King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme 2027: Fully Funded Undergraduate Fellowships for Students from Small Island Developing States

The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP) Undergraduate Fellowships 2027 offer a major opportunity for talented students from eligible Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS) to pursue undergraduate degrees in their home country or immediate region.

The programme is designed to strengthen local skills, professional capacity and leadership in countries that face significant development challenges, including the growing effects of climate change. Through financial support, professional development and access to an alumni network, the fellowship seeks to equip young people with the knowledge and skills needed to contribute to the long-term development and resilience of their communities.

The 2027 undergraduate fellowship pathway supports students in selected fields including education, engineering, health, environmental health, public health, mathematics education, nursing, sustainable tourism, travel and tourism management, occupational safety and health, geomatics, town and country planning and related disciplines.

Applications opened on 14 September 2026 and will close on 14 October 2026 at 15:00 UTC+1.

About the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme

Commonwealth Small Island Developing States are particularly exposed to climate-related challenges and face increasing demand for qualified professionals in sectors that are important for national development.

The KCFP Undergraduate Fellowships respond to this need by supporting talented students to study at approved KCFP Host Universities located in their home country or, where no approved host university exists in their home country, within their immediate region.

Rather than requiring students to relocate to distant countries for their undergraduate education, the programme is structured around developing skills and expertise within participating island communities.

The programme particularly seeks to contribute to:

• Strengthening local professional capacity.
• Addressing medium-term skills shortages.
• Improving essential services.
• Supporting sustainable development.
• Building community resilience.
• Developing future professionals and leaders.
• Creating opportunities for young people to contribute to the long-term prosperity of their countries.

The programme also recognises the importance of developing professionals in areas such as education, engineering, health and sustainable tourism.

What Does the KCFP Undergraduate Fellowship Cover?

Successful fellows receive a package of financial support designed to reduce the major costs associated with undergraduate study.

The fellowship provides:

1. Full Tuition Fees

The programme covers full tuition fees where full tuition fees are not already covered by the government. This can substantially reduce the financial burden associated with completing an undergraduate degree.

2. Stipend for Basic Living Costs

Fellows receive a stipend to cover basic living costs during their studies.

This support is intended to help students meet essential day-to-day expenses while undertaking their undergraduate programme.

3. Return Travel to the Home Island

Where applicable, fellows receive one return ticket to their home island for every year of study.

This provision is particularly relevant to students undertaking their studies outside their home island but within the approved regional arrangement.

4. Professional Development and Alumni Network

Beyond financial assistance, the programme is designed to provide fellows with professional development opportunities and access to a strong alumni network.

This broader support is intended to help fellows develop careers that serve their communities and contribute to sustainable national development.

Who Can Apply for the KCFP Undergraduate Fellowship?

The eligibility requirements are specific. Applicants must satisfy all of the conditions established by the programme.

To qualify, an applicant must:

• Hold citizenship or recognised refugee status in one of the eligible Commonwealth Small Island Developing States.
• Be due to commence undergraduate study between January and December 2027.
• Not already hold a higher education qualification, including a bachelor’s degree or postgraduate qualification.
• Select an undergraduate programme from the approved programmes available at the applicant’s chosen KCFP Host University.
• Undertake the programme at an approved KCFP Host University in their home country or, where there is no host university in their home country, at an approved university within their immediate region.

Applicants should therefore not assume that any undergraduate course or university will qualify. The programme has published specific host universities and approved undergraduate programmes, and applications for programmes outside the published list will not be considered.

Eligible Commonwealth Small Island Developing States

The fellowship is specifically intended for applicants from 24 eligible Commonwealth Small Island Developing States across the Caribbean and Americas, Indian Ocean and Pacific regions.

Caribbean and Americas

Eligible countries listed by the programme are:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Bahamas
• Barbados
• Belize
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Jamaica
• St Kitts and Nevis
• St Lucia
• St Vincent and the Grenadines
• Trinidad and Tobago

Indian Ocean

The eligible Indian Ocean SIDS are:

• Maldives
• Mauritius
• Seychelles

Pacific

The eligible Pacific SIDS are:

• Fiji
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Papua New Guinea
• Samoa
• Solomon Islands
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• Vanuatu

The programme’s eligibility requirements expressly refer to citizenship or refugee status in these Commonwealth SIDS.

