Commonwealth Medical Fellowships 2020 Terms and Conditions
For candidates from low and middle income countries

ABOUT COMMONWEALTH SCHOLARSHIPS
The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) is one of the largest and most prestigious international scholarship schemes in the world. Since it was established in 1959, 35,000 individuals have held a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship – 27,500 of them were funded by the UK government, through the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC).
The CSC awards around 750 scholarships and fellowships for postgraduate study and professional development to Commonwealth citizens each year.
The CSC’s Secretariat is provided by the Association of Commonwealth Universities, based in London; overseas services are provided by the British Council.
For information about the other scholarships and fellowships offered by the CSC, visit the CSC website. For information about Commonwealth Scholarships offered by other Commonwealth countries, visit The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) scholarships website.

COMMONWEALTH MEDICAL FELLOWSHIPS
Commonwealth Medical Fellowships are for mid-career academic medical staff from low and middle income countries to enhance their clinical skills. Funded by the UK Department for
International Development (DFID), Commonwealth Medical Fellowships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development.

Purpose: To provide mid-career medics with the opportunity to enhance their clinical skills, and to have catalytic effects on their workplaces.

Intended beneficiaries: Mid-career medics working in teaching hospitals affiliated to universities in low and middle income Commonwealth countries.

Commonwealth Medical Fellowships are offered under the second of the CSC’s six themes:
1. Science and technology for development
2. Strengthening health systems and capacity
The fellowship will develop the clinical skills that will improve health provision or outcomes for disadvantaged groups in low and middle income countries. It is expected that the beneficiary will disseminate the skills and knowledge gained on return home.
3. Promoting global prosperity
4. Strengthening global peace, security and governance
5. Strengthening resilience and response to crises
6. Access, inclusion and opportunity

ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for a Medical Fellowship, you must meet the following criteria:
• Be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person
• Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country
• Have an academic appointment in an eligible Commonwealth country at one of the medical schools recognised by the World Directory of Medical Schools. For more information, visit the World Directory of Medical Schools website.
• Be employed by a hospital affiliated to the Medical School where you have the academic appointment
• Be available to start your fellowship in the UK between October-December 2020
• Have qualified as a doctor before 1 October 2005
• Have qualified at a medical school recognised by the World Directory of Medical Schools.
For more information, visit the World Directory of Medical Schools website.
• Have met the English language requirements of the General Medical Council (GMC) by 31 August 2020. For more information on GMC requirements, visit the GMC website.
• Have verified your primary medical qualification independently by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) for General Medical Council (GMC)
registration by 31 August 2020. For more information, visit the GMC registration and licencing webpage.

You will be expected to participate in clinical practice during your fellowship and your award must be undertaken at a UK university hospital, therefore you will need to register with the General
Medical Council (GMC). If your proposed programme does not require this registration, your application will be considered ineligible.
The CSC aims to identify talented individuals who have the potential to make change. We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity and non-discrimination, and encourage applications
from a diverse range of candidates. For further information on the support available to candidates with a disability, see the CSC disability support statement.

ELIGIBLE COMMONWEALTH COUNTRIES
Antigua and Barbuda
Bangladesh
Belize
Botswana
Cameroon
Dominica
eSwatini
Fiji
The Gambia
Ghana
Grenada
Guyana
India
Jamaica
Kenya
Kiribati
Lesotho
Malawi
Malaysia
Maldives
Mauritius
Montserrat
Mozambique
Namibia
Nauru
Nigeria
Pakistan
Papua New Guinea
Rwanda
St Helena
St Lucia
St Vincent and the Grenadines
Samoa
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
South Africa
Sri Lanka
Tanzania
Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Zambia

