Application Deadline: April 25, 2025
The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme 2025 is now accepting applications. Established in honor of His Majesty King Charles III, this initiative offers a unique opportunity for scholars from Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to pursue a PhD in their home country while continuing their professional work.
This pathway allows Fellows to enroll in a PhD program at a university in their home country while receiving additional supervision from a partner institution within the Commonwealth—primarily in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or the United Kingdom. During the fellowship, recipients will participate in study periods and research training sessions at their designated partner institution. Eligible candidates include professionals and academic staff with a master’s degree or equivalent experience who are dedicated to enhancing education, health, climate resilience, or engineering in their local communities.
Fields of Study
The fellowship supports PhD research in the following disciplines:
- Climate Change & Environmental Studies
- Education
- Engineering
- Health Sciences
Fellowship Benefits
Recipients of the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship will receive the following support:
- A total of GBP 30,000 over six years (GBP 5,000 annually) to fund research activities and visits to the assigned partner university.
- A waiver of international tuition fees for study periods at the partner institution.
- Access to research resources such as university libraries and databases, where applicable.
- A GBP 12,000 research grant (GBP 2,000 per year) to support academic work.
- A 20% salary contribution to the fellow’s employer for the duration of the PhD.
- Joint supervision from both the fellow’s home university and a partner university throughout the six-year program.
- Membership in the King’s Fellows cohort, offering professional development training in areas like public speaking, policy engagement, entrepreneurship, and grant writing.
Eligibility Criteria
Applicants must:
- Hold a master’s degree or equivalent experience.
- Be enrolled or about to enrol in a PhD program at an ACU SIDS member university for the 2025/26 academic year.
- Conduct research within one of the four focus areas: Climate Change, Education, Engineering, or Health.
- Be a citizen or hold refugee status in a Commonwealth SIDS country. Eligible nations include:
- Africa: Mauritius, Seychelles
- Asia: The Maldives
- Caribbean & Americas: Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Cayman Islands, Trinidad and Tobago
- Pacific: Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu
Individuals from indigenous communities are strongly encouraged to apply, though this is not a mandatory eligibility requirement.
Application Process
Interested candidates must submit an online application before April 25, 2025, at 13:00 UTC.
For further details, visit King’s Commonwealth Fellowship.
