Corporate report

Commonwealth Scholarship Commission corporate plan 2024 to 2025

Published 14 February 2024

1. Mission statement

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the UK (CSC) provides the main UK government scholarship scheme led by international development objectives. It operates within the framework of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and offers a vivid demonstration of the UK’s enduring commitment to the Commonwealth. By attracting individuals with outstanding talent and identifiable potential to become leaders and innovators on returning to their home countries, the CSC’s work combines sustainable development with the UK national interest.  The CSC uses rigorous procedures to ensure that its programmes promote equity and inclusion, reward merit, and deliver widespread access, especially to those from disadvantaged backgrounds.

In everything we do, we aim to be:

• development-focused: by placing the international development agenda at the heart of our activities

• collaborative: by working with a range of stakeholders

• inclusive and accessible: by ensuring that our portfolio of awards offers opportunities to all who are capable of benefiting from them and qualified to do so

• relevant: by providing opportunities that address the evolving development needs of Commonwealth countries and the knowledge economy

• efficient and accountable: by ensuring that our work delivers value for money, is effectively and proportionately reviewed, and that emerging findings are used in our future planning

2. Governance statement

The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission in the United Kingdom (CSC) was established by Act of Parliament in 1959 in order to manage the UK contribution to the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP), launched by Commonwealth Education Ministers in 1958. Its status was subsequently reaffirmed in the International Development Act of 2002 (the Act).

The CSC is a non-departmental public body, for which the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is the lead department and main sponsor. The CSC is independent of Government in its decision-making and operations; the Act legislates that the Secretary of State may not give any direction for the selection or rejection of any particular person for an award or as a candidate for an award. The CSC submits an Annual Report on its work each year to the Secretary of State; this forms the basis of a report submitted by the Secretary of State to Parliament, to which (s)he is ultimately responsible for the work of the CSC.

In addition to regulations provided in the 1959 Act (which have been confirmed in subsequent Development Acts) and subsequent Ministerial Directives, detailed governance arrangements for the CSC have been set out in a framework document. The framework includes the CSC’s 3-year corporate and one-year business plans. The FCDO Internal Audit Department (IAD) provides the CSC’s internal audit function. The CSC’s annual income and expenditure are incorporated in the overall accounts of FCDO, and the CSC account is held with the Government Banking Service.

The Commission normally comprises 15 members, including the Chair, who are appointed in accordance with the principles of the Code of Practice for Ministerial Appointments to Public Bodies. Commissioners are appointed by the Secretary of State for an initial period of 3 years, with the possibility of reappointment for one further 3-year appointment. The Chair and other relevant officials normally meet with relevant Ministers at least annually to discuss the work of the CSC. The Chair of the Commission is the Accounting Officer for the CSC, with responsibility to the Secretary of State for its conduct and performance.

The full Commission meets 3 times per year. It is supported in its work by specialist Committees, made up of Commissioners, which deal with Finance, Audit and Risk Management, Awards Policy, and Evaluation and Monitoring, as well as an Executive Group made up of the Chair, Deputy Chair and Committee Chairs which normally meets 3 times a year.  Separate Committees of Commissioners are convened to handle the selection of scholarship recipients. The CSC has no employees, contracting out its Secretariat and other management functions to 2 external bodies: The Association of Commonwealth Universities  (ACU) and the British Council. The effectiveness and value for money of these arrangements are formally evaluated annually by the Finance Committee, which recommends appropriate action to the full Commission. The CSC operates an Evaluation and Monitoring Programme which provides evidence of the impact of its work, through interviews and surveys of alumni and other stakeholders. The results of this programme influence the CSC’s decision-making processes.

3. Strategic context

One of the Commonwealth’s finest innovations and UK’s best soft power icons, the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission stands out from HM Government’s other scholarship platforms through its robust support for the UN Sustainable Development Goals - which align well with the FCDO’s international development priorities. Over its 65-year history, this prestigious and much-respected global brand has supported over 31,000 individuals, of the 36,000 funded under the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan. By empowering talented individuals across the modern Commonwealth to learn, innovate and co-create knowledge and solutions for tackling global development challenges, the CSC helps to transform societies and build a safer, healthier, more prosperous world for all.

Supporting talented individuals to catalyse sustainable development across the modern Commonwealth will remain a critical focus for this plan period.

The CSC will continue to be highly collaborative. Our commitment to partnering with governments, universities and organisations with shared interests across the modern Commonwealth will be sustained and enhanced, with a view to extending life-transforming opportunities to talented individuals and enabling them to pursue sustainable development priorities pertinent to their respective countries.

Working together with governments, universities and other organisations to transform talent and societies will remain a key priority for the CSC during this plan period.

The CSC also actively supports candidates of outstanding academic ability from disadvantaged backgrounds with scholarships and fellowships to gain the skills and knowledge required to innovate for and lead sustainable development. This priority supports key aspects of HMG’s strategy for international development, its Integrated Review Refresh 2023: Responding to a more contested and volatile world and its International women and girls strategy 2023 to 2030.

Supporting candidates from disadvantaged backgrounds will continue to be a distinctive feature of CSC scholarships and fellowships during this plan period.