HOW TO APPLY
You must make your application directly to the CSC using the CSC’s online application system.
The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the online application system. Information on how to access the online application system is available via the CSC
website.
You are advised to complete and submit your application as soon as possible, as the online application system will be very busy in the days leading up to the application deadline.
All applications must be submitted by 16:00 (GMT) on 23 March 2020 at the latest.
Your application must include the following supporting documentation by 16:00 (BST) on 14 April 2020 in order for your application to be eligible for consideration:
• Proof of citizenship or refugee status: copy of your valid passport (or national ID card) showing your photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship or refugee status –
uploaded to the online application system
• Full university transcripts and certificates detailing the dates of qualification and final grade your primary medical degree - uploaded to the online application system
• Academic reference from the Head of your Teaching Hospital Department outlining how the skills gained are required by your Hospital Department. All references are to be submitted directly by the referees to the online application system (referees will be sent an email request)
• An Endorsement by the Dean of the Medical School at which you have the academic appointment confirming your academic appointment). Please note that the Dean should not be the individual whom you name as the academic referee - submitted directly by the Dean to the online application system (the Dean will be sent an email request).
• Supporting statement from your first choice proposed supervisor in the UK from your chosen university hospital named in your application form - submitted directly by your proposed supervisor to the online application system (supervisors will be sent an email request).

It is your responsibility to ensure that your referees, dean and first choice supervisor are able to complete the references and supporting statements by the deadline and that they receive their requests. You are requested to name an additional two potential supervisors; these additional supervisors will not be requested to complete a supporting statement. If we are unable to place you at your first choice institution for reasons out of your control, we will look to place you at one of these institutions only.

The CSC will not accept supporting documentation submitted outside the online application system.

Supporting documentation uploaded to the online application system must be uploaded as files which are no more than 5 MB in size and must be in one of the following formats: PDF, .doc,
.docx, .odt, .jpg, .jpeg. Files submitted in any other format (including Zip files and PDF Portfolios) will NOT be accepted.

Only one application per applicant for these fellowships will be accepted. Only the application with the latest submission date, including submission of references and supporting statements will be
accepted. Any modifications to an application will count as a later submission date.

You are not required to apply via a nominating body for these fellowships.

SELECTION PROCESS
Once received by the CSC, each candidate’s application will be considered firstly by the CSC’s Medical Awards Administrator, and then by the CSC selection committee in competition with other
candidates. Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:
• Academic merit of the candidate
• Quality of the proposal (minimum 200 words)
• Potential impact of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country
For further details, see the Commonwealth Medical Fellowships 2020 selection criteria.

PLACEMENT
Awards are tenable for a 4-6 month period at any UK university hospital. You are expected to spend your full duration of your award in the UK. Medical Fellowships are intended to provide access to specific skills/expertise that is not easily obtained in your home country. Applications clearly demonstrating this will be looked upon favourably.
In your application, you are expected to obtain agreement from one Supervisor (Medical Consultant) from a UK university hospital that you think is the most appropriate to host your fellowship. Candidates selecting institutions outside London will get priority over candidates selecting institutions in London. This is because you are likely to gain more hands-on experience in institutions outside London. The CSC will make the final decision on institution of study, and reserves the right to overrule any preferences indicated by the candidate.

You may wish to include the following paragraph in your communication with your potential supervisor:
“Commonwealth Medical Fellowships are offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom for citizens of low and middle income Commonwealth countries. Awards are tenable at any UK institution for between 4 and 6 months. The primary aims of the Fellowships are for the award-holder to learn a new clinical skill, to practise the new clinical skill, and to network with others in the same and related specialties. The secondary aims are for the award holder to participate in the academic activities of the host organisation, and to conduct small-scale research projects. Awards are not available for study towards a higher degree or for Observerships. If you agree, in principle, to supervise my Fellowship, you will receive an email. This email enables you to view my application and enter a supporting statement."

More information about Commonwealth Medical Fellowships can be found on the CSC website.

VALUE
Each fellowship provides:
• Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependents, nor usually the cost of journeys made before your award is finally confirmed)
• Research support grant, payable to your host university hospital
• Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,696 per month, or £2,104 per month for those at university hospitals in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2019-2020 levels)
• Reimbursement of the fee for a single English language test and the fee for General Medical Council (GMC) registration
• Warm clothing allowance
• Study travel grant towards the costs of approved travel within the UK
• If you are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £476 per month for the first child, and £117 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if you are accompanied by your children and they are living with you at the same address in the UK
• If you declare a disability, a full assessment of your needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered
The CSC’s family allowances are intended to be only a contribution towards the cost of maintaining your family in the UK. The true costs are likely to be considerably higher, and you must be able to supplement these allowances in order to support any family members who come to the UK with you.

