About the scheme

The scholarships – formerly known as Commonwealth Scholarships in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICS) – were rebranded as Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships at the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in London.

The first Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholars will begin their study starting in 2019, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the Commonwealth and the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP).

How are the scholarships funded?

The scheme is funded through the CSFP Endowment Fund, an inter-governmental fund managed by the ACU. This ensures that Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships will continue to support young scholars not only for this generation, but for generations to come.

Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships are designed to complement existing Commonwealth Scholarships offered by countries for inward mobility (e.g. The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK offers awards for Commonwealth citizens in the UK).

Both Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships and Commonwealth Scholarships fall under the CSFP. Read more about the CSFP here.

Why are Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships important?

Commonwealth Scholarships are one of the Commonwealth's most widely recognised brands. The Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships ensure that scholarships are also hosted in low and middle income countries, helping to strengthen capacity and build bridges through mobility and research collaboration across and beyond the Commonwealth.

The scholarships help fulfil our commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), directly contributing towards SDG 4.B by expanding the number of scholarships available to developing countries, and offer an innovative mechanism for supporting south-south and north-south mobility.