Commonwealth Scholarships 2027/28: Free PK Master’s & PhD

Quick answer: Commonwealth Scholarships 2027/28 are UK government-funded awards for a one-year taught master's or a 36-month PhD at a UK university. Pakistani applicants must apply on both the CSC Central portal and the HEC portal by 20 October 2026. HEC asks for a first-division degree and a HAT score of at least 60. The award covers full tuition, return airfare and a monthly stipend of £1,712 (£2,000 in London).

If you're a Pakistani graduate hoping to study in the UK without paying a rupee in fees, the Commonwealth Scholarship is probably the strongest option you have. It is also one of the easiest to get wrong. You apply twice, through two portals with two different closing times, and HEC adds its own rules on top of the UK ones.

This guide walks through all of it in plain language: who qualifies, what you get, the documents you need, and the exact order in which to apply. Every figure was checked against the official Commonwealth Scholarship Commission and HEC pages.

Last verified: 14 October 2026 · Reviewed by the CareersOz scholarships desk

Commonwealth Scholarships 2027/28 at a Glance

What Is the Commonwealth Scholarship?

The Commonwealth Scholarship is a UK government scholarship for talented people from lower- and middle-income Commonwealth countries who could not otherwise afford to study in Britain. The FCDO pays for it, and the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission runs it under the wider Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan.

The CSC does not accept direct applications for these awards. Every candidate has to be put forward by a nominator. For Pakistan, that nominator is HEC. So HEC first shortlists Pakistani applicants, then sends its nominations to the CSC, and the CSC makes the final selection.

One thing sets this award apart from most others: it is built around development. The CSC wants scholars who will return home and use what they learned to improve something in their country. Every part of your application should show that.

Master's vs PhD: Which Route Fits You?

Pakistan is eligible for both the Commonwealth Master's Scholarship and the Commonwealth PhD Scholarship. They work differently.

A simple rule: if you have a 16-year BS and want to build professional skills quickly, go for the master's. If you already hold an MS or MPhil and have a clear research question, the PhD route is yours.

Pro Tips From Strong Applications

• Start with the impact, then pick the course. Panels can tell when someone chose a course first and invented a reason later.
• Use numbers from Pakistan. Cite a local statistic from a credible source, such as the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics or a provincial department, to show the problem is real.
• Brief your referees. Send each one your study plan and a short note on what to highlight. Ask a current employer to be one of them if you're working.
• Read the official template first. The CSC publishes a master's template form and a PhD template form, so you can see every question before you log in.
• Keep a clean, one-page academic CV handy. You'll reuse it for universities and supervisors. CareersOz's free CV Maker is a quick way to build one.
• Be honest about returning home. Scholars sign an undertaking to return, and switching to a Graduate visa to stay in the UK is not allowed. If your plan is to settle abroad, this is the wrong scholarship.

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships: A Second Route

The Commonwealth Shared Scholarship is a separate master's programme, also open to Pakistanis. UK universities bid for these awards on specific courses and share the cost with the CSC.

The key differences:

• You apply directly to the CSC, with no HEC nomination and no HAT requirement.
• Awards are tied to particular courses at particular universities.
• You must not have studied or worked for one academic year or more in a high-income country.

The 2027/28 Shared Scholarship call had not opened when this guide was last checked. The previous cycle opened in November and closed in early December, so it's worth watching the CSC's scholarship finder from November 2026.

Eligibility for Pakistani Applicants

You have to clear two sets of rules: the CSC's and HEC's. Failing either one ends your application.

CSC requirements

• Be a citizen of Pakistan (or have refugee status) and live permanently in Pakistan.
• By September 2027, hold at least an upper second-class (2:1) first degree, or a lower second plus a relevant postgraduate degree.
• Be available to start in the UK in September 2027.
• Be genuinely unable to afford UK study without this scholarship.
• Upload every required document by the deadline.

There is no age limit. If you are a government employee, though, check whether your department has age rules for study leave.

HEC requirements

HEC's eligibility criteria add a Pakistan-specific layer:

• You must be a Pakistani or AJ&K national and permanent resident. Dual nationals are not eligible.
• Master's: a first-division 16-year bachelor's or master's degree in a relevant field.
• PhD: a first-division 17/18-year MS, MPhil or master's degree in a relevant field.
• No second or third division in your terminal (latest) degree.
• Result-awaiting candidates can apply, but must submit the final degree and transcript before the session starts in 2027.
• Merit is based on your HAT score.

HAT test rules

This is where many applicants slip. Under the 2027-28 HEC announcement:

• You need a HAT score of at least 60 out of 100.
• Only general HAT categories (HAT-I, II, III or IV) count.
• Tests taken on or after 25 October 2024 are valid.
• HAT tests taken for admission to Pakistani universities are not accepted.
• HEC says the test expected on 25 October 2026 is the last one that counts for this cycle. Anything later rolls over to next year.

