Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships 2027: How to Apply

Written by Keagan HendricksStaff Writer (Unisa Alumnus)

Reviewed & verified by Naledi KhumaloSenior Admissions and Bursaries EditorVerified

Closed · applications closed on 14 January 2026 The 2027-28 cycle 1 is expected to open in November or December 2026 , with cycle 2 in March or April 2027. Latest update ↓

The Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS) fund two-year Master’s degrees at universities in low and middle-income Commonwealth countries, for students from any other Commonwealth country. They are run by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and cover everything from tuition to flights, so a South African can study in Sri Lanka, Fiji, Namibia or Papua New Guinea, and students from elsewhere in the Commonwealth can study at South African universities.

About the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships

Full tuition fees for a two-year Master’s degree.
A living allowance (stipend) for the duration of the award.
Return economy flights to the host country and a one-off arrival allowance.
A research support grant, on request and approval.

Host countries and courses change each cycle. Recent cycles have included universities in South Africa (Stellenbosch University, Tshwane University of Technology, the University of Johannesburg, the University of Pretoria, Rhodes University, the University of Venda and North-West University), Sri Lanka, Fiji, Namibia and Papua New Guinea, with courses concentrated in technology, engineering, computing, climate change and agriculture.

QECS eligibility requirements

Citizen of a Commonwealth country, or holding refugee status in one.
A bachelor’s degree at upper second class (2:1) level or equivalent.
Applying to study in a low or middle-income Commonwealth country other than your home country.
Not already started on the course you are applying for.
No upper age limit.

How to apply for the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships

Open the QECS page on acu.ac.uk when the cycle opens and choose a course from the list of host universities.
Apply to the host university for admission to that course. An offer is not required before you apply for the scholarship, but it strengthens the application.
Create a myACU account and complete the QECS application, including your academic records, a personal statement on how your studies will benefit your community and two references.
Submit before the cycle deadline. Results are announced about three months later.

QECS closing dates

2027-28 cycle 1: expected to open in November or December 2026 and close in January 2027.
2027-28 cycle 2: expected to open in March or April 2027 and close in June 2027.

Contact details

Association of Commonwealth Universities: qecs@acu.ac.uk
Website: www.acu.ac.uk

South Africans looking at international Master’s funding should also see the Chevening scholarship, the Mandela Rhodes scholarship and the Rhodes scholarship.

FAQs

1. When do QECS applications open for 2027? +

The Association of Commonwealth Universities runs two cycles a year: cycle 1 opens in November or December and cycle 2 in March or April. For 2026-27, cycle 1 closed on 14 January 2026 and cycle 2 on 3 June 2026. Expect the 2027-28 cycle 1 to open in November or December 2026 on acu.ac.uk.

2. What does the scholarship cover? +

Full tuition fees, a living stipend for the length of the Master's, return economy flights, a one-off arrival allowance and a research support grant on request.

3. Who qualifies? +

Citizens of Commonwealth countries, or people with refugee status in one, with a bachelor's degree at 2:1 level (a good upper second, roughly 65% to 70% in South African terms), who will study a two-year Master's in a low or middle-income Commonwealth country other than their own. There is no upper age limit.

4. Can South Africans use it? +

Yes, to study in another host country, since you cannot hold a QECS award in your home country. South African universities such as Stellenbosch, Tshwane University of Technology, Johannesburg, Pretoria, Rhodes, Venda and North-West have hosted scholars from other Commonwealth countries in past cycles.

5. How do I apply? +

Choose a course from the cycle's host list, apply to the university for admission, then create a myACU account and complete the QECS application online. Both applications are needed.

6. Who runs QECS? +

The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU), with funding from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and Commonwealth member governments, in honour of Queen Elizabeth II.

Update note (checked September 2026): the ACU runs two application cycles a year. For the 2026-27 intake, cycle 1 closed on 14 January 2026 and cycle 2 on 3 June 2026. The 2027-28 cycle 1 is expected to open in November or December 2026, with cycle 2 in March or April 2027. Each cycle has its own list of host universities and courses.

Student funding in numbers

2025811 011students funded by NSFAS580 000 at universities, 231 000 at TVET colleges, on a budget of R48.7 billion.

20261 026 091students approved for NSFAS funding609 403 first-year applicants qualified and 416 688 continuing students met the progression criteria, out of 893 847 applications.

2027 projectedR53.4bnbudgeted for NSFASThe allocation rises from R48.7 billion in 2025 to R51 billion in 2026 and R53.4 billion in 2027. Student numbers for 2027 are not published yet.

Figures from the Minister of Higher Education’s Budget Vote of 3 July 2025 and the NSFAS statement of 2 January 2026. NSFAS is the largest funder, not the only one – we track the rest.