Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS) at the Association of Commonwealth Universities

If you are a citizen of a Commonwealth country and want to take a 2 years Masters degree in a low- or middle-income Commonwealth country other than your own, the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS) are open to you. The award pays your tuition fees and a living stipend, and adds travel and research support, so you can study abroad without carrying the cost yourself.

The programme is run for students who want to make change in their communities. Scholars study in a new country, work with academics there, and build a network across the Commonwealth. The idea is exchange in both directions: what you learn abroad goes back to your home country, and the host country gains from your work too.

• Host: The Association of Commonwealth Universities
• Level: 2 years Masters degree
• Study destinations: South Africa, Sri Lanka, South Pacific, Namibia, Papua New Guinea
• Who can apply: Citizens and individuals who hold refugee status in Commonwealth countries
• What is covered: Fully-funded tuition fees, a stipend for living expenses, return economy flights, an arrival allowance and a research support grant
• Deadline: 9 July 2020 (annual)
• Course start: Jan/Feb 2021, or July to Oct 2021

The awards are hosted by these universities:

• IBMBB, University of Colombo
• University of Sri Jayewardenepura
• The University of the South Pacific
• Fiji National University
• University of Johannesburg
• Rhodes University
• University of Stellenbosch
• University of Venda
• North-West University
• Tshwane University of Technology
• University of Pretoria
• Papua New Guinea University of Technology
• University of Namibia

The scholarship funds 2 years Masters degrees in eligible courses at the universities listed above. Not every course at these universities qualifies. Only the courses listed on the official website (link below) are eligible for scholarship funding, so check that list before you choose a programme.

The source does not specify how many awards are made.

The award is for citizens of Commonwealth countries, and for individuals who hold refugee status in Commonwealth countries.

The award is fully funded: it covers tuition fees and a stipend for living expenses for the duration of the award. It also pays return economy flights to and from the host country, a one-off arrival allowance, and a research support grant.

The research grant is not automatic. You receive it only on request, and only if it is approved.

• You must be a citizen of a Commonwealth country, or hold refugee status in a Commonwealth country.
• You may only apply for a 2 years Masters degree offered at a participating university in an eligible low- to middle-income Commonwealth country.
• You must be applying to study in a low- to middle-income Commonwealth country other than your own.
• For Cycle 2, 2020, with studies starting January/February 2021, awards are only available for eligible Masters programmes at participating universities in Sri Lanka, South Pacific, South Africa, Papua New Guinea and Namibia.
• There is no upper age limit for a QECS Award.
• You must have attained a minimum of 2:1 or equivalent at undergraduate level.
• The award is for new students only. It cannot fund a course you have already started.

Applications for cycle 2 are now closed.

You do not have to be accepted onto a course before you apply for QECS. Still, it is best to apply for your chosen course before or at the same time as your QECS application. That means two applications: one for admission to the course, sent directly to the university, and one for the QECS award. Check each university's website for its admission requirements and its own application deadlines.

To apply for QECS, look through the list of countries and universities hosting scholarships in the cycle, then complete and submit a QECS application for your chosen university/course by clicking the 'Apply now' button. You will be directed to a log in page; if you do not already have a myACU account, create a new account to get started. Then submit an application to your chosen university for admission to your chosen course.

Read the application guidance and FAQs pages on the official website (link below) before starting an application.

For Cycle 2 2020, with studies starting January/February 2021, the scholarship application deadline is 9 July 2020.

This award suits a Commonwealth citizen who has finished a Bachelors degree at the level of a 2:1 and wants to take a full Masters abroad, in a low- or middle-income Commonwealth country other than their own. It fits students who cannot cover tuition and living costs themselves, since fees, a stipend and flights are paid.

It also suits applicants who want to bring skills home. The programme is built for people working on change in their communities, so be ready to explain that link between your studies and where you come from.

• Who can apply for the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships? Citizens of Commonwealth countries, and individuals who hold refugee status in Commonwealth countries. You must also hold a Bachelors degree with a minimum of 2:1 or equivalent.
• What does the scholarship cover? Tuition fees, a stipend for living expenses, return economy flights, a one-off arrival allowance and a research support grant. The research grant comes only on request and needs approval.
• Can I apply before I am admitted to a course? Yes. You do not need an offer first, but you are encouraged to apply for your course before or at the same time as the scholarship, and you must apply to the university separately.
• Is there an age limit? No. There is no upper age limit for a QECS Award.
• Can the award fund a course I have already started? No. QECS awards are only for new students.
• What is the deadline? For Cycle 2 2020, with studies starting January/February 2021, the deadline is 9 July 2020.

• Read the application guidance, the FAQs and the list of eligible courses before you pick a university, so you do not prepare an application for a programme that is not covered.
• Start your documents early: degree transcripts, proof of your 2:1 equivalence and your passport or refugee status papers all take time to collect.
• Check the language requirements of your chosen university and book any test well ahead of the deadline.
• Submit the course admission application and the scholarship application as a pair, and keep copies of both.
• Explain clearly how your Masters connects to change in your home community; that is what the programme is for.