Commonwealth Shared Scholarships are for candidates from low- 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 2 awards under the CSSS ‘Strengthening health systems and capacity’ theme for MSc Public Health for Eye Care programme.
Please note:
The MSc Public Health for Eye Care is targeted at those who have at least 3 years clinical experience after graduating, and who are already in roles where they are either;
- in research work around blindness prevention
- or in eye health programme management or service strategic roles with governmental or non-governmental organisations delivering eye care to those in resource poor settings.
Some people come on the course to prepare them for roles such as these, but usually it is best to have some experience in these areas first. Particularly for those applying for scholarships, it is very difficult to obtain scholarship funding without having a good chance of making a direct impact with the learning from the MSc in your current employment, and those awarded Scholarships usually also have research output already published in peer-reviewed journals.”
Eligibility criteria
To be eligible to apply for these scholarships applicants must meet all the eligibility criteria below and complete both application steps by the scholarship application deadline of 16:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 8 December 2026.
- 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 2027-28 academic year (September 2027).
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 2027.
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 by Wednesday 17 March 2027.
- 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, 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
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 the deadline of 16:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 9 December 2026.
Step 1: Submit a completed application for study for 2027-28 MSc Public Health for Eye Care.
- 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 17 March 2027 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 08/12/2026 at 16:00 GMT.
AND
Step 2: Commonwealth funding – CSS online application
- Applicants must apply for the Commonwealth Shared Scholarship awards via the CSC’s online application system. For further details click here.
- Any queries regarding the CSC online application system should be directed to the CSC: Contact us
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 2026 at the latest.
- If you require assistance with your MSc Public Health for Eye Care application please contact us by email: [email protected] and [email protected]