Overview
Commonwealth Professional Fellowships are for mid-career professionals from low and middle income countries to spend a period of time at a UK host organisation working in their sector for a programme of professional development.
Purpose: To provide professionals with the opportunity to enhance knowledge and skills in their given sector, and to have catalytic effects on their workplaces.
Intended beneficiaries: Mid-career professionals (with five years’ relevant work experience) working organisations in low and middle income Commonwealth countries.
These fellowships are offered under six development themes:
- Science and technology for development
- Strengthening health systems and capacity
- Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship
- Strengthening global peace, security and governance
- Strengthening resilience and response to crises
- Access, inclusion and opportunity
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.
Host organisation programmes
Different UK based organisations have applied to host Commonwealth Professional Fellows in 2026. Each host organisation has submitted an application to run a bespoke programme that fellows can apply for.
You can find the details of each organisation and the programme that they are running on this page. Please see a summary for each programme below and click the links for further information.
Beekeeping is an income-generating activity much practised in developing commonwealth countries in Africa. Bees are less expensive than other forms of livestock, they do not need daily care and feeding and yet the market for good quality honey and beeswax is thriving. In Ghana cashew-farmers who keep bees produce twice as many cashew nuts than famers without bees, due to the pollination the bees provide.
The Fellowship will provide exposure, new knowledge and enhanced capacity to three professionals who are dedicated to supporting this otherwise marginalised sector.
On returning to their home countries the Fellows will return to their roles as change-agents and work for organisations who serve beekeepers nationwide and in addition to delivering services directly (knowledge, information, scientific advances) they will also catalyse like-minded organisations to support the sector.
The training programme will build on the experience of hosting 16+ fellows since 2012.
Firstly, the primary aim is to provide experience and training in modern geochemistry laboratories, alongside learning systems of work (e.g. Quality Assurance, H&S, infrastructure maintenance). Further objectives may include experience in contributing or leading on scientific outputs, use or presentation of data for interpretation (e.g. statistics, QGIS – depending on interest).
The trainee will be led through a simplified Theory of Change process to evaluate their current laboratory capability and then how lessons learnt can be applied to their home situation for onward improvement and cascading of information to colleagues.
Depending on the candidate, we will provide flexibility for writing skills (papers, proposals, reports, standard operating procedures), experimental planning and grant proposals. Depending on the candidate, we will provide training in the use of R for statistics/GIS for the display and communication of data.
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council will offer a 3 month placement in its Digital Services unit, working to a detailed weekly programme.
This is Council’s third application, the previous two having been successful. Before local government reorganisation in 2015, one of its four legacy councils, Coleraine Borough Council, hosted 5 Fellowships over the previous 10 year period.
Council’s experience was that the concepts underpinning it’s functions are transferable to the developing world. However the limited resources available in the developing world require a quite different delivery of these concepts to that in the West.
The Fellows thus will be encouraged to maintain a weekly work diary; and each week to identify what concepts are applicable in their home work place. At the end of the 3 months, they will be encouraged to develop short and long term programmes for the transfer of these concepts to their home work place.
CNWL has been working in partnership with Mirembe National Mental Health Hospital in Tanzania since 2010 and we are currently helping them to establish a new community based mental health service.
Since 2020 2 new international healthcare partnerships have been established in Zimbabwe and one in The Gambia with the Gambian Ministry of Health and Tanka
Tanka Hospital. This Professional Fellowship will enable candidates from eligible Commonwealth countries (3 Tanzanian colleagues and 2 Gambian colleagues) to visit CNWL’s community and inpatient mental health, substance use and Health & Justice services, to have exposure to UK practices, and develop contacts with CNWL staff for further mentoring/liaison support. Training opportunities will be provided during the programme. The expected impact of the programme will be enhanced clinical expertise and practice and a strengthened management team to improve the quality of mental health and substance use services in their own countries.
Mental Health (MH) services in LMICs face significant challenges including limited funding, shortages of trained professionals, widespread stigma and skyrocketing demand.
Tanzania has less than 50 psychiatrists for a population exceeding 55 million. Additionally, most MH professionals are concentrated in urban areas, leaving rural communities further underserved.
