If Chevening is the famous UK government scholarship, Commonwealth Scholarships are the under-applied-for one — and Sri Lanka, as a Commonwealth member, is squarely eligible. They fund full Master’s and PhD study in the UK, with a strong tilt toward development impact.

What they are

Commonwealth Scholarships are funded by the UK government (through the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office) and administered by the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission (CSC). They support students from eligible Commonwealth countries — Sri Lanka included — to study in the UK. The headline awards for Sri Lankan students are:

• check_circle Commonwealth Master's Scholarships — for full-time taught Master's study in the UK
• check_circle Commonwealth PhD Scholarships — for doctoral research at UK universities
• check_circle Commonwealth Shared Scholarships — Master's awards jointly funded with UK universities, aimed at students who couldn't otherwise afford UK study

Awards are typically fully funded: tuition, a living stipend, flights, and other allowances.

Who qualifies

Broadly, you need to be a citizen of (or permanently resident in) an eligible Commonwealth country, hold a strong undergraduate degree (and, for some awards, be unable to afford UK study without funding), and be ready to apply to or hold a place for an eligible UK course. The exact academic bar and conditions vary by scheme — check each one.

How nomination works (this is the key difference)

Unlike a direct scholarship, many Commonwealth awards run through nominating bodies — national agencies, selected universities, or partner organisations that put forward candidates. You usually can’t simply apply alone; you apply through an approved route. For Sri Lankan applicants this often means applying via a national nominating agency or an eligible UK university. Identifying the correct route for your chosen scheme is the first practical step, and the one most people get wrong.

The themes

The CSC organises its awards around development themes (such as health, science and technology, governance, education, and resilience/environment). A competitive application shows clearly how your proposed study maps onto one of these themes and onto a real need in Sri Lanka.

How it compares to Chevening

Both are fully-funded UK government scholarships, so applying for both (where eligible) makes sense. The differences:

• check_circle Chevening: taught Master's only, leadership-focused, direct application, requires work experience
• check_circle Commonwealth: Master's and PhD, development-impact-focused, often via a nominating body, with affordability a factor for some schemes

If you’re a researcher or your goals are development-led, Commonwealth may fit better; if you’re an emerging leader heading into a one-year taught Master’s, Chevening may. Many strong candidates pursue both.

Next steps

The hardest part of a Commonwealth application is simply finding and following the correct nomination route — and starting early enough. Book a free session and we’ll match you to the right scheme, confirm the Sri Lanka route, and help you build a development-focused application that stands out. For other options, browse our scholarships in the UK guide.