Commonwealth Scholarship 2026 Now Open
The Ministry of Higher Education of Cameroon has officially announced the call for applications for the Commonwealth Scholarships for the 2026 academic year. Funded by the UK government, this prestigious programme aims to equip future leaders with the skills and knowledge necessary to tackle global development challenges. This article outlines the eligibility criteria, eligible fields of study, and the detailed application procedure.
Official Announcement and Objectives
In a press release dated August 19, 2025, the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education, informs the general public that the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) in the United Kingdom is offering scholarships as part of its international development objectives. This programme is open to all Cameroonians, without distinction of sex, age, or disability, for studies commencing in September 2026.
Fields of Study and Award Types
The scholarships are offered under six key thematic areas aligned with global development priorities:
| Scholarship Themes |
|---|
| Science and technology for development |
| Strengthening health systems and capacity |
| Promoting global prosperity |
| Strengthening global peace, security and governance |
| Strengthening resilience and response to crises |
| Access, inclusion and opportunity |
The awards are available in the following categories:
- One-year taught Master's programme at an eligible UK university.
- Three-year Doctoral programme.
Application Timeline and Procedure
The application process involves two mandatory steps:
- CSC Online Application: Candidates must apply via the CSC's Online Application System (OAS) on the official CSC website. The system is open from September 2, 2025, to October 14, 2025. The CSC will not accept any applications submitted outside this window or not using the OAS.
- Submission to Ministry of Higher Education: A complete hard copy application file must be submitted to the Ministry of Higher Education (Room 1504) between September 2, 2025, and October 17, 2025, by 3:00 PM.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible, 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.
- Be available to start academic studies in the UK by September 2026.
- Hold a first degree of at least upper second-class honours (2:1) standard for a Master's award.
- Hold a second-class degree and a relevant postgraduate qualification (Master's degree) for a PhD award.
- Provide a supporting statement from a proposed supervisor from at least one UK university to which they are applying (for PhD candidates).
- Not be registered for a PhD, or an MPhil leading to a PhD, at a UK university or in their home country before September/October 2026 (for PhD candidates).
- Be unable to afford to study in the UK without this scholarship.
- Have provided all supporting documentation in the required format on the OAS (with certified translations if not in English).
- Have a mastery of the English language.
Required Application Documents
The complete application file for the Ministry must include:
- A stamped, handwritten application addressed to the Minister of State, Minister of Higher Education.
- A copy of the Online Application Form.
- A certified copy of birth certificate.
- Certified copy of GCE A/L or Baccalaureate.
- Copies of University Degrees certified by the issuing institutions.
- Certificate of Nationality and a photocopy of the National Identity Card.
- Copy of University transcripts (with certified translations if not in English).
- References from at least two individuals on institutional letterhead.
- A supporting statement from a proposed UK supervisor (for PhD candidates).
Important Notes
- References and supporting statements must be collected on institutional letterhead or via an email clearly showing the sender's details, and then uploaded as PDFs to the online system.
- All documents submitted via the OAS must be in PDF format and must not exceed 5MB in size. They must be uploaded by the application deadline.
- All studies will be conducted in English, requiring a high level of proficiency.
Prospective applicants are encouraged to carefully review all requirements and adhere strictly to the deadlines for both the online and physical application submissions.
Link to the official press release: https://s3.campusjeunes.net/public/68affbec0263730001ef696e/Commonwealth Scholarship 2026-1.pdf
