Time Limited Programme 2026 and 2027: Master’s Scholarships for Small Island Developing States
During the 2024 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa, the UK Government announced that the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission would provide 40 ringfenced Master’s Scholarships over two years to applicants from Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The CSC welcomes a small number of students from SIDS each year. This Time Limited Programme (TLP) provides the opportunity to work with our partners in SIDS to grow this number over two years and beyond. During the two years of this programme, Scholars will be offered a programme of activities and events to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing all small island states. The programme will offer unique networking initiatives alongside fellow scholars from the Chevening Scholarship scheme facilitated through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO).
The Master’s Scholarships will be offered to Scholars whose selected courses support one of the four CHOGM 2024 aims. These aim to build and strengthen:
- Resilient democratic institutions upholding human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.
- A resilient environment to combat climate change.
- Resilient economies that support recovery and prosperity.
- Resilient societies to empower individuals for a peaceful and productive life.
Applications for 2026/27
Please be aware that applications for the 2026/27 academic year have now closed. We received 47% more applications for the 2026/27 Master’s and PhD programmes compared to the 2025/26 academic year.
What happens next?
Once the application window closes, our nominating agencies conduct checks and submit their scholarship nominations to the CSC. After this, CSC reviews the nominated applications for selection in the normal way. You can find out more about the selection process and what this involves on our website.
Nominated candidates can expect to hear the outcome of their application by June 2026. If you are unsuccessful, please consider re-applying with a strengthened application next year.