Recent surveys conducted by K4C in secondary schools in Fort Portal (Uganda) found 57% of 261 adolescent students displayed symptoms indicative of major depressive disorder, 40.2% of moderate to severe anxiety and (more alarmingly) 18% had recent thoughts of selfharm/suicide, highlighting urgent need for targeted community-based interventions in rural areas.
This Fellowship will identify health and social workers with keen interests in adolescent MH to undertake comprehensive training programmes in partnership with experts from ‘Arts for the Blues’, LSTM, Salford University and Bury CE Highschool. K4C will facilitate Fellows to implement pilot interventions aimed at improving adolescent MH upon returning to Uganda/Tanzania.
Against a backdrop of sustained engagement with African stakeholders, we have been funded through the British Council, British Academy and the FCDO to conduct action research around the development of capacity-building training programmes to ‘stimulate sustainable entrepreneurial thinking in scientists’ (SSETS) in Africa. We have worked with multiple African partners in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, Uganda and Zambia to undertake the co-design and piloting activities and developed an online toolkit to empower institutions to develop their own entrepreneurial capacity as well as design their own programmes that create impactful collaborative solutions to place-based global challenges using eco-innovative thinking.
At Lancaster, we launched our Centre for Global Eco-innovation in 2012 and since then it has grown into a multi award-winning centre that has delivered challenge-led/solution-driven R&D with a wide range of regional SMEs. We would like to use this framework to engage institutions to think more entrepreneurially about opportunities to develop hubs for eco-innovative partnerships that support greater partnerships between the academic and private sectors.
These Fellowships will support up to 5 Professional Fellows to champion place-based eco-innovation thinking, create a roadmap to launch their own Centre for Global Eco-innovation and encourage a catalytic effect on uptake and outcomes from connected entrepreneurial ecosystems.
The Fellowship aims to empower professionals from Commonwealth countries with knowledge and tools that promote safety, informed migration, entrepreneurship, and climate resilience in their communities.
Lifegate Outreach Center’s focus for 2026 includes addressing contributory factors of community vulnerability that correlate with community building and resilience systems, leading to internal migration and mass emigration of the productive population. This migration is driven by limited opportunities to thrive and prosper, exacerbating the effects of climate change and weakening community cohesion. The fellowship aims to enhance migration literacy, counter fraud, and support youth employment through entrepreneurship and UK-Africa trade links.
Fellows will engage with UK institutions like the Home Office and British Council to gain insights into legal migration and scalable community interventions in the West Midlands. Upon return, Fellows will lead awareness campaigns, support and incubate local businesses, and policy dialogues, reducing migration-related vulnerabilities and promoting communities.
Tackle uses the popularity of football to address HIV and sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) among young Africans.
Tackle and CSC Collaboration: The CSC partners with Tackle to provide professional development opportunities for individuals involved in the program, enhancing their skills and ability to deliver their vital work and better manage their programmes.
This collaboration helps Tackle Africa expand its reach and impact, while providing valuable professional development opportunities for individuals involved.
How to apply
Applications for the 2026 Professional Fellowship are now closed.
Host organisation programmes
Details for each host organisation running a programme for the 2026 Professional Fellowships programme are listed on the ‘host organisation programmes’ tab.
Advice for applicants
Applicants can find general information about applying for a Commonwealth Scholarship on our advice for applicants page.
Fellow eligibility
To be eligible for these Fellowships, prospective Fellows must:
- 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 at least five years’ full-time, or equivalent part-time, relevant work experience, in a profession related to the subject of the fellowship programme, by the proposed start of the fellowship – voluntary work experience will not be counted towards this minimum
- Be in employment at the time of application at an organisation that they will return to upon completion of the fellowship
- Provide at least two references, one of which must be from their current employer. Any applications for which references are not received will be considered ineligible.
- Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship within the last five years (at the time of taking up the award)
- Not be seeking to undertake an academic programme of research or study. Academics are eligible to apply for the scheme, but only to undertake programmes of academic management, not research or courses relevant to their research subject
- Be available to undertake their fellowship from the prescribed start date
In addition to the above, prospective fellows must ensure they meet any eligibility criteria set out by each individual host organisation.
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 fellows with a disability, see the CSC disability support statement.
