Overview
The Commonwealth Professional Fellowships are designed for mid-career professionals from low and middle-income Commonwealth countries. The fellowships allow them to spend time in the UK for professional development within their sectors, with the goal of improving knowledge and skills and enabling a catalytic impact upon return.
Purpose and Target Audience
- Goal: Enhance sector-specific knowledge and skills and generate development impact.
- Target: Mid-career professionals with at least five years of relevant experience in eligible Commonwealth countries.
Development Themes
The fellowships align with six development themes:
- Science and technology for development
- Strengthening health systems and capacity
- Promoting innovation and entrepreneurship
- Strengthening global peace, security, and governance
- Strengthening resilience and crisis response
- Access, inclusion, and opportunity
Host Organisation Programmes for 2026
Each UK-based host organisation offers a tailored fellowship programme. Selected fellows join based on alignment with their professional background and interests.
1. Bees for Development
Focuses on beekeeping as a low-cost, high-impact livelihood tool. Fellows will work with Ghanaian cashew farmers and other developing regions to improve productivity through pollination. Returning fellows will train others and promote sector-wide improvements.
2. British Geological Survey
Fellows train in modern geochemistry labs, learning lab systems, quality assurance, and data presentation. They also build capacity in writing (papers, grants) and analytical tools like R and QGIS. Fellows develop action plans to improve home lab systems using the Theory of Change.
3. Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
Offers a 3-month digital services placement. Fellows reflect weekly on transferable ideas for local adaptation and draft development plans to implement these in their own countries.
4. CNWL NHS Foundation Trust
Supports mental health professionals from Tanzania and The Gambia. Fellows are exposed to UK practices in community and inpatient services. They gain clinical expertise and foster international partnerships, contributing to mental health improvements at home.
5. Knowledge for Change (K4C)
Focuses on adolescent mental health in Uganda and Tanzania, addressing depression and anxiety. Fellows receive training from UK institutions and pilot community interventions in schools and rural settings on return.
6. Lancaster University
Empowers scientists in Africa to develop entrepreneurial and eco-innovative thinking. Fellows design plans to launch Centres for Global Eco-innovation in their countries, aiming to bridge academia and private sectors through place-based innovation.
7. Lifegate Outreach Centre
Focuses on informed migration, community resilience, and entrepreneurship. Fellows engage with UK agencies to learn about legal migration and scalable solutions. On return, they lead policy dialogues, run youth programs, and foster business incubation.
8. Tackle
Uses football to promote HIV/SRHR awareness among African youth. Fellows enhance their programme management and outreach skills through UK-based training and mentorship, with a goal of scaling impact back home.
How to Apply
Eligibility
Applicants must:
- Be a citizen or refugee in an eligible Commonwealth country.
- Be permanently resident in an eligible country.
- Have at least 5 years of relevant work experience (excluding volunteer work).
- Be employed and returning to their employer post-fellowship.
- Provide two references (one from current employer).
- Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship in the past five years.
- Not apply for academic or research-based programmes (academic managers are eligible).
- Be available to begin the fellowship as scheduled.
Applicants must also meet any additional eligibility set by individual host organisations.
Application Deadline
- Closes: Friday, 22 August at 4 PM BST
Application Form Contents
Applicants must:
- List academic qualifications
- Include up to 10 publications or awards (if applicable)
- Provide employment history (with 100-word explanation per job)
- Describe relevance of work experience (up to 300 words)
- Provide two references (one from current employer)
Development Impact Statement (4 parts)
- Relevance (up to 200 words): How the fellowship relates to CSC themes and development issues.
- Application (100 words): How new skills will be used post-fellowship.
- Expected Change (250 words): Outcomes, timeframe, and beneficiaries.
- Measurement (100 words): How impact will be evaluated.
Applicants must also:
- State short-, medium-, and long-term objectives and how the fellowship supports them
- Write a 500-word personal statement about motivation and community impact
- Write a 500-word summary of voluntary activities and leadership
- Upload a scanned passport or national ID
Financial Support
Each fellowship covers:
- Return airfare to the UK
- Standard visa application reimbursement
- Monthly stipend: – £2,104/month (outside London), £2,612/month (London)
- Arrival allowance: Up to £1,183.20
- Up to £2,000 for short courses/conferences or UK institutional visits
- Additional support available for fellows with disabilities
General Conditions
- Fellows must return to their home country and workplace post-fellowship.
- No concurrent awards covering the same costs are allowed.
- Fellows cannot take up paid employment during their stay.
