Commonwealth Scholarship for Pakistani Students

Commonwealth scholarship is UK UK-based fully funded scholarship. It is for master's and PhD international students. Commonwealth scholarship will provide you 1452£ to 1781£ per month to meet your living expenses and also cover your whole tuition fee. Commonwealth scholarship assists students with a round-trip airfare from their home country to the UK and UK to their home country at the end of the program, and also other allowances.

Around 700 students get this amazing opportunity every year around the world. Commonwealth scholarship funded by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in the UK under the Commonwealth Scholarship and fellowship plan (CSFP). This scholarship works on the sustainable development of UK and is awarded to the potential students from developing countries with strong academic backgrounds and achievements. This shows the commitment of UK for the innovation and development of world.

Commonwealth scholarship assists Master’s and PhD students around the globe who cannot afford their studies in the UK. They aim to attract talented students to UK universities with outstanding talents and help them to be good leaders and innovators while returning to their home countries.

Commonwealth maser’s scholarship is for students of developing and low-income commonwealth countries to offer them to take part in UK best universities and make an impact. Its duration is 12 months.

Commonwealth PhD scholarship is for outstanding graduates who have ability to undertake the world class research on sustainable development and to become researchers, teachers and innovation giants in their home countries. its duration is 36 months

Scholarship Duration

• 1 year for masters
• 3 years for PhD

Start Date

• September2, 2025

Deadline

• October 25, 2025

Related:
Study in the UK for Pakistani Students 2026: A Complete Guide

Eligibility Criteria

• Hold refugee status or British protected person
• From eligible commonwealth country
• Must be permanent resident of that country
• Must be ready to study in UK by September 2026
• For masters: CGPA 2.7 minimum
• For PhD: 45% to 60% + relevant postgraduate qualification

Documents Required

• Passport or refugee status
• 3x Recommendation letters ( signed with letterhead or direct sent by university)
• Motivation letter
• Europass CV
• Transcript
• Bachelor’s degree
• English proficiency letter

Application Process

• Fill out the commonwealth scholarship online application form
• Add education and work experience
• 3 recommendations (names and emails)
• 10 publications and achievements
• A complete development impact statement
• A statement of purpose
• Every student will be nominated by their country’s nominating agency (like HEC in Pakistan)
• Pakistani applicants will apply visa HEC portal and for eligibility they will submit their Higher Education Aptitude Test (HAT) test Score.

Benefits of Commonwealth Scholarship

Tuition fee coverage:

Full tuition fee will be covered for commonwealth scholarship holders by the agreement between commonwealth scholarship commission (CSC) and UK university. Students will not pay any kind of tuition fee.

Air ticket:

Airfare will be provided by CSC from your country to Uk and after the completion of your program. CSC is not bound to pay for your dependent’s airfare.

Stipend:

A handsome amount of stipend will be given to students, every month 1452 £ will be given to the students which are living outside London and amount of 1781£ will get those students which are living in London metropolitan city .

Study travel:

CSC will provide extra allowances to the students who travel for study-related purposes inside the UK or in foreign countries. For overseas field work allowances will be provided when approved.

Clothing allowances:

In harsh weather conditions, allowances will be provided for warm clothing. so, the students can focus on their studies.

Family Allowances:

For masters students: If student is single parent, the allowance of 590£ will be provided every month and 143£ for second and third child under 16. These allowances will be rewarded if children are living at the same address in UK.

For PhD students: If student has family with him family allowances will be given to students by CSC. If  students are  living with their spouse but have no child the spouse allowance of 290 £ will be given to them for maximum 9 months. If students is living with a spouse and one child, 290 £ for spouse and 290 £ for child will be given every month, and for second and third child under 16 the amount of 143£ will  be awarded every month.  If student is living with their one child but no spouse 590£ will be given every month and  143£ for second and third child under 16 years. This number of allowances will be provided to students if they are living at the same address

Disability Allowance:

If students have any kind of disability extra allowances will be given to the student after the complete assessment of their needs.

Mistakes to Avoid

Delaying Your Application:

Apply early to give yourself enough time to prepare completely. Don’t wait until the deadline, submitting your application at the last minute can cause unnecessary stress and lead to missing important details.

Same Application for Every Scholarship:

Always tailor your application according to scholarship’s specific goals and requirements. Avoid sending the application to multiple scholarships.

Ignoring Eligibility Criteria:

Make sure to review all eligibility criteria such as age limit, IELTS score, or CGPA before applying. Ignoring these requirements will result in application rejection.

Ignoring Application Guidelines:

Carefully follow all instructions provided, including formatting and document guidelines. Any carelessness may lead to disqualification.

Ignoring Proofreading:

Proofread your entire application to eliminate grammar or spelling errors, such mistakes make your submission look unprofessional.

Forgetting Required Documents:

Ensure that all required documents such as transcripts, English proficiency certificates, and recommendation letters are attached. Missing files can make your application incomplete or invalid.

Ignoring Smaller Scholarships:

Don’t overlook smaller scholarships. They are often less competitive and can provide excellent opportunities for funding and recognition.

Highlight Achievements:

Always Highlight your achievements, awards, and milestones clearly. Showing your success helps your application unique from the rest.

After the Deadline submission:

Never submit your application after the deadline. Late submissions are automatically rejected, so apply in advance to avoid technical issues or last-minute problems.

Common Interview Questions

• Tell us about yourself
• What are your biggest accomplishments?
• Why do you deserve this scholarship?
• What are your career goals?
• Why did you choose this major?
• Why did you choose this university?
• What are your strengths and weaknesses?
• What are your plans after graduation?
• How will you manage cultural differences?

FAQs

Q1. Is it IELTS necessary for commonwealth scholarship?

Answer: It is not necessary to have IELTS or any other English proficiency certificate to apply for this scholarship. But some UK universities require IELTS or other certificates. Having English proficiency certificate is a plus point.

Q2. Can I bring my family with me to the UK?

Answer: Yes, You can bring your spouse and kids with you to the UK but living expenses are too high in UK. To assist their family, students must have financial means.

Q3. Any additional allowances available for family?

Answer: Yes, there is an allowance for student’s family, but this amount can partially meet the expenses. Students must have their own financial means to support their family.

Q4. How will I get the result ?

Answer: Students will be notified visa email according to their scholarship which they have applied for.

Q5. Work experience mandatory for commonwealth scholarship?

Answer: Work experience is not a requirement for commonwealth scholarship but if you have work experience you should mention it. This will make your application stronger.