Approved Host Universities and Undergraduate Programmes

One of the most important features of the KCFP Undergraduate Fellowship is that applicants must choose from the approved programmes at participating host universities.

The available programmes cover a range of disciplines connected to national development, health, education, engineering, environmental sustainability and tourism.

Fiji National University

Approved programmes include:

• Bachelor of Environmental Health
• Bachelor of Public Health
• Bachelor of Education (Secondary) (Mathematics & Physics) – Mathematics Specialisation
• Bachelor of Education (Secondary) (Mathematics & Physics) – Physics Specialisation
• Bachelor of Education (Primary) – Primary School Teaching Specialist

Applicants from Fiji, Kiribati, Nauru, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu may be considered for the listed programmes at Fiji National University.

National University of Samoa

Available undergraduate programmes include:

• Bachelor of Education (Primary)
• Bachelor of Nursing
• Bachelor of Health Sciences
• Bachelor of Science (Secondary Teaching)

The listed eligible applicants are from Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga, Tuvalu and Vanuatu.

Papua New Guinea University of Technology

The approved programmes include:

• Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)
• Bachelor of Electrical Engineering (Honours)
• Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)

Applicants from Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands are listed for these programmes.

University of Belize

The available programmes are:

• Bachelor in Nursing
• Bachelor in Mathematics Education

Applicants from Bahamas, Belize and Jamaica are listed for these programmes.

University of Mauritius

The approved programmes include:

• BEng (Hons) Civil Engineering
• BSc (Hons) Geomatics
• BSc (Hons) Town and Country Planning

The listed applicants are from Mauritius and Seychelles.

University of Technology, Mauritius

Students can apply for:

• BSc (Hons) Occupational Safety and Health Management
• BSc (Hons) Travel and Tourism Management

The programme lists Mauritius and Seychelles as the eligible applicant countries for these programmes.

University of the West Indies, Cave Hill

The approved programme is:

• Bachelor of Health Sciences

Applicants listed for this programme are from Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.

Villa College

Approved programmes include:

• Bachelor of Nursing
• Bachelor of Teaching in Primary and Special Educational Needs
• Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering (Honours)
• Bachelor of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (Honours)
• Bachelor of Civil Engineering (Honours)

The listed eligible applicants are from Maldives.

How the Host University Arrangement Works

The fellowship is designed to allow applicants to undertake their undergraduate studies as close as possible to their home communities.

Applicants are expected to study at an approved KCFP Host University located in their home country.

If an applicant’s home country does not have an approved host university, the applicant may study at another approved KCFP Host University located within their immediate region.

This regional approach allows the programme to provide access to approved higher education opportunities while maintaining a strong connection between fellows and their island communities.

Applicants should consult the programme’s official application guidance because admission requirements can differ according to the undergraduate programme and host university.

How Many Fellowships Are Available?

A total of 11 King’s Commonwealth Fellowships are available through this undergraduate pathway.

The fellowships are divided into two groups:

• Seven fellowships are ringfenced for applicants who are citizens of, or hold recognised refugee status in, seven specified SIDS.
• Four fellowships are open to applicants from all 24 eligible Commonwealth Small Island Developing States.

The seven countries with ringfenced fellowships are:

• Dominica
• Grenada
• Kiribati
• Nauru
• Samoa
• Tonga
• Tuvalu

Applicants from these seven countries will be considered for both the ringfenced fellowships and the wider open competition, provided that they meet all other eligibility requirements.

Encouragement for Indigenous Communities

The programme states that people belonging to indigenous communities are especially encouraged to apply.

However, belonging to an indigenous community is not an eligibility requirement. Applicants who do not belong to an indigenous community can still be eligible if they satisfy the programme’s other requirements.

When Will the Fellowship Take Place?

Successful applicants are expected to commence their undergraduate studies between January and December 2027.

This means prospective applicants should make sure that their selected programme and expected admission timeline align with the 2027 commencement requirement.

Application Deadline

The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme Undergraduate Fellowship application deadline is 14 October 2026 at 15:00 UTC+1.

Applications opened on 14 September 2026.

Applicants should not wait until the final hours to submit their applications. The ACU specifically advises prospective applicants to read the application guidance and frequently asked questions carefully before beginning the application.

How to Apply

Interested applicants should first establish that they meet all eligibility requirements and that their preferred undergraduate programme appears on the approved programme list.

