We appreciate that the current time is one of great uncertainty and that you may have additional concerns about coming to the UK to take up your fellowship. The situation about Covid-19 in the UK is changing quickly and we are unable to predict what the situation will be in the UK at the time your award is due to start. The guidance below reflects the situation at the time it was written. For up-to-date advice on Covid-19 in the UK please also check the GOV.UK website. You are asked to bear in mind that it is an evolving situation for the Commission as it is for Host organisations and fellows and we may find it necessary to change some of our policies or procedures as situations develop and change. We will inform Host organisations and Fellows straight away if this should be the case.
Please read the information below in conjunction with the ‘Important Guidance for Host Organisation and Fellows’ document which contains general information on processes and procedures for Commonwealth Professional Fellowships.
I have been provisionally selected and due to start my award in March 2021, can I still take up my award?
What do Host organisations need to do if we are planning to receive Fellows in March 2021?
What does it mean if a Fellow is issued a Confirmation of Award?
Will I need to self-isolate when I enter the UK and will I need a certificate to confirm that I do not have Covid-19?
What do I do if I am unable to take up my award?
Can I defer my award if I am unable to take it up in March 2021?
I have been provisionally selected and due to start my award in March 2021, can I still take up my award?
It is not possible for us to predict exactly what the situation will be in the UK at the time your award is due to start. Due to the current national lock-down and restrictions in place throughout the UK, international travel is currently restricted and the advice we have received from the Department of Education states that international students should delay their arrival to the UK for the time being in most cases. For this reason, the CSC is only approving or booking travel to the UK for Scholars or Fellows to start their programmes in limited cases where this is in accordance with government advice. We are aware that this advice may change by the time that Professional Fellows are due to start their programme.
If lockdown and travel restrictions ease by March 2021 and Host organisations are able to receive Fellows in the UK it may be possible for the award to go ahead, however this will also be dependent on the situation in a Fellow’s home country. If UK Government advice at the time the award is due to start is that international travel is still restricted, it may not be possible for the awards to go ahead. We will continue to monitor the situation and get in touch to keep you updated on CSC policies.
What do Host organisations need to do if we are planning to receive Fellows in March 2021?
Host organisations should make sure they have provided all the documentation required at the Provisional Selection stage (please refer to the document ‘Important Guidance for Host Organisations and Fellows’ for details). Once all the required documentation is received, the CSC will proceed to issue a Notification of Award to selected fellows. It is important to note that proceeding at this stage does not mean there are any guarantees the award can go ahead as this will be subject to Covid rules and guidance in place at the time the award is due to start. Due to the uncertainty caused by Covid, there could be changes which might affect the CSC’s ability to offer the award. However, it is necessary to proceed to the Notification of Award stage in order to allow for enough time to issue a Confirmation of Award and for fellows to navigate the visa processes in time for a March start if an award is planned to go ahead.
Host organisations should consider carefully how they will manage any period of self-isolation that Fellows may need to undertake on arrival to the UK. The commission will not be able to extend the period of the Fellowship so consideration should be given to how much of the first ten days of the Fellowship can be delivered virtually if Fellows should be required to self-isolate at that point and how the programme can be adapted if it is not possible to complete elements of the programme due to ongoing restrictions.
Host organisations must ensure they keep in touch with the CSC and let us know immediately if circumstances change which means they are unable to continue with the programme for any reason.
What does it mean if a Fellow is issued a Confirmation of Award?
This means that at this stage the CSC and your Host organisation are still preparing to receive you in the UK. You should be aware that the situation could change in the UK or in your home country in a way that means you are not able to take up your award as planned, this will be beyond the control of the CSC and your host organisation and in these circumstances the CSC may not be able to cover any costs incurred if you are unable to take up your award. Fellows should not take any action which, were the award not able to go ahead, would have negative personal or financial consequences.
The CSC will notify you if we are unable to continue with your award after your Confirmation of Award has been issued.
Will I need to self-isolate when I enter the UK and will I need a certificate to confirm that I do not have Covid-19?
Passengers entering or transiting through the United Kingdom must currently have a medical certificate with a negative Coronavirus (Covid-19) Antigen, Lamp or PCR test result. The test must have been taken at most 3 days before departure of the last direct flight to the UK. The certificate must be in English, French or Spanish. This does not apply to passengers younger than 11 years. If you do not have this, you will be subject to an immediate fine on arrival to England. Please make sure that you are up to date with this current guidance as the CSC will not be able to meet the costs of fines if Scholars do not comply with the regulations.
There is a test to release scheme in place for students who choose to take an accredited Covid-19 test in order to reduce the number of days of self-isolation. Please note that the CSC will reimburse the cost of a Covid-19 test taken before travel to the UK only where the Commission has booked the flight and is in receipt of a claim form accompanied by receipts. However, the Commission is not able to meet the cost of Covid-19 release tests taken for this purpose and you should speak to your Host organisation for further information on the scheme.
Passengers entering or transiting through the UK must also complete a ‘Public Health Passenger Locator Form’. This will generate a QR code. The form can be obtained on the UK government website and must be presented at the time of check-in and to immigration officials upon arrival.
Banned ‘red list’ countries
Please note that you currently cannot enter the UK if you have been in or transited the following countries in the last 10 days: Angola, Argentina, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Burundi, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Congo (Dem. Rep.), Ecuador, Eswatini, French Guiana, Guyana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores), Rwanda, Seychelles, South Africa, Suriname, Tanzania, United Arab Emirates, Uruguay, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe.
Self-isolation
Passengers arriving into England and Wales from a country not on the banned list are subject to self-isolation for 10 days in the place they’re staying, They must also get two Covid-19 tests after they arrive which will need to be booked before travel at a cost of £210 for the two. For more information about this, please see the latest government guidance. The Commission will advise if we are able to meet this cost so please keep all receipts.
As the situation is changing quickly, you are advised to check UK government advice which will be kept up to date and will give details of all UK regulations relating to Covid-19.
What do I do if I am unable to take up my award?
Please inform your Host organisation and CSC Programme Officer straight away if you do not feel able to proceed with the Fellowship or if you are unable to meet any of the requirements associated with taking up your award, such as being able to submit a visa application for reasons related to Covid-19.
Can I defer my award if I am unable to take it up in March 2021?
All awards will be expected to have commenced by the middle of March 2021 if they are to go ahead. It is not possible to defer an award as we do not currently anticipate offering the Professional Fellowships programme in 2021. In the context of broader constraints on the UK’s development assistance budget, the CSC has decided that it will focus on its core Scholarships programmes in 2021. This will be kept under review; the decision to not offer Professional Fellowships in 2021 is based on the unique impact of Covid-19 and does not reflect a permanent decision by the Commission on its commitment to its Programmes.
