Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS) 2026–2027 | Fully Funded Master's in Africa & the Pacific

Omran Aburayya
2 hours ago
4 min read

If you are a citizen of a Commonwealth country with a passion for creating meaningful change in your community, the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships (QECS) 2026–2027 are now open for applications. Managed by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and funded through the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) endowment fund, this prestigious programme offers fully funded two-year Master's degrees at leading universities in low and middle-income Commonwealth countries — giving scholars an unmatched opportunity to study abroad, build a global network, and return home equipped to drive real development impact.

🎓 Scholarship at a Glance

Host Countries: Papua New Guinea and South Africa
Host Institutions: Papua New Guinea University of Technology | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) | Tshwane University of Technology (South Africa)
Administering Body: Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)
Study Level: Master's (two years, full-time, on-campus only)
Target Group: Citizens (or holders of refugee status) of Commonwealth countries, applying to study in a Commonwealth country other than their own
Fields of Study: Climate Change and Renewable Energy; Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence; Computer Science; Agriculture; Engineering (Mechanical, Communication); and related STEM and applied disciplines
Award Value: Fully funded — tuition, monthly living stipend, return economy flights, arrival allowance, and research support grant
Award Duration: 2 years
Application Deadline: 3 June 2026 at 15:00 UTC (strict — no extensions)
Programme Start: Academic year 2026–2027
Eligible Nationalities: Citizens or registered refugees of any Commonwealth country

📚 Scholarship Overview

The Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarships offer a unique opportunity to study a two-year Master's degree in a low or middle-income Commonwealth country, aimed at students who are committed to creating change in their communities. Unlike most international scholarships that direct students toward high-income countries, the QECS deliberately invests in South-South and South-North collaboration — recognising that some of the world's most innovative and contextually relevant work in climate science, engineering, public health, and computing is happening in places like Stellenbosch, Papua New Guinea, and beyond.

📙 Available Programmes and Host Universities

For the 2026–2027 Cycle 2, three universities are participating, each offering specific degree programmes. Only the courses listed on the official ACU website are eligible for scholarship funding.

1). Papua New Guinea University of Technology (Papua New Guinea)

Programmes offered include areas such as Climate Change and Renewable Energy, Applied Physics, Agriculture, Mechanical Engineering, and Communication Engineering. Applicants are encouraged to review the specific course entry requirements on the university's website before applying.

2). Stellenbosch University (South Africa)

Stellenbosch University offers a Master's in Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence. This programme requires a strong background in mathematics, computer science, or engineering, and applicants must be comfortable with programming and core mathematical concepts.

3). Tshwane University of Technology (South Africa)

Tshwane University of Technology offers a Master of Computing in Computer Science. Importantly, applicants must apply to the university separately and include their application ID in the QECS scholarship form — missing this step can render the application invalid.

ℹ️ Important note for South Africa applicants: Applicants who choose South Africa as their study destination face one additional requirement: the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) evaluation, which assesses overseas academic qualifications against the South African National Qualifications Framework. This process takes time and costs money — the ACU recommends starting it well before the June 3 deadline.

🎁 Scholarship Benefits

The QECS provides a comprehensive, fully funded package for the entire two-year award period:

Full tuition fees: Complete waiver of tuition and course-related fees
Monthly living allowance: A stipend covering living expenses throughout the duration of the award
Return economy flights: Travel costs from the scholar's home country to the host country, and back upon completion
One-off arrival allowance: A single payment to assist with initial settlement costs upon arrival
Research Support Grant: Available on request and subject to approval, to assist with specific research-related expenses
No application fee: There is no cost to apply for the QECS

✅ Eligibility Criteria

To be considered for the Queen Elizabeth Commonwealth Scholarship, applicants must meet all of the following conditions:

Be a citizen of a Commonwealth country, or hold recognised refugee status in a Commonwealth country
Apply to study in a Commonwealth country other than your home country or country of citizenship
Hold a minimum of a 2:1 Bachelor's degree (or equivalent) at the time of application; the degree must already be completed and conferred
Have not previously started the course for which the scholarship is being sought — QECS awards cannot fund a programme already underway
There is no upper age limit — the scholarship is open to recent graduates and experienced professionals alike
Meet any additional course-specific requirements set by the individual host university

📁 Required Documents

Undergraduate academic transcript (final, official copy)
Undergraduate degree certificate
High school certificate (optional, but may strengthen the application)
Personal statements addressing community impact, academic background, and future plans
Two academic or professional references submitted directly by referees before the deadline
Proof of citizenship or refugee status
For Tshwane University applicants: application ID from the university's separate admission process
For South Africa applicants: SAQA evaluation of overseas qualifications

📝 How to Apply

The application is submitted entirely online through the ACU's myACU portal. Follow these steps carefully:

Visit the official QECS page and review the list of participating universities and eligible courses for this cycle
Select your preferred university and confirm that your chosen course is listed as eligible for scholarship funding
Visit the relevant university's website to familiarise yourself with course-specific entry requirements
If applying to Tshwane University of Technology, submit a separate university admission application first and obtain your application ID before proceeding
If applying to a South African institution, initiate the SAQA evaluation process for your academic qualifications as early as possible
Create a free myACU account at the ACU portal if you do not already have one
Log in and complete the full QECS application form for your chosen university and course
Request your referees to submit their recommendation letters before the deadline
Submit your QECS application and a separate admission application to your chosen university
Deadline: 3 June 2026 at 15:00 UTC — late submissions will not be considered under any circumstances