The Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships are funded by the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission (CSC), dependent on the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
They are aimed at candidates from low and middle-income who would like to undertake part-time, distance learning study on eligible postgraduate programmes offered at Universities in the UK. Apply here:
When is the Application Deadline:
🗓️ 31st March 2026
Tell Me About The Award:
The Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships are funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC). The scholarships support candidates from low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries who wish to study part-time postgraduate programmes online from UK universities, specifically the University of Edinburgh in 2025.
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Which Fields are Eligible?
Eligible programmes include postgraduate degrees in the following fields:
- Health & Clinical Sciences:
- MSc in Clinical Management of Pain
- MSc in Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases
- MSc in Critical Care
- MSc in Internal Medicine
- MSc in Paediatric Emergency Medicine
- Public Health & Data Science:
- MSc in Data Science for Health & Social Care
- MSc in Epidemiology
- Master of Public Health
- Education:
- MSc in Digital Education
- Surgical Sciences:
- MSc in Surgical Sciences
Type:
🎓 Fully Funded Master’s Degree (Distance Learning)
Who can Apply?
Applicants must:
- Be a citizen of, or hold refugee status in an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person
- Be permanently resident in an eligible country
- Hold at least an upper second-class undergraduate degree (2:1) or have relevant work experience with a lower qualification
- Not be able to afford to study without the scholarship
- Provide at least one academic or professional reference
- Eventually obtain an unconditional offer to study their chosen programme
How are Applicants Selected?
Selection happens in three stages:
- CSC shortlists all applicants who meet eligibility.
- The University of Edinburgh reviews and nominates from that list.
- The CSC finalizes selections and notifies successful applicants in July 2025.
Applicants with unconditional offers are prioritized for nomination.
Which Countries Are Eligible?
🌍 Citizens of eligible Commonwealth countries. Full list available on the Commonwealth Scholarships website.
Where will the Award be Taken?
📍 Online, through the University of Edinburgh, UK.
How Many Awards?
| Programme Group | Number of Scholarships |
|---|---|
| Health Sciences | 5 |
| Public Health & Data | 10 |
| Digital Education | 5 |
| Surgical Sciences | 10 |
What is the Benefit of the Award?
✅ Full tuition fee coverage
✅ Flexible, part-time online study
✅ Up to five years of supported learning
✅ Earn a prestigious UK Master’s degree from home
How Long Will the Award Last?
⏳ Up to 5 years of part-time study
How to Apply:
This is a three-step process:
- Step one – When the CSC deadline has passed, (31st of March) a list of all candidates who have met CSC criteria will be sent to the University of Edinburgh.
- Step two – The University of Edinburgh will nominate candidates from this selection and return shortlists to the CSC.
- Step three – The CSC selection committee will confirm the successful Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholars from the shortlists of nominated candidates and release the final results during July 2026.
The CSC will notify successful candidates at that point. Please note that unsuccessful candidates will not be notified either by the CSC or the University of Edinburgh.
