qecs for international students

Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship For International Students | 2023/2024 Academic Year

The online application for Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship for International Students for the 2023-2024 Academic Year has just begun. See the application details and other requirements in this article.

Are you a graduate scholar seeking to further your education? Are you having any challenge on how to further you Master’s Degree program due to the cost of school fees? Have you been looking for an opportunity to secure any international scholarship?

I believe one or all of your responses to the above questions is ‘yes’. If it is so, then your opportunity is finally here again. Do not joke with any information that you are going to see in this article.

Applications are specially welcomed from all international students for the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship for International Students for the 2023-2024 falls.

Currently, interested applicants with the required qualifications are advised to start with the application processes as the portal is now open.

This article is suitable guide for those of you who might be having one question or the other about Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship, as you will be well clarified.

It also covers some of the frequently asked questions and answers about the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship. Continue to read this article to the end if you wish to get the full detail about this scholarship opportunity.

Table of Contents

About Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship

Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarship is a special opportunity to enroll in a two-year Master’s degree in low or middle-income country of the Commonwealth.

It is targeted to equip scholars who are dedicated to hard works towards creation of positive impacts in their communities. The scholarship is a life-transformation avenue where beneficiaries will socialize with other countries with different cultural backgrounds, to broaden horizons, and to establish a lifetime global network.

The global cultural exchange and academic collaboration engendered by the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholars has helped in no small way in giving rise to great positive changes that proffer solutions to challenges faced by some remote countries and world at large.

As an active part of the Commonwealth network, scholars would help shape their future through the knowledge acquired during the period of the programme.

There are two application cycles to cover the academic years which start at different times across the globe, with some taking place July – October and others between January – February. 

Eligible Countries for Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship

To be eligible for the application of the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship for international students for 2023 – 2024 academic year, you must be a citizen of any of the Common Wealth countries.

The common wealth countries are made up of 54 independent countries. They include the following:

Africa

Botswana, Gambia, Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, Kingdom of Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Seychelles, sierra Leone, south Africa, Uganda, United Republic of Tanzania, Zambia.   

Asia

Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, India, Malaysia, Maldives, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka

Caribbean Americas     

Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, The, Barbados, Belize, Canada, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis, St Vincent and Grenadine, Trinidad and Tobago

Europe

Cyprus, Malta, United Kingdom

Pacific

Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Island, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu

See also: Eligible Countries for Chevening Scholarship

Universities Hosting Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship for 2022-2023

The following universities are the recognized institutions that host the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship for the 2022-2023 academic year.

  • University of South Pacific, Fiji
  • Papua New Guinea University of Technology
  • North-West University, South Africa
  • Rhodes University
  • Stellenbosch University
  • University of Johannesburg
  • University of Pretoria (UP)
  • University of Venda
  • University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
  • University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Applicants can make their applications into the above listed institutions.

Courses Available for Application for Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship

The following are the list of two-year Masters’ Degree courses that applicants can select from for their studies:

University of the South Pacific

Available courses:

MA Applied Linguistics
MA Development Studies
MA Diplomacy & International Affairs
MA Environmental Management
MA Geography
MA Governance
MA History
MA Journalism
MA Linguistics
MA Literature
MA Major in Education
MA Marine Management
MA Mathematics
MA Pacific Studies
MA Politics/ International Affairs
MA Psychology
MA Social Policy
MA Sociology
Master of Agriculture (by thesis)
Master of Commerce in Accounting (by thesis)
Master of Commerce in Economics
Master of Commerce in Official Statistics
Master of Commerce in Population Studies & Demography
Master of Commerce in Professional Accounting
Master of Education
Master of Environmental Law
Master of Law
MSc Biology
MSc Chemistry
MSc Computing Science
MSc Earth Science
MSc Engineering
MSc Environmental Science
MSc Geospatial Science
MSc Information Systems
MSc Marine Science
MSc Mathematics
MSc Physics

Check also: York University Tentanda Via Awards For International Students In Canada

Papua New Guinea University of Technology

Available courses:

MSc Agriculture
MSc Applied Physics
MTech Exploration Geophysics
MEng Civil Engineering
MEng Mechanical Engineering
Master of Engineering in Communication Engineering
MCS Master of Communication Studies

Check also: USTC Scholarship China 2023 | Fully Funded

North-West University

Available courses:

