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 fully funded undergraduate study opportunities for talented students from eligible Commonwealth Small Island Developing States. The programme is designed to help young people gain professional qualifications while strengthening skills, essential services and long term resilience within their home communities.

The fellowship is delivered by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) as part of the wider King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme. The undergraduate pathway supports students in fields connected to education, engineering, health and sustainable tourism, with the broader objective of developing professionals who can contribute to sustainable development and climate resilience across Small Island Developing States.

A total of 11 undergraduate fellowships are available for the 2027 intake. Seven fellowships are reserved for applicants from Dominica, Grenada, Kiribati, Nauru, Samoa, Tonga and Tuvalu, while four fellowships are open to eligible applicants from all 24 participating Commonwealth Small Island Developing States.

About the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme

Commonwealth Small Island Developing States face significant economic, environmental and social challenges, including the effects of climate change and shortages of skilled professionals in important sectors. The KCFP Undergraduate Fellowships seek to respond to these challenges by supporting students to obtain higher education and develop expertise that can benefit their communities.

The programme encourages fellows to study at approved KCFP Host Universities in their home country whenever possible. Where there is no approved host university in the applicant’s home country, study may take place at an approved university within the applicant’s immediate region.

The fellowship is therefore structured around developing local and regional capacity rather than requiring students to move to distant countries for their undergraduate education.

The programme supports full time undergraduate study and applicants must choose from the specific degree programmes approved under the KCFP pathway. Applications for courses outside the published programme list will not be considered.

Opportunity Benefits

Successful fellows receive:

• Full tuition fees where tuition is not already covered by the government

• A stipend to cover basic living costs

• One return ticket to the home island for every year of study where applicable

• Professional development opportunities

• Access to the King’s Commonwealth Fellowship alumni network

• The opportunity to build professional skills relevant to national development and climate resilience

• Study at an approved host university in the applicant’s home country or immediate region

The fellowship is fully funded in the sense that it provides tuition support, a living stipend and applicable return travel support, subject to the programme conditions.

Programme Areas

Eligible undergraduate study areas include:

• Education

• Engineering

• Health

• Sustainable tourism

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must meet all of the following requirements:

• Hold citizenship of or recognised refugee status in one of the 24 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 KCFP programme list

• Be prepared to undertake full time study

• Meet the admission requirements of the selected host university and degree programme

• Study at an approved KCFP Host University in the applicant’s home country where possible, or within the immediate region where a suitable host institution is not available

Eligible Countries

The 24 eligible Commonwealth Small Island Developing States 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

• Maldives

• Mauritius

• Seychelles

• Fiji

• Kiribati

• Nauru

• Papua New Guinea

• Samoa

• Solomon Islands

• Tonga

• Tuvalu

• Vanuatu

Approved Host Universities

Participating institutions and programmes include:

• Fiji National University

• University of Technology, Mauritius

• University of the West Indies, Cave Hill

• Villa College

• National University of Samoa

• Papua New Guinea University of Technology

• University of Belize

• University of Mauritius

Required Application Information

Applicants should prepare:

• Personal information

• Citizenship or recognised refugee status information

• Academic history

• Employment history where applicable

• Details of the selected host university and undergraduate programme

• Personal statement

• Recommendation letters and referee information

• Required supporting documents

How to Apply

1. Confirm that you are a citizen of or recognised refugee in one of the 24 eligible Commonwealth Small Island Developing States.
2. Confirm that you are due to begin undergraduate study between January and December 2027.
3. Make sure you do not already hold a higher education qualification.
4. Review the approved KCFP Host Universities and undergraduate programmes available to applicants from your country.
5. Check the admission requirements for your selected university and programme.
6. Prepare your personal statement, referee details, recommendation letters and required supporting documents.
7. Submit a separate admission application to your chosen KCFP Host University.
8. Complete the KCFP Undergraduate Fellowship application through the ACU application portal.
9. Review the application carefully and confirm that all information and documents are accurate.
10. Submit the fellowship application before 14 October 2026 at 15:00 UTC plus 1.