In addition to the CSC’s distinctive contributions to the UK’s international development priorities, it plays an important role in attracting the best and brightest talent to UK universities in support of the UK’s International Education Strategy. The CSC promotes research excellence and innovation through international collaboration, enabling individuals and institutions across the Commonwealth to build sustainable partnerships. The CSC’s programmes are a unique and innovative contribution to the ambitions of UK’s Research and Development Roadmap.

Attracting outstanding Commonwealth talent to contribute to the UK’s research and innovation base and international networks will continue to be a key priority.

As demonstrated by our cutting-edge evaluation programme, the CSC delivers impact as well as value for money for the UK taxpayer – attracting over £5 million of partnership funding annually. Innovations such as Shared Scholarships (jointly funded by UK universities), Distance Learning Scholarships, and Split-site Scholarships have facilitated this cost effectiveness. The latter 2 pathways entail scholars studying for Master’s and PhDs from their home country on distance learning or split-site basis respectively.

Value-enhancing innovations, including scholarship schemes enabling awardees to study from their home country, will continue to be prioritised during the plan period.

The CSC is proud to reaffirm its commitment to development, equity, access, and relevance. This plan sets out priorities and pathways to the CSC’s continuing delivery of impact and enhanced value to the UK taxpayer, the UK government, and the modern Commonwealth.

4. Objectives

The CSC’s objectives are:

1. To provide an innovative world-class scholarship and fellowship scheme that delivers impact on sustainable development across the Commonwealth

In pursuing Objective 1, the CSC will:

a) Offer scholarships and fellowships to Commonwealth citizens led by the needs of their home countries. We will apply selection criteria which ensure that those chosen are able to demonstrate academic excellence, high-quality research/study plans, and the greatest potential for development impact.

b) Select candidates for scholarships on the basis of their potential for local, national, regional and/or global impact in one of six themes:

• science and technology for development
• strengthening health systems and capacity
• promoting innovation and entrepreneurship
• strengthening global peace, security and governance
• strengthening resilience and response to crises
• access, inclusion and opportunity

c) Offer a range of study, research, and professional development options to maximise the opportunities available to citizens of Commonwealth countries, with a particular focus on the needs of least developed and lower middle-income countries.

d) Deliver a CSC-designed bespoke Leaders for Sustainable Development professional development programme for Scholars and Fellows.

e) Use evidence to ensure that awards are delivering value for money in achieving development impact, including the continued support for co-funded awards and those which can be scaled to enhance value.

f) Diversify funding from across HMG departments and increase its partnership funding to ensure financial sustainability and to ensure that Scholarships are available across the whole Commonwealth.

g) Support UK government objectives in promotion of the modern Commonwealth.

h) Look forward, be dynamic and responsive by continuing to offer ‘Time Limited Programmes’ and reviewing award types and nomination allocations on an annual basis based on strategic priorities.

2. To ensure that our programmes promote equity and inclusion, reward merit, and deliver widespread access, especially to those from disadvantaged backgrounds and underrepresented groups

In pursuing Objective 2, the CSC will:

a)  Attract diverse talent to UK higher education institutions by considering personal circumstances in all applications to ensure that, all other things being equal, candidates from disadvantaged, marginalised or underrepresented backgrounds are chosen.

b) Work with our nominating partners to ensure that their processes are robust and transparent in order that we are able to attract high quality candidates including those from disadvantaged or marginalised backgrounds.

c)  Ensure that nomination routes and policies for delivering our awards are inclusive and don’t impose significant barriers to particular groups.

d)  Fund courses and research which promotes equity and inclusion.

e) Provide specific support for Scholars and Fellows from disadvantaged, marginalised or underrepresented backgrounds from application, whilst on award, through to completion and as CSC alumni.

f) Monitor and evaluate our work, establish best practice, ensure key performance indicators (KPIs) are met, and commission research into the development impact that our scholarships have on recipients’ communities and societies.

g) Adapt our programmes in line with research findings.

3. To support and encourage cutting-edge research, innovation, and knowledge exchange throughout the Commonwealth

In pursuing Objective 3, the CSC will:

a) Drawing on the expertise of a distinguished panel of Commissioners, design and implement unique and distinctive programmes at a range of academic and professional levels within higher education institutions, public sector bodies, and civil society organisations.

b)  Fund awards across disciplines to produce high-quality research with the potential for development impact and encourage cross-disciplinary research and that which enhances sustainable local, national, and regional research capacity.

c)  Build relationships between UK universities and institutions throughout the Commonwealth to encourage new and support existing collaboration and research.

d) Raise additional funds to supplement UK government contributions.

e) Encourage applications that demonstrate the potential to develop existing or new bilateral partnerships and international collaboration between Commonwealth countries, including the UK.

f) Provide opportunities to showcase the achievements of our Scholars and alumni in research, innovation, and knowledge exchange, demonstrating the impact of international scholarships on institutions and international partnerships.

g)  Lead the sector in the comprehensive and innovative evaluation and monitoring of the programme and its rights-based approach to equity and access, using its success in these areas to influence other programmes.