MA Positive Psychology
Master of Consumer Sciences
Master of Health Sciences in Cardiovascular Physiology
Master of Health Sciences in Clinical Psychology
Master of Health Sciences in Counselling Psychology
Master of Health Sciences in Health Professions Education
Master of Health Sciences in Human Movement Sciences
Master of Health Sciences in Occupational Hygiene
Master of Health Sciences in Psychology
Master of Health Sciences in Recreation Science
Master of Health Sciences in Research Psychology
Master of Health Sciences in Transdisciplinary Health Promotion
Master of Nursing Science
Master of Social Work
Master of Social Work in Child Protection
Master of Social Work in Forensic Practice
MPharm Pharmacy Practice
MSc Dietetics
MSc Nutrition
MSc Pharmaceutical Chemistry
MSc Pharmaceutical Sciences
MSc Pharmaceutics
MSc Pharmacology

Check the school official website for entry requirements

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

Check also: University Of Alberta International Scholarship Award

Rhodes University

Courses are available in the following areas:

MSc Science courses
MA Humanities courses
MCOM Commerce courses
LLM Law
MPharm Pharmacy
Masters Education

Check the school official website for entry requirements. 

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

Apply for: Robert Gordon University International Scholarship in UK | RGU Sports International Scholarship – 2023

Stellenbosch University

Available courses:

MEng Process Engineering
MPhil Peadiatrics
MPhil Infectious Diseases

Check the school official website for entry requirements

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

Apply for: University Of Calabria International Scholarship – A.Y. 2023/2024

University of Johannesburg

Courses available in the following departments:

Health and Life Sciences
Physical Sciences
Engineering and Mathematics Accountancy and Finance
Social sciences
Arts and Humanities

Check university website for course information and entry requirements.

University of Pretoria (UP)

Available courses

Master Research courses and not coursework

Visit the UP website for further information.

Applicants are required to submit a university application before their scholarship application.

University of Venda

Courses available in the following departments:

Health sciences
Management, Commerce and Law
Humanities, Social Science and Education
Science, Engineering and Agriculture

Check the school website for more information.

Entry requirements

Minimum 65% grade average in previous degree.

See also: Microsoft Cloud & Data Scholarship | 210 International Scholarship Awards For 2023

University of Colombo

Available courses:

MSc Molecular Life Sciences
MSc Cellular and Molecular Immunology

Entry requirements: 

Bachelors degree in Biological Sciences, Medicine, Dental Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Agricultural Sciences and an online selection test.

There is a cost associated with this test that will not be covered by the ACU. There is a cost associated with this test that will not be covered by the ACU. QECS applicants are eligible for a 50% discount and will need to pay USD 15. Contact the University of Colombo if you have any questions. 

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

University of Sri Jayewardenepura

Available courses:

Master of Business Administration

Entry requirements: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent qualification and three years of managerial experience.

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

General Requirements for the Application of Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship

As you have been informed earlier, the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship is open for all citizens of the common wealth countries.

Notwithstanding, application coming from any of these nations shall be considered only if the applicant meets the necessary requirements for the scholarship.

In line with this, the necessary requirements for the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship for the 2023-2024 academic year are given below:

  • Citizenship: All the applicants of the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship must come from any of the 54 independent common wealth countries. Refer to the eligible country section above.
  • Language Test: The Association of the Common Wealth Universities does not have a single language test to qualify any applicant for the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship.

The choice of which English Language Proficiency Test to use is dependent on the particular University that the applicant is applying to. Once you have made your choice of institution, kindly go to the University’s website for their language requirements.

  • Class of Degree: Applicant of the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth scholarship must be a scholar who has graduated with at least a Second Class Upper Division (2:1) in a recognized university.
  • Duration of Study: Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship is only meant for students who would be willing to take a two-year Masters’ Degree programme in the common Wealth countries.

Areas of Special Consideration for Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship

The final selection for the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship is being carried out by the set selection committee and the major criteria to be considered for every applicant are as follow:

  • Academic history/references
  • Plan of Study
  • Development Impact and Post Study Outreach
  • Creating Networks

Once a candidate’s application is able pass the required test through the above areas of interest, the scholarship will be offered to the applicant.

Documents Required for the Application for QECS

During the application processes, a candidate would be required to submit some write-ups and documents. Those documents needed for the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth scholarship include the following:

  • A well written Personal Statement
  • A well-written Motivational Statement
  • Two detailed References from your two referees respectively
  • A clearly-written statement of purpose for the application for the course and the institutions chosen.
  • Official transcript from the institution you obtained a particular degree
  • Plus any other supporting documents as may be required by the host universities.