Please note: Your personal information will be used to conduct necessary due diligence checks to CSC’s satisfaction, before CSC proceeds with any type of formal agreement or contractual relationship. In most cases, the due diligence checks will be straightforward, however further information may be requested, so we ask for your full co-operation to speed up the process.
If you do not agree to your personal data being used for the purpose of conducting due diligence, unfortunately CSC will not be able to proceed further with the application process.
Eligible countries
Bangladesh
Belize
Botswana
Cameroon
Dominica
Eswatini
Fiji
Gabon
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
Togo
Tonga
Tuvalu
Uganda
Vanuatu
Zambia
Completing the application form
Applications for the 2026 Professional Fellowship are now open.
To apply for a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship you must complete the application form by clicking on the link below:
Professional Fellowship Application Form
The form will close at 4pm BST Friday 22 August.
In the application form, prospective Fellows are asked to:
- List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications obtained (where applicable)
- List up to 10 publications and prizes (if applicable)
- Provide details of your employment history and explain how each job is relevant to the programme you wish to undertake in the UK (up to 100 words per employment)
- Provide a statement on the relevance of your previous work experience to the proposed fellowship (up to 300 words)
- Provide at least two references from people who are qualified to comment on both your capacity to benefit from your proposed fellowship in the UK and your ability to deliver development impact afterwards. One of your references must be from your current employer, unless you are self employed.
Provide a development impact statement in four parts.
- Part 1: (up to 200 words) Explain how participation on your selected fellowship relates to:
- one of the six CSC development themes
- development issues at the global, national and local level
- Part 2 (up to 100 words) Explain how you intend to apply your new skills once your Fellowship ends.
- Part 3 (up to 250 words) Outline what you expect will change in development terms following your fellowship including:
- the outcomes that you aim to achieve
- the timeframe for their implementation
- who the beneficiaries will be
- Part 4: (up to 100 words) Write about how the impact of your work could be best measured.
- Confirm what your award objectives are and how each of them will be met by the fellowship programme
- Confirm what your objectives are for the next two years and how each of them will be met by the fellowship programme
- Confirm what your objectives are in the longer term and how each of them will be met by the fellowship programme
- Provide a personal statement to summarise the ways in which your personal background has encouraged you to want to make an impact in your home country. You should indicate areas in which you have already contributed, such as having overcome any personal or community barriers to your chosen career (up to 500 words)
- Summarise the ways in which you have engaged in voluntary activities and the opportunities you have had to demonstrate leadership (up to 500 words)
- Provide a scan of your passport or national identity card
Financial assistance
Each Fellowship provides:
- Approved return airfare from the Fellow’s home country to the UK.
- Reimbursement of the standard visa application fee.
- Stipend (living allowance) payable monthly (or pro rata) for the duration of the award at the rate of £2,104 per month, or £2,612 per month for those at organisations in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2024/25 levels).
- If a Fellow declares a disability, a full assessment of needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC. See the CSC disability support statement for more information.
- Arrival allowance of up to £1,183.20 (rates quoted at 2024/25 levels), including an element for warm clothing.
- A maximum of £2,000 per Fellow can be agreed by host organisations for short courses/conferences as well as travel to visit other UK organisations where this forms an integral part of the programme. Host organisations should bear in mind the restrictions set out in our guidance on claimable costs.
General conditions
- A Commonwealth Professional Fellowship covers a contribution to the host organisation costs, approved fares, and personal maintenance. Other fellowships, awards, or bursaries that cover the same costs may not be held concurrently.
- In order for the CSC to administer a Fellow’s application effectively and efficiently after they have submitted, it will be necessary to create a record in their name. The details of Fellows who are nominated to the CSC will be kept on file. Basic anonymised demographic data for all applicants will be kept for analytical research. The CSC is committed to protecting personal information and to being transparent about the information we are collecting about individuals and what we do with it. To find out more, see our privacy notice.
- Fellows must submit a health and disability form before a Confirmation of Award can be issued
- Fellows will be asked to sign an undertaking which requires them to return to their home country and their previous place of employment at the time of being awarded the fellowship. Fellows must leave within five days of the end of their award
- Fellows are expected to start and complete their award on the dates stated in their Notification of Award and for the full term. The CSC is usually not able to agree any changes to these dates after the Notification of Award has been issued
- Fellows require a Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange visa to come to the UK for their award and must meet all relevant immigration regulations set by UK Visas and Immigration. These regulations are subject to change at any time. See immigration conditions for more information.