- Awards may be terminated due to misconduct, visa violation, or host withdrawal.
- Fellows must start and complete the fellowship within the official dates.
- Fellows are subject to UK laws and the CSC’s Code of Conduct.
Immigration Requirements
Fellows require a Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) visa. The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) sponsors the visa and maintains oversight responsibilities including:
- Tracking fellow arrival and absences
- Reporting to UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI)
- Ensuring compliance with visa rules
Visa Process
Fellows must submit:
- Visa information form
- Signed award acceptance form
- Passport copy
Post-SRN assignment, fellows must share:
- UK visa copy
- UK entry stamp and travel receipts (including for any overseas travel during fellowship)
Travel Outside UK
Travel outside the UK during the fellowship requires CSC approval and is generally limited to exceptional circumstances.
Safeguarding and Ethical Standards
Fellows are ambassadors of the CSC and must demonstrate:
- Respect for all individuals and environments
- Commitment to inclusion across race, gender, sexuality, religion, and values
- Integrity and compliance with the UK Bribery Act 2010
- Adherence to the CSC’s anti-fraud policy, disciplinary policy, and safeguarding policy
Eligible Countries
Applicants must be from one of the following Commonwealth nations:
Africa: Botswana, Cameroon, Eswatini, The Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia
Asia: Bangladesh, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
Caribbean: Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines
Pacific: Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
Other: Montserrat, St Helena
Additional Information
- Fellows must submit a health and disability form before award confirmation.
- Fellows must reside in the UK for the full fellowship term.
- The CSC will not provide visa extension support or letters of stay post-fellowship.
Data and Privacy
- Personal information is collected for due diligence and program administration.
- Applicants must agree to data use, or their application cannot proceed.
- Basic anonymized data is retained for research purposes.
Contact and Support
- General fellowship queries: professional.fellowships@cscuk.org.uk
- Immigration queries: immigration@cscuk.org.uk
For broader Commonwealth Scholarships enquiries, use the contact us form on the CSC website.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Who is eligible to apply for the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships?
To be eligible, applicants must:
- Be a citizen or refugee of an eligible Commonwealth country
- Be permanently resident in that country
- Have at least five years of full-time relevant work experience
- Be currently employed and plan to return to their organization
- Not have received a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship in the past five years
- Not be undertaking an academic research programme
2. What expenses does the fellowship cover?
The fellowship covers:
- Round-trip airfare to the UK
- Visa fee reimbursement
- Monthly stipend (£2,104 or £2,612 for London placements)
- Arrival allowance
- Up to £2,000 for courses, conferences, or UK institutional visits
- Disability-related support (if applicable)
3. Can academics apply for this fellowship?
Yes, but only if they are applying for training in academic management roles, not for research or study directly related to their academic field.
4. Can fellows bring family members or dependents?
No, the fellowship does not provide support for accompanying dependents or family travel/stay.
5. Is it possible to extend the fellowship or stay in the UK afterward?
No. Fellows must leave the UK within five days of completing the programme and cannot remain beyond the term of the award. No support letters are provided for visa extensions.
6. What type of visa is required for the fellowship?
Fellows need a Temporary Work – Government Authorised Exchange (GAE) visa. The ACU acts as the sponsor and provides the necessary Sponsor Reference Number (SRN).
7. Can I apply for more than one host organisation programme?
No. You must select and apply to only one host organisation programme that best fits your expertise and development goals.
8. How are fellows selected?
Selections are based on:
- Relevance and quality of your professional background
- Alignment with CSC development themes
- Potential for development impact upon return
- Quality of your personal and impact statements
- References and employer support
- 9. When does the application close?
Applications for the 2026 fellowship close at 4 PM BST on Friday, 22 August.
10. Can the fellowship be undertaken remotely or partially online?
No. All fellowships must be completed in person in the UK, at the specified host organisation, and for the entire duration.
11. What happens if I don’t submit all required documents?
Applications missing required documents such as references, passport scan, or completed forms will be marked ineligible and not reviewed.
12. What if I have a disability?
The CSC offers tailored support to fellows with disabilities. A needs assessment will be conducted, and financial assistance or adjustments may be provided. See the CSC’s disability support statement for more details.
13. Can I defer my fellowship if selected?
Deferrals are typically not permitted. Fellows are expected to participate in the designated year and timeframe.
14. Can I contact the CSC for help with filling the application?
CSC cannot help with individual application writing. General queries should go to:
professional.fellowships@cscuk.org.uk
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