Note: All write-ups and documents to be submitted must be original. Any case of forgery or copied content will automatically disqualify the candidate for the scholarship.

How to Apply for Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship

After you have gone through the application requirements and you possess all the needed qualifications, you can now proceed to the application procedures as shown below:

  • To apply for any Common Wealth Scholarship, you must first of all create a MyACU account.
  • After you have created the account, you click HERE to access the scholarship application form.
  • To register for the MyACU account, click on Create Account
  • After which, you can proceed with the application by following the guidelines on the application portal.

Apply for: Chevening Scholarship UK – 2023/2024

Worth of Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship

Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship covers the following:

  • Fully-funded tuition fees
  • Living expenses allowance (stipend) for duration of award
  • Return economy flights to their host country
  • An arrival allowance
  • Research support grant – on request only; subject to approval
  • The amount for your allowances will be included in your letter of award.

Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship Application Deadline

Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship application starts on the 1st April, 2023 and ends on the 24th May, 2023. All the applications for the 2023/2024 Queen Elizabeth Common wealth scholarship must be submitted on or before the stipulated deadline. Remember that they will not be extension of the application period.

See also: How to secure Admission and Study Abroad | No IELTS Required

Answer to Some Frequently Asked questions About Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship

A lot of scholars are interested in the Common wealth Scholarship for every year and have been asking so many questions about the scholarship. In this section, I am going to take time answer some of the questions that pertain to many challenges faced by applicants of the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship (QECS).

Some of the questions and their respective answers are as follow:

What is the Maximum Age Limit for the Application of the QECS?

Age is not a criterion for consideration for the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship. Applicants of all ages are accepted as long as he/she is willing to take the two-year Master’s degree programme.

Does Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship Require IELTS, TOEFL or TOEIC Test?

Test of Proficiency in English Language will be according to the university choice; they can choose to use anyone of the tests and they can also decide not to make use of any test. Go to the official website of your selected institution for their English Language requirements.

Can One Person Submit More than One Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship Application Per Year?

Most times, applicants do not want to “put their eggs in one basket”, thereby asking this kind of question to know if they can submit the QECS application in multiple universities.

The answer to this question is YES. You can submit more than one application but more than one application should not be submitted to one university. You can send your applications as many as you want to other common wealth countries and host universities.

Note that if more than one application is sent to the same university, only the first application would be considered valid.

Also, any statement used for one university should not be copied for another application.

Does Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship Cover Doctoral Programmes?

No, the scholarship is design only for master’s degree programmes.

Can Undergraduate Students Apply for Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship?

The scholarship is not for Undergraduate programmes; it is strictly for Master’s Degree Scholars. In line with this, no undergraduate student is expected to apply for the scholarship, even if the person is in final year of the Bachelor’s Degree Programme.

What is the Duration of the QECS Award?

The award expires immediately after the Two-Year Master’s Degree programme without any extension. Only students who are willing to enroll in 2-year master’s degree programme should apply.

Will I Be Allowed to Continue with another Programme After the Two-year programme?

The answer is NO. You would be required to return to your home country immediately after your two-year master’s degree programme in the common country.

Is Beneficiary of Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship Allowed to Apply another Scholarship?

Yes, recipients are allowed to apply other funding opportunities. This is for the sake of those expenses that may not be covered by the QECS. Note that you must seek the approval of Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship, CSFP Unit, before the acceptance of any other scholarship.

What is the Application Fee for Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship?

The application of the QECS is absolutely free of charge, but some host universities may demand application fees. This will only be between the applicant and the chosen universities as the award will not cover any application fee.

Can One Apply to Study in Country of Origin?

The answer is NO. To apply for Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship, you must be willing to travel abroad, out of your country of origin, to take the 2-year Master’s Degree programme.

When should I Apply for Admission to My Chosen University?

Admission to your chosen university is done alongside with the application for the QECS scholarship

Is Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship Going to Cover Accommodation Fee?

The scholarship is a fully-funded type, so it is going to cover your accommodation in your chosen University.

Will Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship Cover Flight Tickets?

The answer is YES. QECS will prepare your flight ticket only when they have confirmed the receipt of your Visa.

How Many Persons will be Selected for Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship?

The number of the expected recipient of the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship has not been stated yet.

How Do I Know when I Am Offered the Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship?

All successful recipients of the QECS shall receive a notification of the award via email.

For further information about admission into your chosen universities, kindly visit the institutions’ official webpages.

With the information provided in this article, I believe that you now know what it takes to Apply for Queen Elizabeth Common Wealth Scholarship for International Students.

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