Applications are now open for the Commonwealth Fellowship 2027 in the United Kingdom, offering fully funded opportunities for talented academics and professionals from eligible Commonwealth countries. The fellowship supports advanced research, professional development, and international collaboration at leading UK institutions, enabling participants to enhance their expertise while contributing to sustainable development in their home countries. Interested applicants are encouraged to review the eligibility requirements, funding benefits, and application process before the deadline.
Commonwealth Fellowship 2027 at a Glance
The Commonwealth Fellowship 2027 is a fully funded international fellowship programme hosted in the United Kingdom and administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC). The programme is designed to strengthen academic excellence, professional skills, and international collaboration by providing experienced professionals and university academics from eligible Commonwealth countries with the opportunity to undertake short-term placements at leading UK institutions.
The fellowship is offered in two main categories:
- Professional Fellowships, which enable mid-career professionals to develop practical knowledge, leadership skills, and expertise through placements lasting between six weeks and three months.
- Academic Fellowships, which support university lecturers, researchers, and academics in conducting collaborative research, developing new teaching methods, and strengthening institutional partnerships over a three-month period.
The programme is fully funded, covering the major costs associated with participation. Successful fellows receive return economy airfare, reimbursement of approved visa application fees, a monthly living allowance (stipend), an arrival allowance, and approved programme-related expenses. Additional financial support may also be available for participants with disabilities, where applicable.
Applications are open to mid-career professionals and university academics who are citizens of eligible Commonwealth countries and who meet the programme’s experience and academic requirements. Professional Fellowship applicants are generally expected to have at least five years of relevant full-time (or equivalent part-time) professional experience, while Academic Fellowship applicants must normally hold a PhD (or equivalent doctoral qualification) and be currently employed at a university or higher education institution.
For the 2027 intake, the application period opens at 9:00 a.m. BST on Tuesday, 28 July 2026, and closes at 4:00 p.m. BST on Tuesday, 25 August 2026. Successful applicants are expected to begin their fellowships between January and March 2027, depending on the fellowship category and the arrangements made with their UK host institution.
Professional and Academic Fellowship Programme
From the 2026/27 academic year, the CSC has launched a new Commonwealth Fellowship Programme that brings together two strands:
- The existing Professional Fellowships
- A new strand of Academic Fellowships
Both strands are open to candidates from all Commonwealth countries.
Commonwealth Professional Fellowships are for mid-career professionals from eligible Commonwealth countries (excluding the UK). Fellows undertake a structured programme of professional development at a UK host organisation working in their sector.
Commonwealth Academic Fellowships are for academic staff who hold a PhD and are employed at a university in an eligible Commonwealth country (excluding the UK). These fellowships support academic skills updating, knowledge exchange, and networking, with the longer-term aim of establishing future collaboration with a UK university.
The purpose of both types of fellowship is to enable citizens of Commonwealth countries to spend a period of time in the UK on a programme of professional or academic development that will generate developmental impact when they return home.
Intended Beneficiaries
- Professional Fellows should be mid-career professionals with at least five years of relevant full-time (or equivalent part-time) work experience in organisations based in an eligible Commonwealth country. Voluntary work does not count towards this requirement.
- Academic Fellows must hold a PhD and be employed by a university in an eligible Commonwealth country other than the UK.
The CSC provisionally plans to offer around 40 fellowships in total:
- Approximately 10 fellowships for citizens of Commonwealth countries that are not eligible for Official Development Assistance (ODA).
- Approximately 30 fellowships for citizens of Commonwealth countries that are ODA-eligible.
Six Development Themes
All fellowships are offered under the following six CSC development themes:
- Science and technology for development
- Improving population health, health systems and capacity
- Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship
- Strengthening peace, security and governance
- Strengthening resilience and response to crises
- Access, inclusion and opportunity
Duration and Start Dates
- Professional Fellowships must begin between mid-February and mid-March 2027 and last between six weeks and three months.
- Academic Fellowships must begin in January or February 2027 and last exactly three months.
Host Organisation Programmes
A range of UK-based organisations have successfully applied to host Commonwealth Fellows in 2027. Each organisation runs a bespoke fellowship programme. Candidates apply to a specific host programme rather than to a generic fellowship.
Important note: Some hosts intend to nominate candidates primarily from their existing and established networks. Where this is the case, it is clearly indicated below. Applicants are strongly advised to contact those hosts directly (using the website links provided) before applying, to avoid disappointment.