That last test falls after the 20 October application deadline. If you don't have a valid score yet, submit both applications on time anyway, register for the 25 October test on the ETC portal, and confirm with HEC how and when to add the score.

Who is not eligible

• Dual nationals
• Anyone with a second or third division in their latest degree
• Anyone who has already studied a master's in the UK or held a Commonwealth master's award
• MBA applicants
• Employees or former employees of the UK government, the British Council or the Association of Commonwealth Universities (former staff can apply three years after leaving), and their close relatives in some cases

What the Scholarship Covers

The Commonwealth Scholarship is genuinely fully funded. You pay no part of your tuition, because the CSC settles fees directly with the university. Here is the current package, at the rates the CSC publishes.

Note: Some websites still list older stipend figures (£1,452 or £1,781), a "warm clothing allowance" or a "thesis grant". None of these appear in the current CSC financial-assistance lists. Trust the official pages.

The family allowances are a contribution, not a full living budget. The CSC itself warns that bringing a family to the UK will cost considerably more, so plan your savings honestly.

Required Documents

Everything is uploaded to CSC Central. The CSC will not accept documents by email or post, and a missing document makes the application ineligible.

• Passport or CNIC showing your photo, date of birth and nationality
• Full transcripts for every higher education qualification, with all pages
• To-date transcripts for any course you're currently studying (or a written explanation if unavailable)
• At least two signed references in PDF, on institutional letterhead or as an email that clearly shows the sender's details
• PhD only: a signed supporting statement from a proposed UK supervisor at one of your chosen universities
• Your HAT result card (uploaded on the HEC portal)
• Degree and transcripts as HEC asks for them on its portal

You do not need an admission letter to apply, and the CSC charges no application fee.

Pro tip: Missing transcript pages are one of the most common reasons good applications are thrown out. Scan both sides of every page, including the grading key on the back.

How to Apply From Pakistan: Step by Step

You need two complete applications: one to the CSC and one to HEC. Do them in this order.

1. Shortlist three UK universities and courses. List them in order of preference on the CSC form and explain your choices. If the CSC can't place you at any of the three, the scholarship cannot go ahead. Use the CSC's list of participating UK universities.
2. Apply for admission to those universities yourself. The scholarship does not apply for you. Many courses have their own deadlines, and without an offer the award may fall through.
3. PhD applicants: secure a UK supervisor. Email potential supervisors with a short research summary. You need a signed supporting statement from at least one of them, ideally at your first-choice university.
4. Draft every answer offline first. The CSC itself recommends this. Refreshing the browser loses unsaved work, and you cannot edit after submitting.
5. Register on CSC Central. Go to CSC Central. You'll need a smartphone or a second email for two-factor login. Save the email containing your reference number and 22-character passcode.
6. Complete and submit the CSC form. Upload your documents and references, then submit before 20 October 2026, 16:00 BST.
7. Apply on the HEC portal. Log in at scholarship.hec.gov.pk, choose the Commonwealth Scholarship under foreign scholarships, enter your HAT score and upload your documents before 4:00 PM Pakistan time on 20 October.
8. Keep proof of both submissions. Save confirmation emails and screenshots. Use the "view a submitted application" option on CSC Central to keep a copy.

Warning: the time-zone trap. 16:00 BST is 8:00 PM in Pakistan, but the HEC portal closes at 4:00 PM Pakistan time. HEC effectively closes four hours before the CSC. Submit to HEC first, and don't leave either for the last day: both portals slow down badly near the deadline.

How Applications Are Selected

Selection happens in two stages.

Stage 1 — HEC. HEC checks your eligibility and ranks candidates. Its eligibility page says merit is based strictly on the HAT score, though HEC reserves the right to change the criteria. Top-ranked candidates are nominated to the CSC.

Stage 2 — CSC. A nomination is not a guarantee. The CSC scores nominees on three criteria:

• Your merit, including academic record
• The quality of your study plan or research proposal
• The likely impact of your work on Pakistan's development

The biggest single piece of writing is the development impact statement, which comes in four parts:

1. How your study connects to development issues at global, national and local levels, and to your chosen CSC theme
2. How you will use your new skills after the scholarship
3. What will change because of your work: the outcomes, the timeframe and who benefits
4. How that impact could be measured

You'll also write about your award objectives, your five-year and long-term career plans, a detailed plan of study, a personal statement, and your volunteering and leadership.

Here's what a strong answer looks like in practice. A Faisalabad textile engineer applying for an MSc in Water Engineering might write: "Punjab's textile mills discharge untreated wastewater into canals used for irrigation. After my MSc, I will return to my role at [mill name] and lead the installation of a pilot effluent-recycling unit within 18 months, aiming to cut freshwater use by 20%. I will measure success through monthly water-meter data and lab tests of discharged water." It names a problem, a plan, a timeframe, beneficiaries, and a measure.

Timeline After You Apply

The CSC contacts candidates by email and may withdraw an offer if you don't reply in time. Check your spam and junk folders every week from May 2027 onwards.