Deadline: August 25, 2026
Applications are open for the Commonwealth Fellowship Programme 2026/2027. From 2026/27, the CSC has launched a new ‘Commonwealth Fellowship Programme’ featuring two strands: the current Professional Fellowships alongside a new strand of Academic Fellowships.
Commonwealth Academic and Professional Fellowships are for citizens of Commonwealth countries to spend a period of time in the UK at an organisation working on a programme of professional or academic development which will have a developmental impact upon their return home.
Benefits
Each fellowship provides:
- Approved return airfare from the Fellow’s home country to the UK.
- Reimbursement of the standard visa application fee.
- Stipend (living allowance) payable monthly (or pro rata) for the duration of the award at the rate of £2,218 per month, or £2,753 per month for those at organisations in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2025/26 levels).
- If a Fellow declares a disability, a full assessment of needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.
- Arrival allowance of up to £1,247.09 (rates quoted at 2025/26 levels), including an element for warm clothing.
- Additional fees can be agreed for costs associated with Fellows attending short courses/conferences as well as travel to visit other UK organisations where this forms an integral part of the programme. Programmes from six weeks to two months can claim up to £1,000 and programmes of two months to three months can claim up to £2,000. These costs will be paid directly to the host organisation.
Eligibility
To be eligible for these Fellowships, prospective Fellows must:
- Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person.
- Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country. Prospective Fellows should not have indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
- Professional Fellows: have at least five years’ full-time, or equivalent part-time, relevant work experience, in a profession related to the subject of the Fellowships programme, by the proposed start of the fellowship – voluntary work experience will not be counted towards this minimum.
- Academic Fellows: hold a PhD and be employed by a university in a Commonwealth country other than the UK.
- Be in employment at the time of application at an organisation that they will return to upon completion of the fellowship.
- Provide at least two references, one of which must be from their current employer. Any applications for which references are not received will be considered ineligible.
- Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Fellowship within the last five years (at the time of taking up the award).
- Be available to undertake their fellowship from the prescribed start date.
Application
Applications for Fellows open at 9:00 BST Tuesday 28 July and close at 16:00 BST Tuesday 25 August.
For more information, visit Commonwealth Fellowship.
