Description
Commonwealth Scholarships in the UK 2027 – Deadline 20
October 2026
Location: United Kingdom
Eligible Country: Rwanda
Study Level: Master’s & PhD
Study Start: September/October 2027
Deadline: 20 October 2026 at 16:00 BST
Commonwealth Scholarships in the United Kingdom 2027
The Higher Education Council (HEC) invites eligible Rwandan
citizens to apply for Commonwealth Master’s and PhD Scholarships to
study in the United Kingdom starting in September or October 2027.
Rwanda may nominate 10 candidates for Master’s study and
16 candidates for PhD study. However, nomination by HEC does not guarantee
final selection by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC).
CSC Development Themes
Applicants must select one development theme and
explain how their proposed study or research will address a specific
development need in Rwanda:
- 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
Master’s Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be a Rwandan
citizen permanently resident in Rwanda.
- Be
available to begin full-time study in the UK in September 2027.
- Hold,
or expect to hold by September 2027, a Bachelor’s degree of at least
Upper Second Class or equivalent in a relevant field.
- Apply
for a full-time, one-year taught Master’s programme.
- Not
apply for an MBA, as MBA programmes are not funded under this scheme.
- Identify
three suitable UK universities and courses, in order of preference.
- Meet
the admission requirements of the proposed programme.
PhD Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be
Rwandan citizens permanently resident in Rwanda.
- Hold a
relevant Master’s degree or equivalent.
- Meet
HEC's academic requirement of at least 70% for PhD nomination.
- Not
already be registered for a PhD or MPhil leading to a PhD.
- Obtain
a substantive supporting statement from at least one proposed UK
supervisor.
- Submit
a focused research proposal showing the research problem, objectives,
methodology, feasibility and expected contribution to Rwanda.
Required Documents
Applicants will need to submit documents including:
- Application
letter addressed to the Director General of HEC
- Valid
passport or national ID
- Updated
CV
- Degree
certificates and complete academic transcripts
- At
least two detailed references
- Study
plan for Master’s applicants or research proposal for PhD applicants
- University
admission evidence where available
- UK
supervisor supporting statement for PhD applicants
- PDF
copy of the final CSC application and application reference number
What Strong Applications Should Demonstrate
Applicants should clearly demonstrate:
- Strong
academic performance
- A
well-researched choice of UK university and programme
- A
clear connection between their education, experience and proposed study
- A
specific development challenge they intend to address
- A
realistic plan for applying their knowledge in Rwanda after the
scholarship
- Leadership,
community service, research, innovation or professional achievements
- Clear
and authentic answers to the CSC application questions
How to Apply
Applicants must complete both applications:
1. HECMIS: Submit the national nomination application
by 20 October 2026.
2. CSC Central: Submit the Commonwealth Scholarship
application by 16:00 BST on Tuesday, 20 October 2026.
Applicants should save their CSC confirmation email and
application reference number and upload the final CSC application PDF to
HECMIS.
Important: Only applications submitted through both
HECMIS and CSC Central by the deadlines will be considered.
The CSC does not charge an application fee.
Official websites:
HECMIS: https://hecmis.hec.gov.rw/
Commonwealth Scholarship Commission: https://cscuk.fcdo.gov.uk/about-us/scholarships/
Done at Kigali on 20 September 2026.
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