonwealth country, and are permanently resident in one;
- hold, by September 2027, a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard — or a lower second plus a relevant postgraduate qualification, usually a Master's;
- have not studied or worked for one academic year or more in a high income country;
- are unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship;
- have supplied every supporting document in the required format.
There is no age limit. The CSC says so plainly, which makes this unusual among the awards Indian students look at — though if you are employed, check your own employer's rules on study leave.
The high-income-country rule, which catches good applicants
This is the one to check first, because it is a hard bar rather than a matter of degree.
If you have studied or worked for one academic year or more in a high income country, you are not eligible. A year on exchange, a year of work abroad, a full Master's already completed overseas — any of these can end the application before it starts. You are asked to declare this at the end of the form.
There is one documented exception worth knowing: distance learning from a high-income-country university, while you were resident in your home country, is permitted. The CSC asks you to make clear on the form whether previous study at such a university was done remotely. Declare it accurately rather than hoping it is not noticed.
What the scholarship pays
- Tuition in full. Fees are covered by agreement between the CSC and the university, and the CSC states that scholars are not liable for any part of the tuition fee.
- A monthly living allowance — currently £1,712 a month, or £2,000 a month at universities in the London metropolitan area. The CSC describes these as rates quoted at current levels, and the stipend is paid and funded by the university.
- Approved return airfare between your home country and the UK. Fares for dependants are not covered.
- A thesis grant, with other grants possible under programme rules.
Treat the stipend figures as current rather than promised. They are what the Commission publishes today; confirm the rate attached to 2027/28 in your award documentation before you plan a budget around it.
How the selection actually works
This trips people up, so it is worth being precise.
Applications are made through CSC Central, the Commission's online system. The CSC states it cannot accept any application or documentation that does not come through it — so nothing emailed, posted or handed to anyone else counts.
The universities make the initial selection. Candidates are selected by the participating universities and then approved by the CSC. So your application is being read first by the institution you named.
University admission is a separate process. You still apply to the university for a place on the course in the normal way, on the university's own timetable. The scholarship application does not get you admitted, and admission does not get you the scholarship.
One practical point the deadline makes relevant: you may apply for more than one course and to more than one university — but if more than one comes through, you may accept only one Commonwealth Scholarship offer.
The CSC does not charge you to apply
The Commission states that it does not charge to apply for any of its scholarships or fellowships through its online application system.
Anyone asking you for a fee to submit a Commonwealth Scholarship application is not charging you on the Commission's behalf. Paying someone to help you write it is your own decision; paying a "application fee" for the award itself is not a thing that exists.
What this scholarship is for — and what it does not promise
The CSC describes its scheme as a UK government programme led by international development objectives, supporting people to become leaders and innovators on returning to their home countries. Your referees are asked to comment on your ability to deliver development impact afterwards, so this purpose is part of how applications are judged rather than decoration.
Read the Commission's General conditions before you accept anything, because that is where the binding obligations of the award sit. And note what is not on offer: this is funding for a Master's, not a route to remaining in the UK afterwards. Any post-study work application would be a separate matter under the immigration rules of the day.
What to do in the next three weeks
- Check the high-income-country rule against your own history first. It is the fastest way to find out whether the rest is worth doing.
- Confirm your degree meets the 2:1 standard, or the lower second plus postgraduate route.
- Find a course on the CSC's approved list at a participating university — start here, not with a university you already like.
- Begin the university admission application on its own timetable.
- Prepare your answers outside CSC Central and paste them in. The Commission warns the system is very busy in the days before the deadline.
- Line up three referees who can speak to both your capacity to benefit and your development impact afterwards.
- Submit well before 16:00 GMT on 8 December 2026.
Questions we get asked
Is India eligible for Commonwealth Shared Scholarships?
Yes, India is on the CSC's eligible-country list for this scheme. You must also be permanently resident in an eligible country and meet every other condition.
When is the deadline?
16:00 GMT on Tuesday 8 December 2026, which is 21:30 IST. Study begins in September or October 2027.
Does it really cover full tuition?
Yes. The CSC states fees are covered by agreement with the university and that scholars are not liable to pay any part of the tuition fee. There is also a living allowance, approved return airfare and a thesis grant.
How much is the stipend?
Currently £1,712 a month, or £2,000 a month in the London metropolitan area, paid and funded by the university. The CSC quotes these at current levels, so confirm the rate for your award year.
I did a one-year Master's in the UK already. Can I apply?
Almost certainly not. The CSC requires that you have not studied or worked for one academic year or more in a high income country. Distance learning from a high-income-country university while living in India is the documented exception.
Is there an age limit?
No. The CSC states there is no age limit for its applications. If you are working, check your employer's own rules about study leave.
Can I apply to more than one university?
Yes — more than one course and more than one university. But you may accept only one Commonwealth Scholarship offer.
Do I pay a fee to apply?
No. The Commission states it does not charge to apply through its online system. Treat any demand for an application fee as a reason to stop and check.
Does this lead to a UK work visa afterwards?
It is not a work route. The scheme exists to support development impact on return to your home country, and any post-study work application would be separate, under the immigration rules in force at the time.
Check it yourself
All of this is from the Commission's own pages and all of it can change. Verify before you apply:
- CSC — Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, including eligibility, funding and the approved-course list
- CSC — how to apply and CSC Central
Checked against those pages on 11 November 2026. The live CSC call, the approved-course list and the General conditions take precedence over anything written here, and no scholarship, admission or visa outcome is guaranteed.
If you are comparing awards, our guides to scholarship age limits for Indian students and the scholarships you cannot actually apply for both cover how the Commonwealth schemes differ from one another — the Master's and PhD routes work through nominating agencies, which this one does not.