Quick Facts

Eligible CountriesNigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania
Host CountryUK
Area of StudyAll
Application Deadline20 October 2026 — 28 days left
Scholarship TypeDoctorate
FundingFully Funded
Mode of StudyIn-person
ReferenceRAS-2026-2147
⭐ Personal recommendation from the founder

A word from Eli, founder of Rise Africa Scholars

MSc Information Security — Unicaf Scholar

While you wait for a fully funded opportunity, don’t put your education on hold. I completed my MSc through Unicaf — studying online from Nairobi while working full-time. The tuition discount made it genuinely affordable, and the degree is from an accredited UK university.

If you’re serious about advancing your career now, I’d encourage you to explore it. I only recommend what I’ve used myself.

Explore Unicaf Scholarships → Online · All levels · Rolling admissions · Open now

About This Scholarship

The Loughborough University Commonwealth Scholarship 2027 provides fully funded doctoral research funding in the UK for high-achieving scholars from eligible Commonwealth countries, jointly funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) and administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC). This programme supports researchers whose work can contribute meaningfully to global and national development priorities across postgraduate research programmes at Loughborough University’s campuses.

What This Scholarship Covers

  • Full tuition fees (100% coverage)
  • Monthly stipend for 3 years (£1,712/month)
  • Return economy airfare to/from UK
  • Study-related travel allowance in UK/overseas
  • Approved overseas fieldwork costs
  • Family allowance (eligible scholars with accompanied spouses or single parents)

Who Can Apply

  • 1 Be a citizen of, or have refugee status in, an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person
  • 2 Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country
  • 3 Hold an upper second-class (2:1) undergraduate honours degree by September 2027, or hold a lower second-class (2:2) degree with a relevant Master's degree
  • 4 Not be registered for a PhD or MPhil leading to a PhD at a UK university or in home country before September/October 2027
  • 5 Be unable to afford studying in the UK without scholarship support
  • 6 Have secured an official offer of study for an eligible doctoral programme at Loughborough University starting in 2027
  • 7 Be available to start academic studies in the UK by September 2027

How to Apply

1
Secure an academic offer from Loughborough University for a relevant PhD programme starting October 2027, February 2028, or July 2028 and contact potential research supervisors
2
Contact your home country's nominating body to understand their selection process and any additional eligibility criteria
3
Complete and submit your online scholarship application via the CSC's CSCCentral system before 20 October 2026 at 16:00 BST (15:00 GMT)
4
Apply to your designated home country nominating agency as required by your nominating body
5
Submit any additional applications required by your nominating body according to their own closing date
📅 3 years

For More Information

Know someone who should apply?