Citizens (or those who hold refugee status) in a are welcome to apply.
No. Applicants must apply for a QECS award in a country other than their home country/country of citizenship. Refugees should apply as if they were a citizen of the country that has offered them refugee status.
If the direct link does not take you to the application form, please use to access the my勛圖窪蹋厙 portal. Once you log in you will be able to access the application form through the link in the 'QECS applications open' announcement.
No. There is no upper age limit to be eligible for a QECS Award.
You must have attained a minimum of 2:1 (or equivalent) at undergraduate level to be eligible to apply.
No. You must have already completed your degree and have graduated with an equivalent of a 2:1 at the time of application. You will be asked to provide a copy of your final transcript and degree certificate.
No. The QECS awards are only hosted by low and middle income countries. Therefore these awards will not be hosted in high income countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand or the UK.
No. QECS awards are only for new students and cannot be used to fund a course that has already been started.
No. QECS are for Master's degrees only.
No. QECS are for Master's degrees only.
No. The QECS will only fund Masters courses with a maximum duration of two years.
Yes, the QECS will fund Masters courses with a maximum duration of up to two years.
Please check with your preferred university to ensure you meet the entry requirements for your chosen courses.
No. The QECS awards are for full-time study only.
No. The QECS awards are international scholarship opportunities and are for courses taught in-person on campus only.
Only universities listed on the QECS homepage are hosts for the current application cycle.
The universities listed on the QECS homepage are hosts for the current application cycle. If a country/university is not on the website, it means that they are not a host for the current cycle of awards. In some cases this may be due to the timing of the application cycle, for example some institutions have an academic year starting in January/February therefore they would be included in the second cycle of awards. Please keep an eye on the website or follow the 勛圖窪蹋厙 social media channels for more details on those institutions/countries that will be included in the next application cycle.
Please note that QECS awards are only hosted by low- and middle-income countries. Therefore these awards will not be hosted in high income countries such as Australia, Canada, New Zealand or UK.
Academic years start at different times across the globe with some starting in July-November and others starting in January-February.
The country that you wish to study in will determine when the QECS applications open and when you need to submit an application. Keep an eye on the website for further details.
QECS sponsors Masters Degrees in a broad range of subject areas.
The subject areas available differ according to the Host University and/or Country. Please refer to the QECS homepage for further details.
As QECS awards can be held in a variety of Commonwealth Countries, you can submit more than one application as long as they are for different host countries/universities. However you can only submit one application per host university. Therefore if you submit two applications for one host country/university only the first application submitted will be considered.
No. Awards are selected by an independent, objective panel and therefore results from previous years will not be considered.
If the university that you are interested in has a campus in your country of citizenship you are not eligible to study at the university despite considering another campus. We recommend that you consider another host university. For example, if you are from Barbados, Jamaica or Trinidad and Tobago you cannot apply for a scholarship at the University of the West Indies.
If the university that you are interested in has a campus in your country of citizenship you are not eligible to study at the University despite considering another campus. We recommend that you consider another host university. For example, if you are from Fiji, Samoa or Vanuatu you cannot apply for a scholarship at the University of the South Pacific.
You should be able to use the same email address/log in to submit more than one application for different host universities. However you may need to submit one application before starting another.
Applicants cannot apply for a scholarship in their country of citizenship. For example, if you are a Ghanaian citizen you cannot apply for a scholarship in Ghana but you can apply for a scholarship in another country that is currently offering a scholarship.
Applicants cannot apply for an award in their home country/country of citizenship as this is an international programme. If you are attempting to apply for a QECS in a university in your home country you will not find your country in the drop down and should consider applying for an award in another country.
You will need to upload your supporting documents before submitting your application.
No. It is not possible to make any amendments, such as uploading any further documentation, once your application has been submitted. Therefore it is extremely important that you check your application before it is submitted.
No. As some university application cycles will open after the QECS applications close, you do not need to have received an offer at your chosen institution at the time of submitting your QECS application.
However, you are encouraged to apply for your chosen course of study before or at the same time as applying for a QECS. Further guidance on whether you should apply for your course at the same time as the scholarship is explained on the QECS homepage under the relevant host university section.
The requirement for English language testing depends on the university that you are intending to study at. Therefore you will need to look at your chosen university's admissions website to determine whether English language results are required for your admission. Some universities will require for applicants to meet their English language requirement. This often involves submitting the results of an English language test.
This will depend on the University that you are interested in studying at as their entry requirements will differ. If an English language test is required by the University, this would be indicated on the university's own website. If you have any further questions regarding the English language requirement please write to the University directly.
Including one academic reference is advised, these are usually referees who have taught you or worked with you throughout your academic career. However, if you are unable to obtain an academic reference for one of your references, we would advise that you use two professional referees for both references. Your professional referee(s) should write references demonstrating the points outlined on the application form.
No. Applications must be submitted online through Online Application System. This system will be used throughout the selection process. We recommend you find alternative internet providers that are available locally.
