We are excited to announce that applications are now open for the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP) PhD Fellowships.
The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme, inspired by His Majesty King Charles III and his life’s work to create opportunity and to tackle contemporary challenges including climate change and inequality, has been developed in response to urgent economic, social and environmental development challenges affecting Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
The PhD Fellowships are open to academic staff and professionals from Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS) with Master’s level or equivalent experience, who wish to undertake a PhD in any of the following subject areas:
- Climate change/environment
- Education
- Engineering and
- Health
The PhD Fellowships are aimed at individuals who wish to undertake a PhD programme in their home country alongside work, and who are committed to advancing engineering, education, health or sustainability and climate resilience in their communities.
Fellows will enrol in a PhD programme in their home country in the SIDS alongside working, and receive joint supervision from a dedicated partner university elsewhere across the Commonwealth (mainly Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom), where they will attend periods of study and/or research methods training. Candidates will join a cohort of prestigious ‘King’s Fellows’, accessing a broad academic network of knowledge and expertise, and the opportunity to create lasting connections across the Commonwealth whilst giving back to their local community.
The Fellowship will support each successful recipient with the following:
- GBP 30,000 over 6 years (GBP 5,000 per year) to support research and research visits to the appointed partner university (in Australia, Canada, New Zealand or United Kingdom) and a waiver of international tuition fees if they would be charged.
- Where available and applicable, access to resources such as the library of the partner university or databases on a case-by-case basis.
- GBP 12,000 research support grant (GBP 2,000 per year).
- 20% salary contribution to the employer of the PhD candidate over the 6 years.
- Dedicated joint PhD supervisors from the partner university and SIDS home university for the whole duration of the 6-year long Fellowship.
- Access as a member of the ‘King’s Fellows’ cohort to training to support continued professional development and learn relevant skills, such as communication, engaging with policy makers, entrepreneurship, public speaking and applying for research funding.
The ACU is designing and delivering the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme, bringing its decades of expertise managing international scholarship and fellowship schemes, with the generous support of KCFP Founding Member, the Khalili Foundation.
Professor Colin Riordan, Secretary General of the ACU comments: ‘The King's Commonwealth Fellowship Programme PhD pathway offers a unique opportunity for talented individuals from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to undertake a PhD Fellowship.
Upskilling university academic staff based at SIDS universities and ‘training the trainers’ of future generations of researchers and key workers is vital to the economies and future well-being, resilience, and prosperity of SIDS, building long-term sustainable capacity in country and meeting local needs and priorities.
We are excited to be running this programme enabling bright minds to develop their careers, tackle urgent development challenges facing their communities, and strengthen research capacity in Commonwealth Island nations.’
Dr Alan Shepard, President and Vice-Chancellor, Western University, Canada added: ‘Western University is proud to be a partner in the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme and to join this coalition of forward-thinking universities dedicated to empowering individuals and communities.
We look forward to supporting scholars from Commonwealth Small Island Developing States in learning, collaborating, and building long-term capacity in their regions.
As a global institution, Western is committed to educating global citizens, interdisciplinary research that addresses the most pressing challenges of our time, and contributing to collaborative environmental, social, and economic initiatives aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, such as the KCFP.’
Professor NII-K Plange, Dean, Centre for Graduate Studies, Fiji National University (FNU), comments: ‘FNU participation in the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme demonstrates and enhances its role and place as the leading dual sector university and a centre of excellence in providing relevant training in higher education and vocational and skills for the nation and region.’
More information
- Applications for the KCFP PhD Fellowships close at 13:00 on 25 April 2025.
- For further information including eligibility, frequently asked questions and to apply, please visit this page.
About King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP)
Inspired by His Majesty King Charles III, The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme is an ambitious interdisciplinary three-part initiative offering fellowships for mid-career professionals, undergraduate scholarships, and PhDs. Delivered together, these three strands will enable sustained short, medium and long-term impact for Commonwealth SIDS and their communities. Find out more.
About the Khalili Foundation
Over the past three decades, the Khalili Foundation has enabled peacebuilding through Art, Culture and Education and has become a global leader in promoting interfaith and intercultural relations. The Foundation has supported and driven a number of internationally recognised projects that use the power of art, culture and education to bring people together and to build harmonious societies. Find out more
Participating SIDS home universities:
- Fiji National University
- The University of Fiji
- The University of the South Pacific
- Divine Word University (Papua New Guinea)
- Papua New Guinea University of Technology
- University of Papua New Guinea
- National University of Samoa
- American University of Barbados School of Medicine
- Galen University (Belize)
- University of Belize
- University College of the Cayman Islands
- Texila American University (Guyana)
- University of Guyana
- Caribbean Maritime University
- The University of the West Indies
- Saint James School of Medicine (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines)
- University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS, Saint Kitts and Nevis)
- Avid College (Maldives)
- Maldives National University
- Villa College (Maldives)
- Open University of Mauritius
- University of Mauritius
- University of Technology Mauritius
- University of Seychelles
Partner universities:
- University of Edinburgh (UK)
- University of Glasgow (UK)
- University of Southampton (UK)
- University of the West of Scotland (UK)
- Heriot Watt University (UK)
- University of Bristol (UK)
- University of Oxford (Kellogg College, UK)
- SOAS University of London (UK)
- University of Birmingham (UK)
- Cardiff University (UK)
- King’s College, London (UK)
- Lancaster University (UK)
- Newcastle University (UK)
- Swansea University (UK)
- University of Liverpool (UK)
- University of Bath (UK)
- Macquarie University (AUS)
- Griffith University (AUS)
- University of New South Wales (AUS)
- University of Sydney (AUS)
- Murdoch University (AUS)
- Western University (CAN)
- Lincoln University (NZ)
- University of Canterbury (NZ)