For more information, see the Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows.
Please note that the conditions outlined in the Handbook are subject to change.

GENERAL CONDITIONS
A Commonwealth Medical Fellowship may not be held concurrently with any other award. In order for the CSC to administer your application effectively and efficiently after you have submitted, it will be necessary to create a record in your name. If you are nominated for an award to the CSC, your details will be kept on file. Basic anonymised demographic data for all applicants will be kept for analytical research.
The CSC is committed to protecting your personal information and to being transparent about the information we are collecting about you and what we do with it. To find out more, see our
privacy notice.
• If your application is successful, the CSC will notify you that you have been provisionally selected (selected for an award subject to the CSC agreeing your terms of admission to the university hospital, as well as meeting all requirements to qualify for GMC registration).
• When terms of admission to the university hospital have been agreed, the CSC will send you a Notification of Award (formal offer of a fellowship).
• When all conditions of the Notification of Award have been met, the CSC will send you a formal Confirmation of Award.
• You will be required to submit a health and disability form before your Confirmation of Award can be issued.
• You will be required to sign an undertaking to return to your home country, with the intention of resuming the university appointment referenced in your application, as soon as possible after the end of your award.
• You are expected to start your award on the date stated in your Notification of Award.
• If you require a Tier 5 (Temporary Worker – Government Authorised Exchange) visa to come to the UK for your fellowship, you must meet all relevant immigration regulations set by UK Visas and Immigration. You should check GOV.UK for updated information.
• All UK immigration regulations are set by UK Visas and Immigration and are subject to change. The CSC has no control over these regulations.
• You are expected to reside in the UK throughout your award, and to seek approval from the CSC in advance for any overseas travel.
• You may participate in on-call rotas and receive payment for doing so during your award.
Any such arrangement must be agreed between you and your host university hospital, without the involvement of the CSC.
• Your award may be terminated at any time for reasons of unsatisfactory conduct or attendance.
• In line with the UK Bribery Act 2010, any applicant convicted of bribery will be banned from reapplying for a Commonwealth Scholarship or Fellowship for a period of up to five years.

Applicants are expected to adhere to the CSC’s Code of Conduct for award holders which states:
As a Commonwealth Scholar or Fellow, you are an ambassador for both the CSC and your home country, and your actions and remarks will have an impact on the reputation of both.
You are therefore expected to adhere to high standards of conduct and behaviour and to show respect to others and your surroundings at all times.
The CSC aims to enable a free exchange of ideas during all its activities in order to achieve the maximum potential impact for all participants. Recognising the diversity of backgrounds
among our award holders – in terms of race, religion, gender, sexuality and cultural values – you are reminded to always be respectful to others.
The CSC is committed to proactively safeguarding and promoting the welfare of Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows, and to protecting all those with whom the CSC comes into contact. The CSC requires Commissioners, Secretariat staff, and Scholars and Fellows to fulfil their role and responsibilities in a manner consistent with requirements for safeguarding.
See the CSC safeguarding policy for more information.
Any complaints received will be taken very seriously and any behaviour that does not adhere to the above values and expectations will be addressed by the CSC.
The CSC is committed to administering and managing its scholarships and fellowships in a fair and transparent manner. For more information, see the CSC anti-fraud policy and
procedure and the DFID guidance on reporting fraud. All terms and conditions of award are subject to UK local law and practices, and are subject to change by the CSC.
For more information, see the current Handbook for Commonwealth Scholars and Fellows.

Please note that the conditions outlined in the Handbook are subject to change.

Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK
Woburn House
20-24 Tavistock Square
London WC1H 9HF
United Kingdom
www.dfid.gov.uk/cscuk