You will need click on the Forgot password? link. This will send an email to reset your password, to the email address that you used for your application. Please check your junk/spam mail to ensure that the email has not been sent there.
Yes, you can submit your application without a valid passport. Instead you can provide your National ID or current invalid passport within the application form. However, if you are selected for an award you will need to ensure that a copy of your passport is valid for the entire period of your stay in your host country.
No. Extensions will not be granted under any circumstances.
Your application must be written in English throughout, and any supporting documentation that you submit (i.e. academic transcript, degree certificate, reference letters) must also be in English.
Whoever provides your academic* or professional reference should address their letter as Dear Sir or Madam and send it to the following address:
Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships
勛圖窪蹋厙
Woburn House, 20-24 Tavistock Square
London
WC1H 9HF
United Kingdom
Please do not send hard copies to the above address. Instead, upload a digital copy of your reference letters to the application form when prompted. Only PDF, JPG, and PNG file types are accepted.
*Please note that one academic reference is advised. However, if you are unable to obtain an academic reference for one of your references, we would advise that you use professional referees for both references.
Yes. You will need to submit an application for admission to your chosen university course directly to the university in addition to completing a QECS application. On the QECS homepage there is a link to the university's website for more information and contact details that can be used to write to the university with any questions that you may have regarding university admission applications.
You should visit your chosen university's website for more information on their admissions procedures and when their applications open.
You should speak with your chosen university to determine when the applications open. In some instances, it will be possible to apply for your course once you have been selected for your award. Please note that this is not recommended nor is it possible in all cases.
Some universities require an application fee to process your application. The QECS will not pay this deposit and it is your responsibility to secure your university offer. If applications to your chosen university close after the QECS applications close then it may be possible to hold off on completing your university application and paying the application cost at this time. You will need to check when the applications for your chosen course should be submitted by to see whether this is possible.
QECS scholars receive:
- Fully-funded tuition fees
- Living allowance (stipend) for duration of award
- Return economy flights to their host country
- An arrival allowance
- (Research support grant on request only; subject to approval)
If selected, all allowances will be stated in your award letter.
Scholars can have additional funding for purposes not covered by their QECS, however you will need to seek approval from the QECS team before any further funding is accepted.
All courses undertaken through this scholarship should be taught in English and therefore additional funding for this purpose should not be required.
We are seeking the active support of Commonwealth governments for the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) itself, and for expansion of the CSFP Endowment Fund which funds the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships. Please contact info-qecs@acu.ac.uk for more details.
The timing of when you will hear back with the outcome of your application will depend on the application cycle you have applied for.
Cycle 1 applicants (courses starting in July-October) : July of the year of award.
Cycle 2 applicants (courses starting in January-February): October prior to the start of award.
We are unable to provide individual feedback on why an application has been unsuccessful. However, many of the applications received do not pass through to the next stage (and are not eventually selected) due to a few common reasons.
Failing to follow the application instructions will result in your application being unsuccessful. The selection committee assesses applications using four key criteria:
- Academic history/references
- Plan of Study
- Development Impact and Post Study Outreach
- Creating Networks
For an application to be considered for selection, applicants must ensure that:
- Their personal statement is written clearly so that a non-specialist can understand what the aims of the research are and how they will be implemented
- They clearly outline why they are applying to the courses and institutions listed on their application form. You must tailor these answers to each institution if you write the same answer for each course/institution or copy and paste text from university websites, then your application will not be considered.
- They meet all the eligibility requirements for their chosen university course, including having the necessary work experience
- Two referees are identified, and references are provided references should be detailed and include the content outlined on the application form
- Include full details about marks/grades gained for degrees. Applicants are strongly encouraged to ensure that full supporting documentation is provided at the time of application, in the form of an official transcript.
We strongly advise all applicants to read all of the instructions and FAQs carefully before starting their application, and then complete all of the questions fully.
We strongly discourage scholars from bringing dependants with them to their host country. QECS living allowances are calculated to cover the scholars costs only. Scholars will be solely responsible for all welfare and financial arrangements for any accompanying dependants.
Yes! Once your award has been confirmed, you will be introduced to fellow CSFP scholars on award and alumni. This groups individuals who may already be studying at your host institution, from your home country or studying in your home country.
Accommodation is not pre-arranged as part of your award, your living allowance is to be used to cover accommodation costs in addition to other living expenses. Some universities will help with arranging accommodation, however this will need to be discussed with the university directly.
Scholars are responsible for finding, and paying for, their own accommodation, using their QECS stipend, unless stated otherwise.
We are limited in the assistance we can provide for accommodation. We encourage you to contact your Host University, or alternatively scholars currently on award, for advice about finding accommodation before travelling to your host country.
Yes, flights will not be booked by the QECS team until you have confirmed receipt of your visa to your host country.
No, it will not be possible to provide reimbursement for flights booked independently so do refrain from doing so. All flights are booked through the QECS and our nominated travel agencies. You should not book a flight using any other methods.
No, scholars will need to request support from their host university. It is not possible for us to provide guidance on all global immigration processes.