International students from eligible Commonwealth countries can now apply for the Commonwealth Distance Learning Master’s Scholarships 2026, a prestigious UK-funded opportunity designed for professionals who want to earn a UK master’s degree without leaving their home country.
Funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC), this program supports talented individuals with strong potential to drive development and innovation in their home nations through flexible online postgraduate study.
Funding Benefits
Selected scholars will receive full tuition fee coverage for approved distance-learning master’s programs at participating UK universities. For example, the Master of Public Health (Online) has dedicated scholarship awards covering 100% of overseas tuition fees. This allows scholars to gain a UK qualification remotely while continuing their careers and contributing locally.
Who Can Apply?
This scholarship is open to applicants who:
- Are citizens or refugees of eligible low- and middle-income Commonwealth countries
- Are permanently residing in a developing Commonwealth nation
- Hold at least an upper second-class bachelor’s degree (or equivalent experience in some cases)
- Demonstrate financial need and cannot afford the program without support
- Show strong academic merit, leadership potential, and commitment to home-country development
- Apply to an eligible online master’s program (such as an online MPH) alongside the scholarship application.
Application Timeline
The last date to apply for the Commonwealth Distance Learning Master’s Scholarships 2026 funded by the UK Government is 31 March 2026 at 16:00 BST. All applicants must submit their complete online application through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) portal before this deadline to be considered for the fully funded distance-learning master’s programs starting in September or October 2026.