University of Leeds
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4 days ago
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships for Least Developed Countries and Vulnerable States University of Leeds in United Kingdom
Degree Level
PhD
Field of study
Education
Funding
Full academic fees, maintenance stipend, return airfare, and other allowances. Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.
Deadline
Oct 20, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
University
University of Leeds

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About this position
Commonwealth PhD Scholarships for Least Developed Countries and Vulnerable States at the University of Leeds support high-quality graduates from eligible Commonwealth countries to pursue doctoral research with developmental impact.
This is a fully funded PhD scholarship covering full academic fees, maintenance, return airfare, and other allowances. It is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.
Eligible applicants must be from one of the listed countries: Bangladesh, Gambia, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Nigeria, Pakistan, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Tuvalu, Uganda, or Zambia. By September 2027, applicants should normally hold a first degree at least at upper second-class (2:1) honours level, or a lower second-class degree plus a relevant postgraduate qualification, usually a master's degree. The university also requires applicants to meet its academic entry requirements for the chosen research programme.
English language requirements are stated as IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component, or equivalent, though some schools and faculties may require higher scores. Disabled applicants who do not meet the 2:1 threshold may still be considered through a contextualised nomination route if they can demonstrate strong potential to contribute to international development.
The scholarship is aligned with six CSC Development themes: science and technology for development; improving population health, health systems and capacity; promoting innovation and entrepreneurship; strengthening peace, security and governance; strengthening resilience and response to crises; and access, inclusion and opportunity.
How to apply: first apply for a research place of study using the university study application form. Once you receive your 9-digit Student Application ID, complete the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission application process on the CSC website. Applicants should apply well in advance because their home-country nominator may have an earlier internal deadline.
Deadline: Tuesday 20 October 2026 at 16:00 BST.
Funding details
Full academic fees, maintenance stipend, return airfare, and other allowances. Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission.
What's required
Applicants must be from one of the listed eligible least developed countries or vulnerable states and hold by September 2027 a first degree of at least upper second-class (2:1) honours standard, or a lower second-class degree plus a relevant postgraduate qualification, usually a master's degree. Applicants must also meet the University of Leeds academic entry requirements for the chosen programme. Disabled applicants who do not hold a 2:1 may be considered through the Commonwealth Disabled People’s Forum nominator if they can demonstrate potential to contribute to international development. English language requirement is IELTS 6.0 overall with at least 5.5 in each component or equivalent, with some schools/faculties requiring higher.
How to apply
First apply for a research place of study using the university study application form. After receiving your 9-digit Student Application ID, complete the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission application process through the CSC website. Apply well in advance because home-country nominator deadlines may be earlier.
More information can be found here
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