Professional Fellowships Hosts
Bees for Development
- Proposed dates: 15 March 2027 – 23 April 2027
- Priority theme: Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship
- Recruiting from an established network: No
- Website: beesfordevelopment.org/what-we-do
British Geological Survey
- Proposed dates: 1 March 2027 – 28 May 2027
- Priority theme: Science and technology for development
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: bgs.ac.uk (Inorganic Geochemistry Facility)
Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
- Proposed dates: 10 February 2027 – 11 May 2027
- Priority theme: Strengthening peace, security and governance
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: causewaycoastandglens.gov.uk
Christ Apostolic Church – House of Prayer UK
- Proposed dates: 14 February 2027 – 29 March 2027
- Priority theme: Science and technology for development
- Recruiting from an established network: No
- Website: cacahouseofprayer.org
Goodnews Community Outreach
- Proposed dates: 15 February 2027 – 14 May 2027
- Priority theme: Strengthening resilience and response to crises
- Recruiting from an established network: No
Justice Defenders
- Proposed dates: 9 March 2027 – 16 April 2027
- Priority theme: Strengthening peace, security and governance
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: justice-defenders.org
Knowledge for Change
- Proposed dates: 15 February 2027 – 11 May 2027
- Priority theme: Improving population health, health systems and capacity
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
Lifegate Outreach Centre
- Proposed dates: 15 February 2027 – 11 May 2027
- Priority theme: Improving population health, health systems and capacity
- Recruiting from an established network: No
- Website: lifegatecentre.org/lifegate-communities
LifeLine Network International
- Proposed dates: 24 February 2027 – 7 April 2027
- Priority theme: Access, inclusion and opportunity
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
London North West University Healthcare Trust
- Proposed dates: 1 March 2027 – 12 April 2027
- Priority theme: Improving population health, health systems and capacity
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: lnwh.nhs.uk
Royal College of Emergency Medicine
- Proposed dates: 23 February 2027 – 16 April 2027
- Priority theme: Improving population health, health systems and capacity
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
Salford University
- Proposed dates: 10 February 2027 – 11 May 2027
- Priority theme: Improving population health, health systems and capacity
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: salford.ac.uk
University College London
- Proposed dates: 11 February 2027 – 10 May 2027
- Priority theme: Access, inclusion and opportunity
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: ucl.ac.uk/population-health-sciences
University of East London – School of Health, Sport and Bioscience
- Proposed dates: 15 February 2027 – 14 May 2027
- Priority theme: Science and technology for development
- Recruiting from an established network: No
- Website: uel.ac.uk (School of Health, Sport and Bioscience)
University of Strathclyde – Pure and Applied Chemistry Department
- Proposed dates: 11 February 2027 – 11 May 2027
- Priority theme: Science and technology for development
- Recruiting from an established network: No
- Website: strath.ac.uk/science/chemistry
University of Strathclyde – National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics
- Proposed dates: 10 February 2027 – 7 April 2027
- Priority theme: Improving population health, health systems and capacity
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: strath.ac.uk/engineering/biomedicalengineering
Wessex Global Stroke Partnerships
- Proposed dates: 1 March 2027 – 11 April 2027
- Priority theme: Improving population health, health systems and capacity
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: wgstroke.org
Academic Fellowships Hosts
Doctoral Training Centre, University of Oxford
- Proposed dates: 10 February 2027 – 11 May 2027
- Priority theme: Science and technology for development
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: schmidtaifaculty.site.ox.ac.uk
Imperial College London
- Proposed dates: 10 February 2027 – 8 May 2027
- Priority theme: Science and technology for development
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: imperial.ac.uk/imperial-global-development-lab
University of Bath
- Proposed dates: 20 January 2027 – 16 April 2027
- Priority theme: Science and technology for development
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
University of Bradford Institute of Cancer Therapeutics
- Proposed dates: 10 February 2027 – 7 May 2027
- Priority theme: Improving population health, health systems and capacity
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: bradford.ac.uk/ict
University of Oxford – Department of Physics
- Proposed dates: 17 February 2027 – 11 May 2027
- Priority theme: Science and technology for development
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: physics.ox.ac.uk (Atmospheric, Oceanic and Planetary Physics)
University of Reading
- Proposed dates: 1 February 2027 – 30 April 2027
- Priority theme: Access, inclusion and opportunity
- Recruiting from an established network: Yes
- Website: reading.ac.uk/classics
Fellow Eligibility Requirements
To be eligible for a Commonwealth Fellowship, applicants 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 and not hold indefinite leave to remain in the UK.
- For Professional Fellowships: 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 date. Voluntary work experience does not count.
- For Academic Fellowships: hold a PhD and be employed by a university in a Commonwealth country other than the UK.
