Funding your post-graduate education in South Africa is quite expensive. But luckily enough, many financial aid options like the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS) are available to help you out.
The scholarship offers you a unique opportunity to study a two-year Master’s degree in a low or middle-income Commonwealth country.
About the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships
The Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships are targeted at students who are dedicated to making significant change in their communities.
The scholarships will give you a chance to have many new experiences in a foreign country. You’ll be exposed to a whole new culture and people from many other nationalities.
This will help you to build a global network that will be very useful to you in the future.
Through this cultural exchange program, Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholars are given the chance to change the world by actively working to find solutions to solve the many challenges we face as people.
Here are some of the benefits these scholarships come with:
- Fully-funded tuition fees
- Living allowance
- Return economy flights to your host country
- One-off arrival allowance
- Research Support Grant (on request only; subject to approval)
Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships Application Form
Before you begin with the application process, you will have to look through the list of countries and universities that are in partnership with these scholarships this year.
You can find out if your intended university is included by checking the official university website for more information.
Once you have that sorted out, you can go on and begin with your application process.
You will be required to complete and submit a QECS application form for your chosen university/course by visiting the official scholarship portal.
To start the process and access the form, click on the ‘Apply now’ button. You’ll then be directed to a log in page where you can either log in or create a new account.
If you don’t have a myACU account, you can create a new one by clicking on ‘Get Started’ in the top right corner of the page to begin your application.
Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships Requirements
For an applicant from a Commonwealth country to be eligible for this scholarship opportunity, you must meet the following requirements:
- You can be of any age to apply. There is no upper age limit to be eligible for a QECS Award.
- You must have completed your undergraduate degree. Final year students are not acceptable.
- You must have a minimum of 2:1 (or equivalent) at undergraduate level.
- Your program must have a two-year duration because the scholarships will only cover you for two years.
- You must be enrolled for full-time study only.
Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships Closing Date
Applications for the last cycle of the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships opened on 15 Nov 2023 and closed just recently on 15 Jan 2024.
If you missed this academic year’s application cycle, don’t worry. Another application period will be opened later this year for the 2025 academic year cycle.
All you need to do is make sure to keep yourself updated regularly so you don’t miss your chance.
For more information about these Queen Elizabeth scholarships, you can contact the University of Melbourne on any of these numbers:
- Phone: 13 MELB (13 6352)
- International: +(61 3) 9035 5511