Are you a mid-career professional from a low- or middle-income country looking to boost your knowledge and skills in your sector while making a significant impact on your workplace? If so, the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships offer an excellent opportunity for you!
About Commonwealth Professional Fellowships
The Commonwealth Professional Fellowships aim to empower mid-career professionals by providing them with the chance to work in a UK host organization and participate in a comprehensive program of professional development. These fellowships are fully-funded, presenting a golden opportunity for professionals from eligible countries to pursue growth and excellence in their respective fields.
The Purpose of Commonwealth Professional Fellowships
The primary focus of the 2023/24 round of Commonwealth Professional Fellowships is on Clean Energy, Air, and Oceans. These fellowships are designed to provide professionals with an avenue to enhance their expertise in their chosen fields and bring about transformative effects in their professional environments.
Fellowship Details
- Sponsor: Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, UK
- Host Institution: UK host organization
- Fellowship Worth: Fully-funded
- Number of Awards: Several
- Study Level: Mid-career professionals
- Nationality: Open to citizens of eligible Commonwealth countries
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships, applicants must meet the following conditions:
- Citizenship: Applicants should be citizens of an eligible Commonwealth country or have been granted refugee status. British Protected Persons are also eligible.
- Residency: Permanent residency in an eligible Commonwealth country is a must.
- Work Experience: At least five years of full-time or equivalent part-time relevant work experience in a profession related to the subject of the Fellowship is required. Voluntary work experience will not be considered.
- Employment: Applicants must be currently employed by an organization they plan to return to after completing the Fellowship.
- References: Providing at least two references is mandatory, with one of them being from the applicant’s current employer.
- Previous Fellowships: Applicants should not have undertaken a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship within the last five years.
- Academic Programs: While academics are eligible to apply, they must only seek to undertake programs of academic management, not research or courses relevant to their research subject.
- Availability: Applicants must be available to start and complete their fellowship within the prescribed dates.
Eligible Countries
The following countries are eligible for the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships:
Bangladesh, Belize, Botswana, Cameroon, Dominica, Eswatini, Fiji, Gabon, The Gambia, Ghana, Grenada, Guyana, India, Jamaica, Kenya, Kiribati, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Montserrat, Mozambique, Namibia, Nauru, Nigeria, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, St Helena, St Lucia, St Vincent and The Grenadines, Samoa, Sierra Leone, Solomon Islands, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Togo, Tonga, Tuvalu, Uganda, Vanuatu, Zambia.
Application Procedures
For prospective applicants interested in the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships, the application process is as follows:
- Online Application: Complete the online application form and provide all required information before the application deadline.
- Fellowship Duration: Fellowships are tenable for a period of six weeks to three months, commencing in February 2024.
- Thematic Areas: All fellowships in the 2023/24 round are in the approved thematic areas. Applicants must be professionals working on related issues.
- Application Form Requirements: The application form will require applicants to:
- List all undergraduate and postgraduate university qualifications, if applicable.
- List up to 10 publications and prizes, if applicable.
- Provide details of employment history and explain the relevance of each job to the proposed fellowship in the UK (up to 100 words per employment).
- Submit a statement on how previous work experience is relevant to the proposed fellowship (up to 300 words).
- List names and positions of up to three referees qualified to comment on the applicant’s capacity to benefit from the fellowship in the UK and deliver development impact afterward. One of the referees must be the applicant’s current employer.
- Provide a Development Impact statement in 4 parts, including an explanation of how the proposed Fellowship relates to:
- Reducing reliance on fossil fuels, lowering rates of air pollution, or promoting marine conservation in alignment with the aims of COP 26 and SDGs 7, 13, and 14.
- Addressing development issues at the global, national, and local levels.
- Tackling development issues related to the theme of climate change and the wider sector.
Application Deadline
The deadline for submitting applications for the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships is 16th August 2023.
Commonwealth Professional Fellowships Portal
For comprehensive information about the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships, including detailed application requirements and additional resources, we encourage you to visit the official website. Discover the exciting opportunities that await you and take the first step towards an extraordinary research career.
Commonwealth Professional Fellowships Latest Update
This portal frequently posts the latest information regarding the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships. Stay informed by revisiting this page regularly for updates on the admission process.
Should any changes occur, we recommend bookmarking this page and checking for updates. We will promptly provide you with the most up-to-date information. If you have any inquiries about the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships 2024/2025, kindly leave a comment below, and we will respond to your query.
Wrapping Up
By following these guidelines and presenting an exceptional application, mid-career professionals can seize the opportunity of a lifetime with the Commonwealth Professional Fellowships and advance both their careers and the pursuit of a sustainable future.
