Commonwealth Professional Fellowships

The Commonwealth Professional Fellowships provide mid-career professionals from low and middle-income Commonwealth countries the opportunity to spend time at a UK host organization. This program focuses on professional development in their respective sectors, aiming to enhance knowledge, skills, and workplace impact.

📖 About Commonwealth Professional Fellowships

Purpose

The Fellowships aim to:

• Enhance knowledge and skills in the Fellow's sector.
• Create catalytic effects on their workplaces.

Intended Beneficiaries

• Mid-career professionals with at least five years of relevant work experience.
• Professionals working in organizations in low and middle-income Commonwealth countries.

Development Themes

The Fellowships are offered under six key 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 response to crises.
• Access, inclusion, and opportunity.

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC) is committed to equal opportunity and encourages applications from diverse candidates, including those with disabilities.

🏢 Host Organization Programmes

Various UK-based organizations host bespoke programs for Fellows. Below are some highlights:

Bees for Development

• Focus: Beekeeping as an income-generating activity in developing Commonwealth countries.
• Impact: Fellows will support marginalized sectors like beekeeping and catalyze organizations to enhance this sector.

British Geological Survey

• Focus: Training in modern geochemistry laboratories and scientific outputs.
• Impact: Fellows will gain skills in laboratory capability, data presentation, and experimental planning.

Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council

• Focus: Digital services and transferable concepts for developing countries.
• Impact: Fellows will develop short and long-term programs to apply these concepts in their home countries.

Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust

• Focus: Community-based mental health services.
• Impact: Fellows will enhance clinical expertise and strengthen management teams in their home countries.

Knowledge for Change

• Focus: Adolescent mental health in low- and middle-income countries.
• Impact: Fellows will implement pilot interventions to improve adolescent mental health.

Lancaster University

• Focus: Eco-innovation and entrepreneurial thinking.
• Impact: Fellows will champion eco-innovation and create roadmaps for sustainable development.

Lifegate Outreach Centre

• Focus: Migration literacy, entrepreneurship, and climate resilience.
• Impact: Fellows will lead awareness campaigns and support local businesses to reduce migration-related vulnerabilities.

Tackle

• Focus: Using football to address HIV and sexual health in Africa.
• Impact: Fellows will enhance their skills to expand the program's reach and impact.

🎁 Benefits of Commonwealth Professional Fellowships

Each Fellowship provides:

• Return airfare from the Fellow’s home country to the UK.
• Visa application fee reimbursement.
• Monthly stipend:
  • £2,104 per month.
  • £2,612 per month for organizations in the London metropolitan area.
• Arrival allowance of up to £1,183.20, including warm clothing.
• Disability support: Full assessment and additional financial support if needed.
• Up to £2,000 per Fellow for short courses, conferences, or travel integral to the program.

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To qualify, applicants must:

• Be a citizen or permanent resident of an eligible Commonwealth country.
• Have at least five years of relevant work experience.
• Be employed at the time of application and return to their organization after the Fellowship.
• Provide two references, one from their current employer.
• Not have undertaken a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship in the last five years.
• Not be seeking to undertake an academic research program.
• Be available to start the Fellowship on the prescribed date.

Eligible Countries

• Africa: Botswana, Cameroon, Eswatini, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Tanzania, 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.

🗓️ Application Process

Key Dates

• Application Deadline: 22 August 2025 (4 PM BST).

How to Apply

1. Complete the Professional Fellowship Application Form.
2. Provide:
   • Academic qualifications.
   • Employment history.
   • Development impact statement (4 parts).
   • Personal statement (up to 500 words).
   • References (at least two).
   • Passport or national identity card scan.

Development Impact Statement

Applicants must:

1. Explain how their Fellowship aligns with one of the six CSC development themes.
2. Outline how they will apply their new skills post-Fellowship.
3. Describe expected development outcomes and beneficiaries.
4. Propose methods to measure the impact of their work.

🌟 Additional Information

For more details, visit the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships page.

This is a fully-funded opportunity to enhance your professional skills, contribute to your sector, and create meaningful change in your home country. Don’t miss this chance to make an impact!

• Approved return airfare from the Fellow’s home country to the UK.
• Reimbursement of the standard visa application fee.
• Stipend (living allowance) payable monthly (or pro rata) for the duration of the award at the rate of £2,104 per month, or £2,612 per month for those at organisations in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2024/25 levels).
• If a Fellow declares a disability, a full assessment of needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered by the CSC.
• Arrival allowance of up to £1,183.20 (rates quoted at 2024/25 levels), including an element for warm clothing.
• A maximum of £2,000 per Fellow can be agreed by host organisations for short courses/conferences as well as travel to visit other UK organisations where this forms an integral part of the programme.