King’s Commonwealth Fellowship 2027 (KCFP): Undergraduate Admissions open
Would you choose nursing, teaching, engineering or sustainable tourism if tuition funding and a living allowance helped you reach university in 2027? The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP) Undergraduate Fellowships are open, offering students from eligible Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS) support to study close to home.
But which university can you choose? Do you need an admission offer first? And does a health scholarship include medicine? Your first job is to match your eligible country, approved university and exact degree. This guide helps you make that match and complete the two applications before the funding window closes.
What this Article Talks ABout?
Who can apply?
You need citizenship or recognized refugee status in an eligible SIDS, an approved 2027 undergraduate start and no existing higher education qualification. Commonwealth membership alone does not establish eligibility.
The 24 eligible countries are Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.
Seven awards are reserved for applicants from Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu. Eligible applicants from these countries can also compete for the four open awards. Indigenous applicants are encouraged to apply, but indigenous identity is not compulsory.
Already started your undergraduate degree before 2027? You are not eligible. Also, meeting a university’s admission rules does not automatically mean you meet the fellowship rules.
Which university and subject can you choose?
Your country determines your available hosts, and only the published approved degrees qualify. Use this shortlist to locate your route, then check the exact degree title and entry requirements before applying.
| Host university | Approved study options | Eligible countries |
|---|---|---|
| Fiji National University | Environmental health; public health; primary education; secondary mathematics or physics education | Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu |
| National University of Samoa | Primary education; nursing; health sciences; secondary science teaching | Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu |
| Papua New Guinea University of Technology | Mechanical, electrical or civil engineering | Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands |
| University of Belize | Nursing; mathematics education | Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica |
| University of Mauritius | Civil engineering; geomatics; town and country planning | Mauritius, Seychelles |
| University of Technology, Mauritius | Occupational safety and health management; travel and tourism management | Mauritius, Seychelles |
| University of the West Indies, Cave Hill | Health sciences | Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago |
| Villa College | Nursing; primary and special educational needs teaching; mechanical, electrical and electronics, or civil engineering | Maldives |
Do not substitute medicine for health sciences. The FAQ excludes medical and medical technology degrees. It also contains a broad tourism-management exclusion, while the approved list specifically includes UTM’s Travel and Tourism Management degree. If choosing that route, confirm eligibility with ACU before submission.
English requirements belong to the university. For example, UTM’s listed programmes are taught in English and specify IELTS 7.0 or TOEFL alternatives for applicants who do not meet its standard English requirement. Check your own course rather than assuming every applicant needs the same test.
What does the funding cover?
The award covers tuition where government funding does not, basic living support and an applicable annual return flight. Tuition support runs for the standard programme duration. Stipends vary, with different support for students studying at home and those travelling to another island.
ACU states that other costs are not covered. Ask about any additional expenses before committing. Successful fellows must also remain in their home country or region for at least three years immediately after graduation; awards cannot be deferred.
What should you prepare?
Prepare identity and academic records, a CV, two written statements and two recommendation letters. Your upload checklist includes:
- Identity: A passport or national ID scan.
- Academic record: Secondary-school transcript and school-leaving qualification details. The guidance describes an available diploma or certificate upload as optional; follow the form’s required fields.
- CV or resume: Include relevant study, activities and experience; employment history is optional.
- Two statements: Each must contain 300–500 words. Explain your motivation and your intended contribution to your island nation.
- Two recommendations: Signed, dated and on headed paper. Employed applicants need an educational referee and current employer; applicants not currently employed need two educational referees.
For your statements, try this drafting exercise: name one local problem, explain which course skills would help, then show where you could use them after graduation. A specific example gives your ambition substance. University admission and language evidence remain separate requirements.
How do you apply for funding and admission?
Submit a MyACU fellowship application and a separate university admission application for the same host and degree. You do not need an admission offer when submitting the fellowship form.
- Match your route. Check the official KCFP undergraduate call against your country and proposed degree.
- Check entry requirements. Use the application guidance to confirm qualifications, language evidence and supporting materials.
- Complete the funding form. Register or sign in through MyACU’s KCFP undergraduate application. Complete the eligibility, background, programme, statement and reference sections.
- Apply to your university. Follow its admissions process and deadline, supplying its required documents and any applicable fee. Fellowship funding depends on securing admission.
- Review before submitting. Check that both applications identify the same university and programme. Submitted fellowship applications cannot be edited or supplemented.
What is the deadline, and what should you do today?
The last date to apply for the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme Undergraduate Fellowships for 2027 entry is 14 October 2026. The main undergraduate call states 15:00 UTC+1, equivalent to 14:00 UTC, while ACU’s FAQ states 15:00 UTC. Because the published times differ, submit before the earlier time and check the MyACU portal or ask ACU for confirmation. Your university’s admission deadline is separate.
Give yourself a three-move challenge today: choose your approved country–university–degree combination, request the recommendation letters most likely to take time, and draft your local-impact case. Then leave enough time to review and submit. The strongest starting point is a clear answer to this question: what will your community gain when you bring these skills home?