Commonwealth scholarship 2020 - application portal, deadline, form, requirements
Are you a Nigerian citizen who is looking for a scholarship opportunity to further your education? Well, the Commonwealth scholarship 2020 platform is currently open. Here is your chance to make your dreams come true. The 2020 Commonwealth scholarship Nigeria opportunities are for Master’s students who wish to study in an institution that is based in the United Kingdom.
Source: Twitter
The 2020 Commonwealth scholarship opportunities target candidates who come from middle and low-income Commonwealth nations. They should be motivated and talented people who are willing to gain skills and knowledge that promote the sustainable development of the world. Successful candidates will undertake full-time Master’s programmes at a university that is based in the United Kingdom.
Commonwealth scholarship background
Similar to the Commonwealth scholarship 2019, the UK Department for International Development (DFID) will fund the 2020 Commonwealth scholarship programmes. The available slots are for Master’s students. The opportunities are available in six themes which are;
- Strengthening the available health systems and capacity
- Promoting the prosperity of the globe
- Inclusion, access, and opportunity
- Science and technology for the development of the world
- Enhancing resilience and reactions to crises
- Improving global security, peace, and governance
NB: Kindly note that the 2020 Commonwealth shared scholarship for universities in the United Kingdom are already closed.
Source: Twitter
Who can apply for Commonwealth scholarship?
To be an eligible candidate, you must meet the following criteria;
- Be a citizen or be a recognised refugee in a Commonwealth country that is eligible, such as Nigeria.
- Be a permanent resident of an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Be willing and available to start your Master’s programme in the United Kingdom by the time the academic year begins in September or October 2020.
- Be a holder of a first degree with upper second class (2:1) honours standard, or a second class degree (2:2) and a relevant postgraduate qualification (usually a Master’s degree) by September 2020.
- Not be able to fund yourself to study in the United Kingdom without the scholarship.
- Have all the required documents in the stated format.
NB: The opportunity is NOT typically available for persons who wish to undertake their second Master’s degree in the United Kingdom. If it is your second, you must justify why the opportunity is necessary.
The Commonwealth scholarship application is open for everyone who meets the above requirements. Every applicant has an equal opportunity and no discrimination is permitted. There is support for applicants with disabilities as guided by the Commonwealth’s scholarships disability support statement. The selection of successful applicants will be done fairly and in a transparent manner.
Source: Twitter
Which universities can you apply to?
When making an application, each candidate must apply to a United Kingdom-based university which has an agreement with the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) for part-funding. These institutions are;
- Aston University
- Aberystwyth University
- Bangor University
- Bath Spa University
- Bishop Grosseteste University
- Birmingham City University
- Birkbeck, University of London
- Brunel University London
- City, University of London
- Cardiff University
- Cranfield University
- Coventry University
- Durham University
- De Montfort University
- Goldsmiths, University of London
- Glasgow Caledonian University
- Heriot-Watt University
- Harper Adams University
- Imperial College London
- King’s College London
- Kingston University
- Keele University
- Leeds Beckett University
- Liverpool John Moores University
- Lancaster University
- Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
- Liverpool Hope University
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Loughborough University
- London School of Economics and Political Science
- London South Bank University
- Manchester Metropolitan University
- Northumbria University
- Newcastle University
- Nottingham Trent University
- Oxford Brookes University
- Open University
- Plymouth University
- Queen’s University Belfast
- Queen Mary, University of London
- Royal Agricultural University
- Robert Gordon University
- Royal Veterinary College
- Royal Holloway, University of London
- SOAS, University of London
- Sheffield Hallam University
- Swansea University
- St George’s, University of London
- Teesside University
- University College London
- Ulster University
Source: UGC
Others are the University of;
- Bath
- Aberdeen
- Bradford
- Birmingham
- Cambridge
- Bristol
- Chester
- Central Lancashire
- East Anglia
- Dundee
- Essex
- Edinburgh
- East London
- Glasgow
- Hertfordshire
- Hull
- Exeter
- Greenwich
- Huddersfield
- Kent
- Leicester
- Leeds
- Liverpool
- Lincoln
- Northampton
- Manchester
- Oxford
- Nottingham
- Reading
- Portsmouth
- St Andrews
- Roehampton
- Sheffield
- Salford
- Stirling
- Southampton
- Surrey
- Strathclyde
- West of England
- Sussex
- Westminster
- Wolverhampton
- York
- Warwick
- Worcester
Source: UGC
Commonwealth scholarship application portal
All interested applicants should NOT apply to the CSC directly. Instead, they should apply via the approved national agencies for nominations or the chosen non-governmental institutions. The contact and address of the nominating body in Nigeria are;
Director
Federal Scholarship Board
Plot 245 Samuel Ademulegun Street
Opposite Arewa Suite
Central Business District
Abuja
Nigeria
Telephone number: +234 805 910 8898 / +234 818 886 2281
Email address: fsb@education.gov.ng
Website: www.education.gov.ng
The NGOs and charitable bodies that Nigerians can apply through are;
- Forum for African Women Educationalists (FAWE)
- HALI Access Network
To make the application, every applicant should use the CSC online application portal. Applications that are not made using this system will not be considered.
Commonwealth scholarship application deadline
The deadline is on 30th October 2019 at 16:00 (GMT). Applications must include the supporting documentation by 16:00 (GMT) on 20th November 2019.
You should have the following documents when making the application;
- Evidence of refugee status or citizenship
- All academic transcripts showing all your higher education qualifications
- At least two references (The given referees will receive an email request.)
NB: Before making the final submission, all applicants can view the Commonwealth scholarship application form to familiarise themselves with the required details. If an interested party has a query, they should direct it to the above-stated nominating body in Nigeria. The body will submit its nominations to the commission by the 18th of December 2019.
Considerations for nomination
The Nigerian nominating body will consider the applications based on the following criteria;
- The candidate’s academic merit
- The quality of the plan of study
- The potential effect of the opportunity on the development of Nigeria (home country)
NOTE: Depending on the body, there may be some added selection requirements.
The 2020 Commonwealth scholarship opportunities are currently open for Nigeria and other eligible nations. This is the perfect opportunity for graduates who wish to pursue their Master’s degree in various fields. The applications will close on the 30th of October 2019. If you are interested, now is the time to apply. All the best in your application process.
Source: Legit.ng
