Commonwealth Academic Fellowships support academic staff members of universities in developing Commonwealth countries to come to the United Kingdom for a specific programme of academic collaboration, skills updating and networking designed to enhance teaching and future research capabilities and are not restricted to particular subject areas. It is expected that the programme will be closely related to the academic work an individual will return to on completion of the award. It is tenable for three months only due to a change in policy this year.
Eligibility
To apply for a Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowship, candidates should:
- be Commonwealth citizens, refugees, or British protected persons
- be permanently resident in a developing Commonwealth country
- be available to commence their Fellowship in the United Kingdom on 1 October 2012. Any other start date will only be permitted in exceptional circumstances
- have been employed for at least five years as an academic staff member of a university in a developing Commonwealth country
- be in the employment of the nominating university
AND
- hold a doctorate
OR
- in the fields of medicine and dentistry, have qualified as a doctor or dentist before 1 October 2002
How to Apply
Nominations for Commonwealth Academic Staff Fellowships may be made by invitation through the following channels:
- the Executive Head of an eligible developing country university on whose staff the applicant serves
- the Executive Head of selected developing country research institutes on whose staff the applicant serves
Candidates must, in advance of any fellow ship application to the Commission, have made contact with up to three potential host universities in the United Kingdom and secured the agreement of an academic at each to act as a host for the Fellowship. The outcome of all such communications should be reported to the Commission.
Selection
Applications are considered according to the following selection criteria:
- academic merit of the candidate
- the quality of the proposal
- the likely impact of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country.
Value of the Awards
Each Fellowship provides:
- approved airfare to the United Kingdom and return on expiry of the Fellowship (the cost of journeys made before final award confirm ation will not normally be reimbursed, nor can fares be paid for a Fellow’s dependants)
- a research support grant fixed according to subject
- a personal maintenance allowance at the rate of £1411 per month (£1750 per month for those studying at institutions in the London Metropolitan area)
- a grant towards the expenses of preparing reports and other written work
- an initial arrival allowance, incorporating an initial clothing grant for Fellows from tropical countries
- a grant for expenses for approved travel within the United Kingdom or overseas
Deadlines: You must complete the Electronic Application System by December 7, 2011. Check with your institution for their deadline. Institutions must submit their final nominations in electronic format by December 21, 2011.
Note: Some rules have changed due to a policy change this year. Please read the 2012 prospectus for details.
Useful Links
For more information and application form, visit the fellowship website by clicking here.
To download the 2012 prospectus, click here (PDF).
To start your application online through the EAS, click here.