- Be in employment at the time of application at an organisation they will return to upon completion of the fellowship.
- Provide at least two references, one of which must be from their current employer (unless self-employed). Applications without the required references will be considered ineligible.
- Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Fellowship within the last five years (at the time of taking up the award).
- Be available to undertake the fellowship from the prescribed start date of the chosen host programme.
In addition, applicants must meet any specific eligibility criteria set by the individual host organisation.
The CSC aims to identify talented individuals with the potential to create change and is committed to equal opportunity and non-discrimination. Support is available for Fellows with disabilities (see the CSC disability support statement).
Completing the Application Form
Applications must be submitted through the official Commonwealth Fellowship application form. The CSC cannot accept any applications or documentation submitted by other means.
In the form, applicants are asked to:
- List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications (where applicable).
- List up to ten publications and prizes (if applicable).
- Provide details of employment history and explain how each role is relevant to the proposed fellowship (up to 100 words per employment).
- Provide a statement on the relevance of previous work experience to the proposed fellowship (up to 300 words).
- Provide at least two references from people qualified to comment on the applicant’s capacity to benefit from the fellowship and deliver development impact afterwards. One reference must be from the current employer.
- Complete a four-part Development Impact Statement:
- Part 1 (up to 200 words): Explain how participation in the selected fellowship relates to one of the six CSC development themes and to development issues at global, national, and local levels.
- Part 2 (up to 100 words): Explain how the new skills will be applied once the fellowship ends.
- Part 3 (up to 250 words): Outline expected development changes, including outcomes, timeframe for implementation, and beneficiaries.
- Part 4 (up to 100 words): Describe how the impact of the work could best be measured.
- Confirm award objectives and how the fellowship programme will meet them.
- Confirm objectives for the next two years and longer-term objectives, and how the fellowship will support them.
- Provide a personal statement (up to 500 words) summarising how personal background has encouraged the desire to make an impact in the home country, including any barriers overcome.
- Summarise voluntary activities and opportunities to demonstrate leadership (up to 500 words).
- Provide a scan of a 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.
- Monthly stipend (living allowance) of £2,218 per month, or £2,753 per month for those based at organisations in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2025/26 levels).
- Arrival allowance of up to £1,247.09 (including an element for warm clothing).
- Additional funding for short courses, conferences, or visits to other UK organisations that form an integral part of the programme: up to £1,000 for programmes lasting 6 weeks to 2 months, and up to £2,000 for programmes lasting 2 to 3 months. These costs are paid directly to the host organisation.
- Full assessment of needs and eligibility for additional financial support if a Fellow declares a disability.
Eligible Countries
Candidates must check eligibility for both the overall programme and the specific host organisation.
ODA-eligible countries (majority of fellowships) include:
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, Saint Helena, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia.
Non-ODA eligible countries (approximately 10 fellowships available) include:
Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, Bahamas, Barbados, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Cayman Islands, Cyprus, Falkland Islands, Gibraltar, Malta, New Zealand, Seychelles, Singapore, St Kitts and Nevis, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands.
Selection Criteria
Applications are assessed on:
- Quality and relevance of the proposed programme
- Development impact
- Candidate potential
Full details are available in the CSC selection criteria for assessment of applications.
General Conditions and Immigration
- Fellows must return to their home country and previous place of employment at the end of the award and leave the UK within five days of the end of the award.
- Fellows must not undertake paid employment during the fellowship.
- Fellows must reside in the UK throughout the award; overseas travel requires prior CSC approval and is granted only in exceptional circumstances.
- An award may be terminated for unsatisfactory conduct, progress, attendance, or violation of visa conditions.
Visa requirements:
Both Professional and Academic Fellows require a Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) visa. Immigration regulations are set by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI) and are subject to change. The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) acts as the Temporary Work visa sponsor for Professional Fellows on behalf of the CSC. Academic hosts are expected to act as the sponsor for Academic Fellows.
View the UK Visa Application Guide, for Appointment Centres in Lagos & Abuja and other Diplomatic Posts in Nigeria.
How to Apply
Applications opened at 09:00 BST on Tuesday 28 July 2026 and close at 16:00 BST on Tuesday 25 August 2026.
Apply through the official Commonwealth Fellowship application form on the CSC website. The CSC cannot accept applications or documentation submitted by any other method.
For enquiries specifically about Commonwealth Fellowships, email: cfp@cscuk.org.uk or Apply for a Commonwealth Fellowship here.
Eligible professionals and academics are strongly encouraged to review the host organisation programmes carefully, check all eligibility criteria, and submit complete applications well before the deadline.