Handbook

For Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows
in the United Kingdom

Scholarship regulations

You must observe the regulations of your university/host organisation as well as the regulations stipulated by the CSC below. Please be aware that the CSC supports full-time study only.

Residence

You are expected to reside in the UK for your entire scholarship tenure.

The only exceptions to this rule are if:

  • You are undertaking approved travel overseas.
  • You are undertaking approved fieldwork, or a mid-term visit overseas.

To find out more, please refer to information about ‘Overseas travel’ and ‘Fieldwork’.

Employment

You cannot serve on the staff of the official representative of your country in the UK, the ACU, or the British Council and you must not take up any employment that is not permitted by your visa.

You are expected to study full time for your entire scholarship tenure and to follow any regulations regarding work set by your university and permitted by your visa.

If you do undertake paid work, this must not cause any delay to your studies and would not be accepted as a justification for any Exceptional Extension request applicable to PhD Scholars. Scholars should be mindful of the impact that balancing work and full time study has on their wellbeing and should not take on employment beyond their personal capacity.

Progress reports

You will need to report on your scholarship progress throughout the academic year.

Master’s Scholars: If you are a Master’s Scholar, you must submit a report on your work to the CSC at the end of your first term, and at the end of your scholarship. Your Programme Officer will let you know when you need to submit the report and you will be sent a link to an online survey to complete the report.

Your supervisor will also need to report on your progress at the end of your scholarship. Your supervisor will be sent an online survey to complete the report.

PhD and Split-Site Scholars: If you are a PhD or Split-Site Scholar, you must submit a report on your work to the CSC at the end of your first term, at the end of each academic year, and at the end of your scholarship. Your supervisor will also need to report on your progress at each of these points in the academic cycle. Your supervisor will be sent an online survey to complete the report.

Your Programme Officer will let you know when you need to submit the report and you will be sent a link to an online survey to complete the report.

If you do not submit your progress reports within one month of the deadline, you may risk having your stipend suspended. You will not meet all terms of your scholarship nor receive a certificate until all reports are submitted.

Duration and termination of scholarship

Your scholarship will start on the date stated on your Notification of Award or on the date you arrive in the UK, whichever is later.

Your scholarship may be terminated at any time for reasons of unsatisfactory conduct, progress, or attendance, or if your registration is suspended or terminated by your university for any reason. If you have any concerns about your studies or programme, experience any delays to your studies or programme, or if you fail any component of your course, you must report this to your Programme Officer immediately. This will help your Programme Officer to advise and support you appropriately.

You must inform your Programme Officer immediately if your university registration is terminated or suspended for any period. You must also inform your Programme Officer immediately if you experience any problems with your visa or if you leave the UK unexpectedly.

Your scholarship will continue until the date stated on your Notification of Award, the date that you complete or discontinue your studies, or the date that you leave the UK, whichever is earlier.

PhD Scholars: If your scholarship is for more than one year, its continuation is conditional on positive recommendation from your supervisor each year and the submission of your progress reports.