The Commonwealth Academic Fellowships offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom for citizens of developing Commonwealth countries in 2014-2015. Separate programs and prospectuses exist for the Common wealth Scholarships, scholarships offered by distance learning and on a shared funding basis, and for short mid-career professional fellowships offered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission. These fellowships are funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID).
The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission’s Secretariat is provided
by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), which is
responsible for all matters concerning selection, academic studies, and evaluation. The British Council is responsible for supporting award holders in their home countries before and after their awards. The deadline for applications is 3 December 2013.
Study Subject:
The purpose of the Academic Fellowships is to provide an opportunity for Fellows to network and update knowledge and skills related to their academic subject and responsibilities.
Eligiblity:
To apply for a Commonwealth Academic Fellowship, candidates should:
- Be Commonwealth citizens, refugees, or British protected persons
- Be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country
- Be available to commence their Fellowship in the United Kingdom on 1 September 2014. Any other start date will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances
- Have been employed for at least five years as an academic staff member of a university in a developing Commonwealth country
- Be in the employment of the nominating university
- Hold a doctorate
- For awards to enhance clinical skills in the fields of medicine and dentistry, have qualified as a doctor or dentist before 1 October 2004.
Scholarship Purpose and Tenure:
Awards are tenable at any approved UK university or higher education institution. The purpose of the Academic Fellowships is to provide an opportunity for Fellows to network and update knowledge and skills related to their academic subject and responsibilities.
Awards are tenable for three months. A small number of awards may be granted for collaborative research which is already underway between a Fellow’s employing institution and an institution in the UK. These may be made for a tenure of up to six months.
Scholarship Value:
Each Fellowship provides:
- Approved airfare to the United Kingdom and return on expiry of the Fellowship (the cost of journeys made before final award confirmation will not normally be reimbursed, nor can fares be paid for a Fellow’s dependant)
- A research support grant fixed according to subject
- A personal maintenance allowance at the rate of £1,467 per month (£1,819 per month for those studying at institutions in the London Metropolitan area) – rates quoted at 2012-2013 levels
- A grant towards the expenses of preparing reports and other written work
- An initial arrival allowance, incorporating an initial clothing grant for Fellows from tropical countries
- A grant for expenses for approved travel within the United Kingdom or overseas
- Candidates should note that there is no spouse or child allowance available. A Fellow who is widowed, divorced or a lone parent and accompanied by children for whom she/he is solely legally responsible will receive an allowance in respect of the first accompanying child and child allowances for the second and third accompanying children. The level of financial support given towards the costs of family maintenance in the UK is under review and is subject to change in terms of both eligibility and rate availability
selection criteria:
- Academic merit of the candidate
- Quality of the proposal
- Likely impact of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country
How to Apply:
All applications must be made through your nominating university/university body in your home country. You must check with them in the first instance for specific advice on how to make an application and for their own closing date. The CSC cannot accept any applications direct from candidates except for those alumni individually invited to apply for an Academic Fellowship.
The CSC expects all Commonwealth Academic Fellowship to have completed an application form using our Electronic Application System (EAS).
Full help on how to apply using the EAS is provided in our guides, which should be read in full before making any attempt to use the EAS.
The EAS will close to applicants on 3 December 2013 and no further applications can be made after that date.
EAS website: http://cscuk.dfid.gov.uk/apply/eas/applicants/academic-fellowships/
Application Deadline: 3 December 2013.
For further information: Commonwealth Academic Fellowships
