The King’s Commonwealth Fellowship Programme (KCFP), run by the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU) with the Khalili Foundation as founding member, funds undergraduate study for people from Commonwealth Small Island Developing States (SIDS).
Fellows take an approved degree in education, engineering, health or sustainable tourism at a KCFP host university in their home country, or in their immediate region if home has none. The aim is to ease skills shortages at home.
Benefits & funding
- Full tuition for the standard length of the chosen degree, where the national government does not already pay it
- A stipend for basic living costs; the amount varies by location
- One return flight a year between home island and host university, if study is on another island; no other costs are covered
- Duty: fellows must stay in their home country or region for at least three years straight after graduating
Eligibility
- Citizenship of, or recognised refugee status in, one of 24 Commonwealth SIDS: 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
- Due to start undergraduate study between January and December 2027; students already enrolled at a university cannot apply
- No higher education qualification of any kind, bachelor’s or postgraduate
- An approved programme at a KCFP host university in the home country, or in the immediate region if there is none at home: Fiji National University, National University of Samoa, PNG University of Technology, University of Belize, University of Mauritius, University of Technology Mauritius, UWI Cave Hill (Barbados), Villa College (Maldives)
- No upper age limit; members of indigenous communities are especially encouraged
Can you apply?
Here's who can apply
Decoded from the official rules. A free account checks them against your passport, degree and age in seconds.
Eligible nationalities
Antigua and Barbuda · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Dominica · Grenada · Guyana · Jamaica · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Trinidad and Tobago
Residents of Antigua and Barbuda · Bahamas · Barbados · Belize · Dominica · Grenada · Guyana · Jamaica · Saint Kitts and Nevis · Saint Lucia · Saint Vincent and the Grenadines · Trinidad and Tobago · Maldives · Mauritius · Seychelles · Fiji · Kiribati · Nauru · Papua New Guinea · Samoa · Solomon Islands · Tonga · Tuvalu · Vanuatu can also apply.
+ 12 more
Maldives · Mauritius · Seychelles · Fiji · Kiribati · Nauru · Papua New Guinea · Samoa · Solomon Islands · Tonga · Tuvalu · Vanuatu
Education required
High School
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Application process
- 1Submit the online application with two written statements (300–500 words each) by 14 October 2026, 15:00 UTC+1 (programme page; the FAQ says 15:00 UTC).
- 2Provide two recommendation letters: two educational referees, or one educational referee plus your current employer if employed.
- 3Apply separately to the host university for the same programme; no offer is needed to apply, but the award depends on admission and cannot be deferred.
Program timeline
Application deadline
14 October 2026, 15:00 UTC+1
Studies start
January–December 2027