Apply now open for the Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program

Applications for the 2024/2025 Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program are now available. The program is designed for mid-career professionals from low and middle income countries to participate in a professional development program at a UK host organization within their sector.

The main goal of the Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program is to provide professionals with the chance to improve their knowledge and skills in their specific sector, ultimately leading to positive impacts in their workplaces.

The target beneficiaries of these Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program are mid-career professionals with at least five years of relevant work experience, working in organizations in low and middle income Commonwealth countries.

These Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program are structured around six key development themes, including science and technology for development, strengthening health systems and capacity, promoting innovation and entrepreneurship, strengthening global peace, security and governance, enhancing resilience and response to crises, and promoting access, inclusion, and opportunity.

Benefits of the Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program

1. The benefits of each Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program include:
– Approved return airfare from the Fellow’s home country to the UK.
– Reimbursement of the standard visa application fee.
– Monthly stipend (living allowance) of £2,057 per month, or £2,553 per month for those in the London metropolitan area.
– Full assessment of needs and eligibility for additional financial support for Fellows with disabilities.
– Arrival allowance of up to £1,156.60, including an element for warm clothing.
– Up to £3,000 for short courses/conferences and travel to other UK organizations, subject to guidelines on claimable costs.

Eligible countries for the Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program

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,

1. Fellow Qualifications – Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program

In order to qualify for these Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program, potential Fellows must meet the following criteria:

– Hold citizenship in or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country, or be a British Protected Person
– Reside permanently in an eligible Commonwealth country
– Possess a minimum of five years’ full-time, or equivalent part-time, relevant work experience in a profession related to the Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program’s subject by the proposed start date – voluntary work experience will not be considered towards this requirement
– Be employed at the time of application by an organization to which they will return upon completion of the Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program
– Submit at least two references, with one being from their current employer. Applications without received references by the closing date will be deemed ineligible.
– Have not participated in a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program within the past five years (at the time of receiving the award)
– Not intend to pursue an academic research or study program. Academics can apply for the scheme, but only for academic management programs, not research or courses related to their research subject
– Be available to begin their fellowship from the specified start date.

Application for the Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program

• Apply for a Commonwealth Professional Fellowship here. Applications will close on Monday 5 August.
• The 2025 Commonwealth Professional Fellowship Program is aimed at professionals whose work supports the CSC’s six development themes.
• Fellowships will be tenable for between six weeks and three months starting from February 2025.

• For details Visit the Official Webpage of the Commonwealth Professional Fellowship
• For any enquiries email [email protected]
• Deadline is August 5, 2024