Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships

Study for a two-year master’s degree at an ACU member university in a low or middle-income country.

Two women wearing colourful fabric around waists stand on a dirt path

The Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS)  offer a unique opportunity to study a two-year Master's degree in a low or middle-income Commonwealth country.

Aimed at students who are committed to creating change in their communities, the scholarships are a life-changing opportunity to experience a new country and culture, to broaden horizons, and to build a global network that will last a lifetime.

Through cultural exchange and academic collaboration, Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholars help bring about positive change and find solutions to the shared challenges we face - both in their home countries and those that host them. As an active part of the Commonwealth network, scholars will help shape its future.

Each year there are two opportunities to apply for QECS – cycle 1 opens in November/December and cycle 2 opens in March/April. You only need to submit one application, but you are welcome to apply more than once if there is another country you are interested in studying in.

What does the scholarship cover?

  • Fully-funded tuition fees
  • Living allowance (stipend) for duration of award
  • Return economy flights to host country
  • One-off arrival allowance
  • Research Support Grant (on request only; subject to approval)

We strongly advise all applicants to read the the application guidance and FAQs pages before starting an application.

Applications for 2025-26 are now open.

20 university students from across the Commonwealth smile and cheer together for a group photo in a park

How to apply

  1. Look through the list of countries and universities hosting scholarships in this cycle.
  2. Visit the relevant university website for more information on your chosen course using the links included below.
  3. Complete and submit a QECS application for your chosen university/course by clicking the ‘Apply now’ button. Once you’ve clicked apply, you’ll be directed to a log in page. If you don't already have a myACU account, click get ‘get started’ in the right hand corner of the page to start your application.
  4. Submit an application to your chosen university for admission to your chosen course.

My research in cellular and molecular medicine wouldn't have been possible without the QECS. I came away with a wealth of knowledge, new collaborators and exciting new ideas.

- QECS alumnus Tolulope Saliu, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

1280Px Flag Of Eswatini.Svg

Eswatini

University of Eswatini

  • MA African Languages and Linguistics
  • MA History
  • MEd Educational Foundations and Management
  • MNSc Family Nurse Practice
  • MSc Agricultural Extension
  • MSc Animal Science
  • MSc Computer Science
  • MSc Food Science and Technology
  • MSc Mathematics
  • MSc Textiles

University entry requirements

 

Minimum entry requirements are an undergraduate degree or its equivalent in a subject area relevant to the master’s programme being applied for.

 

Specific minimum entry requirements may be found in the Special Departmental Regulations in the University Calendar.

 

Other entry requirements can be found in the University Calendar available on the university webpage: uneswa.ac.sz

 

Course start date: 18/08/2025

 

Contact: bodlamini@uneswa.ac.sz

 

Apply now

1920Px Flag Of Jamaica.Svg

Jamaica

University of the West Indies (UWI)

Programmes (across 4 landed campuses)

 

Cave Hill Campus – Barbados

  • LLM Competition Law and Policy
  • MPH Public Health
  • MSc Natural Resource & Environmental Management (Water Resource Management)
  • MSc Gender Studies
  • MSc Social Work

Five Islands Campus – Antigua and Barbuda

  • MA Teaching Exceptional Children
  • MSc Corporate Finance

Mona Campus – Jamaica

  • MA Cultural Studies
  • MSc Biomedical Research
  • MSc Natural Resource Management
  • MSc Social Work
  • MSc Sport Management

St. Augustine Campus – Trinidad and Tobago

  • MSc Aviation Management
  • MSc Data Science
  • MSc Food Science and Technology
  • MSc Renewable Energy Technology
  • MSc Tropical Crop Protection

University entry requirements

 

See the university website for further details of the course entry requirements: uwi.edu

 

Please note, UWI has several international campuses with similar/identical courses. Be sure to check the entry requirements of your desired course on the relevant campus website.

 

Applicants are required to submit a university application at the same time as their scholarship application.

 

Course start date: 24/08/2025

 

Contact: gsr@uwi.edu

 

 

Apply now

Kenya

Kenya

Technical University of Kenya (TUK)

  • MSc Applied Parasitology
  • MSc Computational Chemistry
  • MSc Construction Project Management
  • MSc Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • MSc Food Science and Technology
  • MSc Information and Knowledge Management
  • MSc Land Administration
  • MSc Medical Physics
  • MSc Physics
  • MTech Manufacturing Engineering

University entry requirements

 

Please refer to the university's website for master's degree entry requirements: tukenya.ac.ke

 

Course start date: 01/10/2025

 

Contact: admissions@tukenya.ac.ke

 

 

Apply now

1200Px Flag Of Malaysia.Svg

Malaysia

Universiti Malaya (UM)

The applicant may refer to the website below:
study.um.edu.my/programmes.php

Only courses included in this link will be considered. Applicants must ensure that the course they enter on their applications corresponds to an approved course on the university's website. 

 

Please note that Universiti Malaya will not cover clinical programmes under the Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. 

 

University entry requirements

 

Please refer to the link provided: study.um.edu.my/entry-requirements

 

Applicants are required to submit a university application at the same time as their scholarship application.

 

Course start date: 07/10/2025

 

Contact: study@um.edu.my

 

 

Apply now

 

Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM)

  • MSc Accounting
  • MSc Agribusiness
  • MSc Agricultural Policy
  • MSc Community Education and Development
  • MSc Economics
  • MSc Gender and Development
  • MSc Halal Products Management
  • MSc Management
  • MSc Marketing
  • MSc Social Psychology
  • MSc Sustainable Recreation and Ecotourism
  • MSc Tourism
  • MSc Youth Studies

University entry requirements

 

  • A bachelor’s degree in the field or related fields with a minimum CGPA of 2.750 or equivalent, as accepted by the UPM Senate; or
  • A bachelor’s degree in the field or related fields with range CGPA of 2.500 to CGPA 2.749 can be accepted subject to rigorous internal assessment by Faculty/School/Institute; or
  • A bachelor’s degree in the field or related fields or equivalent with a range of CGPA 2.000 to CGPA 2.499, can be accepted subject to:

    i) A minimum of 5 years working experience in the relevant field.

    ii) Rigorous internal assessment by Faculty/School/Institute.
  • Candidates without a related qualification in the field/s or working experience in the relevant fields must undergo appropriate prerequisite courses determined by the Faculty/School/Institute and meet the minimum CGPA; or
  • An applicant who is in the final semester of his bachelor study programme may be considered for provisional admission subject to his current CGPA or its equivalent satisfies the master’s degree programme admission requirements; and
  • Fulfil other requirements specified by the Faculty/School/Institute for each programme.

Applicants are required to submit a university application at the same time as their scholarship application.

 

Course start date: 30/09/2025

 

Contact: pg_admission@upm.edu.my

 

 

Apply now

1920Px Flag Of Tanzania.Svg

Tanzania

State University of Zanzibar (SUZA)

  • MBA in Finance
  • MEd Youth Gender and Development
  • MSc Chemistry
  • MSc Information Technology
  • MSc Natural Resource Management and Climate Change

University entry requirements

 

Please refer to the university's website for master's degree entry requirements: suza.ac.tz

 

Applicants are required to submit a university application at the same time as their scholarship application.

 

Course start date: 15/10/2025

 

Contact: abdalla.ibrahim@suza.ac.tz

 

 

Apply now

Uganda Flag

Uganda

Makerere University

Applicants are required to submit a university application at the same time as their scholarship application.

 

Course start date: 15/08/2025

 

Contact: drgt@rgt.mak.ac.ug

 

 

Apply now

More information

Meet the scholars