Road Town, Tortola - The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (UK) is offering scholarships to Commonwealth students to primarily pursue postgraduate study, towards a master’s or doctoral degree in the UK from October 2011.

The scholarships are intended for persons of high intellectual promise who may be expected to make a significant contribution to their own countries on their return from study abroad.

Through its participation in the Commonwealth Scholarship, the UK seeks to make higher education available to students of the highest ability, with the potential to make a real contribution to their home countries.

Awards are available in the following categories: one to three years full-time taught master’s courses or a doctoral postgraduate qualification in an eligible UK institution; six months of clinical training in medicine or dentistry; doctoral degrees, of up to three years duration; and one research on a split-site basis, towards a PhD registered at a university in the candidates home country, if appropriate.

Eligibility requirements are as follows:

- Candidates should be Commonwealth citizens, refugees or British protected persons permanently residing in a Commonwealth country other than the UK.

- Candidate should hold, or expect to hold by October 2011, a first degree of at least upper second-class honour level or a degree of second class and a relevant postgraduate degree, which will normally be a Master’s degree.

- Be available to commence their scholarship in October 2011.

Interested persons who meet the requirements can obtain additional information and application forms online at www.cscuk.org.uk/apply/developingcommonwealthscholarships.asp.

 Applicants are asked to submit five copies of the application form and of all relevant documents to the Ministry of Education and Culture on or before Friday, November 30, 2010. For further information, please contact the ministry at 468-3701 ext. 2151.

Since their inception in 1959, some 26,000 individuals have benefited from the award of Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships to pursue advanced academic study in other Commonwealth countries. About two thirds of awards have been tenable in the United Kingdom. The vast majority of award holders have returned to make a significant contribution to their home countries, in many cases at the highest level, making the award scheme one of the largest and most prestigious in the world.