- Fellows must reside in the UK throughout their award, and seek approval from the CSC in advance for any overseas travel, which will be granted in exceptional circumstances only
- Fellows must not undertake paid employment during their award
- The CSC cannot provide a letter of support for any fellow to remain in the UK after their award
- An award may be terminated at any time for reasons of unsatisfactory conduct, progress, attendance, or violation of visa conditions, or if the host organisation decides it is unable to proceed with the fellowship for any reason before or during the award
- Applicants and selected Fellows must adhere to the CSC’s code of conduct for award holders and disciplinary policy and procedure 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, Scholars and Fellows to fulfil their role and responsibilities in a manner consistent with requirements for safeguarding.
- 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
- 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 FCDO 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.
Immigration conditions
Commonwealth Professional Fellows require a Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) visa to come to the UK for their award and must meet all relevant immigration requirements. All UK immigration regulations are set by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and are subject to change at any time. The CSC has no control over these regulations.
The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), which provides the CSC Secretariat, acts as the Temporary Work visa sponsor on behalf of the CSC. In accordance with immigration regulations, sponsorship duties relating to record keeping, monitoring, and reporting of Fellows must be completed. While the ACU (on behalf of the CSC Secretariat) is responsible for assigning Sponsor Reference Numbers (SRN) and submitting reports to UKVI, host organisations are required to assist in these activities as per the host organisations’ obligations which can be accessed on the information for prospective hosts page. Failure on the part of the host organisation to provide the ACU with the required documentation and to report relevant details may result in the loss of the ACU’s Temporary Work visa licence and ability to sponsor Fellows’ visas.
Fellows’ obligations
Commonwealth Professional Fellows must provide the following documents before the ACU (acting on behalf of the CSC Secretariat) will assign a Sponsor Reference Number (SRN:
- Visa information form
- Award acceptance form (signed)
- Copy of passport personal details page
The CSC Secretariat will send the details of the assigned SRN to the Fellow by email, to enable them to make their visa application, and will keep a copy on file.
After a SRN has been assigned, fellows must provide copies of the following documents to the CSC Secretariat:
- UK visa, before they travel to the UK
- Passport entry stamp and/or a used boarding pass and checked baggage receipt, at the end of their fellowship and every time they travel outside the UK during their fellowship
Reporting to UK Visas and Immigration
Once a Fellow has been issued with a SRN and while they are in the UK, the ACU is required to report to UKVI within ten working days if:
- The fellow does not start the programme within 28 days on their expected start date, or valid from date on their visa (whichever is later). This includes if the fellow misses a flight and will be arriving at a later date agreed by the host organisation.
- The Fellow is absent from their work location. The ACU requires details of all absences; however, only unauthorised absences of 10 working days or more will be reported to UKVI.
- The fellowship finishes before the end date stated on the CoS (e.g. if the Fellow withdraws, has their fellowship withdrawn, or finishes their programme early).
- The Fellow defers their fellowship.
- The Fellow no longer requires sponsorship under Temporary Work visa (e.g. if they switch to a different visa type).
- There are any significant changes to the Fellow’s circumstances (e.g. a change of work location, passport details, etc).
- There is any information which suggests that the Fellow is in breach of the conditions of their visa (including engaging in criminal activity).
Travel outside the UK during the fellowship
Commonwealth Professional Fellowships are tenable in the UK only, and Fellows must seek permission from their CSC Programme Officer and host organisation if they wish to travel outside the UK for any reason.
Further information
This information is subject to changes in UKVI policy guidance and the immigration rules which is available on the UKVI website. UKVI may make changes to the terms and conditions of visas at any point.
Further information can be obtained from the CSC’s Senior Welfare and Immigration Officer, please email: immigration@cscuk.org.uk
Enquiries
If you have any queries about Commonwealth Professional Fellowships, please email professional.fellowships@cscuk.org.uk
General enquiries about applying for Commonwealth Scholarships sent to this email address will not be answered; please use the contact us form instead.
