Applications are now open for the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP) Undergraduate Fellowships 2027, a fully funded undergraduate scholarship opportunity for eligible students from 24 Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS). The programme is delivered by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) and is designed to support students pursuing undergraduate degrees in fields that can strengthen local skills, essential services, climate resilience, and sustainable development. Applications opened on 14 September 2026 and close on 14 October 2026 at 15:00 UTC+1.
King’s Commonwealth Undergraduate Fellowship Programme 2027
The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme Undergraduate Pathway provides financial support for talented students who are due to begin undergraduate study between January and December 2027. Successful Fellows will study at an approved KCFP Host University in their home country where possible, or at an approved university within their immediate region when a suitable programme is not available in their home country.
The programme focuses on building skills and professional capacity in areas considered important for the future development and resilience of Commonwealth SIDS. Eligible fields include education, engineering, health, and sustainable tourism, although specific eligible degrees depend on the approved Host University and the applicant's country.
Scholarship Benefits
The King’s Commonwealth Undergraduate Fellowship provides full tuition fees for the standard duration of the selected programme, provided those fees are not already covered by the applicant's national government. Fellows also receive a stipend to help cover basic living costs. The amount of the stipend varies depending on whether the student studies in their home island or travels to another island for their studies.
If a Fellow must travel to another island to undertake their undergraduate degree, the fellowship covers one return economy flight per year between the Fellow's home island and the Host University location. The programme does not cover every possible study or personal expense, so applicants should carefully review the official funding conditions before applying.
Who Can Apply?
The King’s Commonwealth Undergraduate Fellowship is specifically designed for applicants from 24 eligible Commonwealth Small Island Developing States. Eligible countries include Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, and Vanuatu.
Applicants must be citizens of, or hold recognised refugee status in, one of these 24 Commonwealth SIDS. They must also be due to start an eligible undergraduate programme between January and December 2027 and must not already hold a higher education qualification, including a bachelor's degree or postgraduate qualification.
Applicants must select an undergraduate programme from the approved list published by the KCFP. Choosing a programme that is not included in the official list will make the application ineligible. Applicants are also expected to meet the academic admission requirements of their selected Host University and degree programme.
Eligible Study Areas
The KCFP Undergraduate Pathway supports undergraduate study in four broad areas: education, engineering, health, and sustainable tourism. Some specific degrees have additional restrictions. For example, the health category excludes medical and medical technology degrees, while sustainable tourism excludes tourism management degrees and tourism or hospitality programmes that do not include sustainability-related modules.
The available courses differ by Host University and country. Approved programmes currently include degrees such as environmental health, public health, education, nursing, health sciences, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, civil engineering, geomatics, town and country planning, occupational safety and health management, and selected tourism programmes. Applicants should check the official programme list before choosing a course.
Host Universities
KCFP applicants must study at an approved Host University. Where an appropriate Host University is available in the applicant's home country, applicants are expected to study there. If there is no suitable host university in their home country, they may study at an approved institution within their immediate region.
Current participating institutions include Fiji National University, National University of Samoa, Papua New Guinea University of Technology, University of Belize, University of Mauritius, University of Technology, Mauritius, University of the West Indies at Cave Hill, and Villa College in the Maldives. The programmes available at each university depend on the applicant's country and the approved KCFP course list.
How Many Fellowships Are Available?
The 2027 undergraduate pathway offers 11 King's Commonwealth Fellowships. Four fellowships are open to eligible applicants from all 24 participating Commonwealth SIDS. Seven additional fellowships are reserved for eligible applicants from Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga, and Tuvalu. Applicants from these seven countries can be considered for both the reserved fellowships and the wider competition.
The ACU also states that applicants from indigenous communities are especially encouraged to apply, but belonging to an indigenous community is not an eligibility requirement.
Do You Need a University Offer Before Applying?
A separate university admission application is required. However, applicants do not need to have received an admission offer before submitting the KCFP fellowship application. The fellowship and university admission are separate processes, and applicants are responsible for following the admission requirements and deadlines of their chosen Host University.
A fellowship award remains conditional on securing admission to an eligible programme at an approved Host University. If the applicant does not obtain the required university admission, the fellowship cannot be awarded. The ACU therefore encourages applicants to begin the university admission process as early as possible.
How to Apply for the King’s Commonwealth Undergraduate Fellowship
Before applying, applicants should carefully check their eligibility, identify the Host Universities and undergraduate programmes available to applicants from their country, and review the admission requirements for their chosen degree. Applicants should also prepare the required supporting documents and identify suitable referees who can provide recommendation letters.
The KCFP fellowship application is submitted online through the ACU's application system. Applicants must complete the application and upload all required supporting documents before submission. Once an application has been submitted, applicants cannot make amendments or add further documents, so every section should be checked carefully before the final submission.
Applicants should also submit a separate application for admission to their selected Host University. University deadlines may be different from the KCFP fellowship deadline, so applicants should not assume that submitting the fellowship application completes the university admission process.
King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Deadline 2027
The application deadline for the King’s Commonwealth Undergraduate Fellowship Programme 2027 is 14 October 2026 at 15:00 UTC+1. The ACU states that applications will not be accepted after the closing date and time. Applicants should therefore submit their completed applications before the deadline rather than waiting until the final hours.
Important Conditions
Successful Fellows are expected to contribute to their home communities and regions after completing their studies. One important condition of the fellowship is that successful Fellows must remain in their home country or region for at least three years immediately after completing their degree programme. The fellowship cannot be deferred, so applicants must be able to begin their studies during the relevant 2027 intake period.
Applicants should also ensure that their application is their own original work. The ACU states that plagiarism, false information, misleading information, or inauthentic application content can result in disqualification. Applicants remain responsible for the accuracy and originality of everything submitted.
Final Thoughts
The King’s Commonwealth Undergraduate Fellowship Programme 2027 provides fully funded undergraduate study opportunities for eligible students from Commonwealth Small Island Developing States. The programme covers tuition fees, provides a living stipend, and can provide annual return flights when students need to travel to another island for their studies. With only 11 undergraduate fellowships available, applicants should carefully check the eligible countries, approved programmes, university admission requirements, and application documents before submitting their application.
Applications close on 14 October 2026 at 15:00 UTC+1. Applicants should use the official ACU information and application guidance as the final source for eligibility, eligible programmes, host universities, funding conditions, and submission requirements.
Official Application
The Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) provides the official KCFP Undergraduate Fellowship information, application guidance, and application portal. Applicants should always verify the latest information directly with the ACU before submitting their application.
