The Queen's College, Oxford - Commonwealth Shared Scholarship

Commonwealth Shared Scholarship

You get a fully funded place for a one-year Master of Public Policy (MPP) at the University of Oxford. The award covers your full tuition fees, a monthly living allowance, return flights to and from the UK, a warm-clothing allowance, a study travel grant and a grant towards your thesis. The funding runs for 12 months, with studies starting in September or October. It is given by The Queen's College together with the Blavatnik School of Government and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) manages it.

Who can apply

• Course: You apply for the Master of Public Policy (MPP) at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford. This is the only course this scholarship funds.
• Nationality and residence: You are a citizen of (or have refugee status in) an eligible Commonwealth country and permanently live there. Eligible countries include India, Nigeria, Kenya, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Ghana, South Africa, Sri Lanka and many smaller Commonwealth states.
• Degree: You hold a bachelor's degree at UK upper second class (2:1) standard, or a lower second class (2:2) plus a relevant postgraduate degree.
• Time abroad: You have not studied or worked for more than one academic year in a high-income country.
• Financial need: You can show that without this scholarship you could not afford to study in the UK.
• Age: There is no minimum or maximum age.
• Return home: You are willing to return to your home country after the scholarship ends.

How to apply

First apply for and secure a place on the MPP course at the Blavatnik School of Government. Then apply separately for the scholarship through the CSC's online system, CSC Central. The deadline is 9 December 2025, 16:00 GMT. The university nominates chosen candidates to the CSC in March, and the CSC makes the final decision.

How realistic are your chances?

This award is cut extremely narrowly: only one scholarship is given each year, for a single course, to applicants from specific Commonwealth countries who can prove financial need. The eligible group is small, but a single high-profile award like this is very competitive. If you clearly meet every condition, present a strong development-impact case and apply early, you give yourself the best shot at the one place available.