The recommended process is:

1. Check your country eligibility.
   Confirm that you are a citizen or recognised refugee in one of the 24 eligible Commonwealth SIDS.
2. Confirm your undergraduate status.
   Applicants must be preparing to commence undergraduate study between January and December 2027 and must not already hold a higher education qualification.
3. Review the approved programmes.
   Make sure your intended degree is among the programmes approved under the KCFP Undergraduate Fellowship pathway.
4. Check the appropriate host university.
   Determine which KCFP Host University and programme correspond to your country.
5. Review admission requirements.
   The programme notes that admission requirements for individual undergraduate programmes are provided in the official application guidance.
6. Read the application guidance and FAQs.
   The ACU strongly recommends that applicants familiarise themselves with these documents before starting the application.
7. Submit the application before the deadline.
   Applications must be submitted by 14 October 2026 at 15:00 UTC+1.

The official application page is provided by the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

Click HERE to Apply

Important Considerations Before Applying

The KCFP Undergraduate Fellowship is not an unrestricted undergraduate scholarship. There are several conditions applicants should pay particular attention to.

First, applicants must come from an eligible Commonwealth Small Island Developing State. Second, they must not already hold a higher education qualification. Third, the programme of study must be among the approved undergraduate programmes.

Applicants should therefore avoid selecting a course simply because it is available at one of the participating universities. The course must specifically appear within the KCFP-approved programme list.

Applicants should also verify the admission requirements for their chosen programme because meeting the fellowship eligibility criteria does not necessarily mean that an applicant automatically meets every admission requirement of the host university or degree programme.

Why the Programme Matters

The KCFP Undergraduate Fellowship is structured around a broader development objective rather than undergraduate education alone.

The programme recognises that many Small Island Developing States require additional skilled professionals in areas directly connected to national development and resilience.

By supporting students in fields such as:

• Education
• Nursing
• Public health
• Environmental health
• Engineering
• Mathematics education
• Geomatics
• Town and country planning
• Occupational safety and health
• Travel and tourism

the programme seeks to contribute to local capacity and help participating countries respond to long-term development needs.

The fellowship therefore combines educational opportunity with an emphasis on developing professionals who can contribute to their communities after completing their studies.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the KCFP Undergraduate Fellowship fully funded?

The programme provides full tuition fees where full tuition fees are not covered by the government, a stipend for basic living costs and, where applicable, one return ticket to the home island for every year of study.

Who is eligible?

The fellowship is for eligible citizens or recognised refugees from 24 Commonwealth Small Island Developing States who satisfy the programme’s undergraduate study, qualification and approved-programme requirements.

Can someone who already has a bachelor’s degree apply?

No. The programme states that applicants must not hold a higher education qualification, including a bachelor’s degree or postgraduate qualification.

When must successful applicants begin their undergraduate studies?

Applicants must be due to commence undergraduate study between January and December 2027.

Can applicants choose any university?

No. Applicants must select an approved undergraduate programme at a KCFP Host University. Where there is no approved host university in the applicant’s home country, study may take place at an approved host university within the applicant’s immediate region.

How many fellowships are available?

There are 11 fellowships under this undergraduate pathway: seven ringfenced for applicants from seven specified SIDS and four open to applicants from all 24 eligible Commonwealth SIDS.

Are indigenous applicants required to apply?

No. The programme particularly encourages people from indigenous communities to apply, but indigenous identity is not an eligibility requirement.

What is the application deadline?

The deadline is 14 October 2026 at 15:00 UTC+1.

Learn More HERE

Conclusion

The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme Undergraduate Fellowships 2027 provide an opportunity for eligible students from Commonwealth Small Island Developing States to pursue selected undergraduate degrees while receiving substantial financial support.

With support covering tuition where applicable, a living-cost stipend and return travel where applicable, the programme is designed not only to support individual students but also to strengthen professional capacity in participating island communities.

Because the fellowship is limited to specific countries, approved host universities and approved undergraduate programmes, prospective applicants should carefully check the official eligibility requirements before applying. They should also review the programme-specific admission requirements, application guidance and FAQs well before the deadline.

Eligible applicants who intend to begin an approved undergraduate programme in 2027 should take note of the 14 October 2026, 15:00 UTC+1 deadline and complete their applications in accordance with the official instructions.

Official application: https://crm.acu.ac.uk/form/kcfp-undergraduate-applications

Application guidance and FAQs: Applicants are advised by the ACU to review the Official Guidance and FAQs before beginning their application.

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