Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are for candidates from least developed and lower-middle income Commonwealth countries, for full-time Master’s study on selected courses, jointly supported by UK universities.
Funded by the UK Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and LSHTM, the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship Scheme (CSS) enables talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required to support sustainable development. These scholarships are aimed at talented individuals who have the potential to make change, and who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK.
This year, Commonwealth Scholarship Commission UK (CSC) and LSHTM are offering 1 scholarship award under the CSC ‘Strengthening health systems and capacity’ theme for MSc Public Health for Development programme. LSHTM has a preference for applicants from The Gambia, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi and India.
Eligibility criteria
To apply for this scholarship applicants must meet all of the eligibility criteria below and complete both application steps by the application deadline of 16:00 (GMT) on Thursday 14 December 2023.
- Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country*, or be a British Protected Person.
- Be permanently and continually resident in an eligible Commonwealth country*.
- Be available to start their academic studies in the UK at the start of the 2024-25 academic year (September 2024).
- Hold a first degree of at least upper second class (2:1) standard, or a lower second class level (2:2) plus a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree) by September 2024.
CSC cannot accept work experience in lieu of this minimum academic qualification. Neither will CSC fund a second UK Master’s degree, unless suitable justification for this is submitted. Please do not apply unless you meet the CSC minimum requirements.
- Be sufficiently fluent in English to pursue their proposed course of study and meet LSHTM’s English language proficiency requirements.
- Not have studied for one academic year or more in a high-income country (for CSC purposes this is classified as a country which does not appear on the DAC list of ODA recipients).
- Not have worked for one year or more in a high-income country (for CSC purposes this is classified as a country which does not appear on the DAC list of ODA recipients).
- Confirm that neither they nor their families would otherwise be able to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
- Commit to return to their home country within one month of the end of the end of their award.
* Eligible countries:
Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu and Zambia
Applicants should note that preference will be given to applicants from The Gambia, Uganda, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi and India.
When assessing all eligible applications, LSHTM staff will consider potential impact alongside diversity and under-representation.
How to apply
The application process has two steps. To be considered for this funding, applicants must meet all eligibility criteria and complete both application steps outlined below by 16:00 (GMT) on Thursday 14 December 2023.
Step 1
Submit a complete application for study for 2024-25 MSc Public Health for Development.
- Please apply via our LSHTM admissions portal: Applying for an intensive Master's degree
- Under the ‘Funding’ section of the application form, applicants should indicate that they are applying for a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship award.
- In addition, please note:
- Proof of English language proficiency should be submitted as soon as possible. Applicants who have not met the English Language Requirement by 1 July 2024 may not be offered a Commonwealth Shared Scholarship.
- Full transcripts detailing ALL higher education qualifications (both Undergraduate and Postgraduate - if applicable) should be provided.
- Applicants should contact their referees as early as possible as references should be submitted by the deadline of 14/12/2023.
- Please note that all applications will only be reviewed and processed after the deadline. All applications that are submitted before the deadline will be considered equally, regardless of submission date.
- Applicants must hold an unconditional offer to study at LSHTM by 1 July 2024 if they still wish to be considered for this scholarship.
Step 2
Commonwealth Funding - CSS online application
- Applicants must apply for the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship awards via the CSC’s online application system.
- Any queries regarding the CSC online application system should be directed to the CSC.
Further application guidance
- By applying for this funding applicants agree to the LSHTM Scholarships Terms and Conditions, and CSC scholarship requirements and Terms and Conditions.
- All applicants will be advised of the outcome of their scholarship application by the end of July 2024 at the latest.
- If you have any questions regarding the application process at LSHTM, then please contact scholarships@lshtm.ac.uk in the first instance.