5. Priorities and key performance indicators

Strategic priorities

1. To celebrate the global impact of Commonwealth Scholarships in the UK in the CSC’s 65th Anniversary Year.

2. To ensure that all scholarships and fellowships are focused on 6 development- related themes and to integrate further the themes into CSC programming and impact reporting.

3. To agree the balance of awards across programmes and countries based on the strategic priorities of the CSC and the UK government.

4. To embed the cross-cutting priority issues of climate change and global health across the CSC’s communications, engagement, alumni, and evaluation programming.

5. To finalise the mechanism for reviewing the scholarship and fellowship programmes based on evidence of impact, to include an analysis of overhead costs.

6. To deliver the CSC’s Time Limited Programme focussed on a specific theme which responds to current political or environmental challenges facing the Commonwealth. The theme in the current financial year is ‘Entrepreneurship, Innovation and Job Creation’.

7. To embed and promote the unique nature of the CSC offer – namely its focus in all its programming on Commonwealth needs in relation to research and development.

8. To sustain high level doctoral research opportunities and to scale up the number of Split-site Scholarships, recognising the unique opportunities this Programme provides in building collaboration and partnerships.

9. To increase the number of Distance Learning Scholarships which provide vital opportunities for online study to Scholars otherwise unable to benefit from a mobility Scholarship.

Organisational priorities

1. To review and improve operational efficiency across the Commission and the Secretariat.

2. To grow and diversify income in order to support the demand for high calibre applicants across programmes and to seek to maximise opportunities for candidates across the Commonwealth.

Key performance indicators 2022 to 2025

1. The gender of candidates selected for each CSC programme in each year will be at least 45% female and 45% male.

2. Partnerships with UK universities will generate at least £4.5 million annually in matching contributions.

3. 100 alumni profiles of CSC Women Leading Change and alumni positively addressing climate change will be published demonstrating the CSC’s support of cutting-edge research, innovation, and knowledge exchange throughout the Commonwealth.

4. 30 alumni profiles will be published demonstrating research which promotes equity and inclusion and supports those who have been left behind.

5. 30 in-depth Evaluation Case Studies will be produced to demonstrate the CSC as an innovative world-class scholarship and fellowship scheme that delivers impact on sustainable development across the Commonwealth.

6. Financial plan

The budget for the CSC in 2024 to 2025 can be found in the CSC Business Plan and in this document as Appendix 4.  The CSC framework document outlines the procedure and timetable for agreeing budgets for future years.

It should be noted that the budget refers only to direct income and expenditure. In addition, the CSC benefits from the in-kind support of UK universities, nominating agencies, advisers, Commissioners and others. In financial terms based on the programme budget in Appendix 4, we estimate the aggregate UK university contribution to have a value of at least £4.5 million per annum.

Against this background, the main components of our financial planning will be as follows.

Annual budgeting and budget review

The framework document, revised by the CSC and FCDO in 2023, reaffirms the procedure and outlines a transparent process for the formulation of a detailed expenditure budget in advance of each financial year. Committees are asked to contribute ideas and priorities by mid-September. These are incorporated into a draft budget, to be considered by the Finance Committee at its autumn meeting, followed by a budget that is presented to the full Commission at its December meeting. This budget is reflected in recommendations for the number of selections to be made by Commission selection committees, normally in the following April and May. The agreed budgets run in financial years, from 1 April to 31 March, subject to budgets being confirmed in a timely manner and are reviewed by the Finance Committee at its meeting in June/July.

Supplementation with income from external sources

The CSC will seek to add value to government support wherever possible, by attracting contributions and support from third parties. Such support should, however, be consistent with the principle that candidates are selected on merit and in accordance with the CSC’s criteria. It will not normally be CSC policy to allocate awards to particular sponsors or candidates where they would not otherwise have been selected, or to agree jointly funded programmes where these involve a disproportionate increase in administration costs.

It is expected that the main source of such contributions during the funding period will be UK universities, with which agreement has been reached for tuition fee waivers of at least 20% on selections for Commonwealth PhD and Master’s Scholarships for low- and middle-income countries as well as a fee cap of £18,000 for tuition fees at overseas rates. In some areas of our work, it has been possible to arrange even higher university contributions. In particular, for Commonwealth PhD Scholarships for high income countries and Commonwealth Shared Scholarships, UK universities typically meet between 33-50% of the total cost of scholarships. In addition, the CSC seeks to negotiate advantageous tuition fee rates with suppliers of distance learning courses, reflecting the fact that groups of students are normally being supported. The CSC also recognises that hosts of Commonwealth Professional Fellowships make significant in-kind contributions to these programmes. The CSC receives further substantial in-kind benefit from the work of Commissioners, academic advisers, nominating agencies, and others, who provide their time without payment or at rates significantly below their market value.

Matching income with expenditure in each financial year

As an NDPB, the CSC seeks to spend its annual budget as exactly as possible in the year of allocation and does not aim to accumulate reserves between financial years. It is recognised, however, that some safeguard is necessary against uncertainty and to maintain cash flow. In this regard, the CSC framework document provide for the possibility of cash balances being maintained. However, funds shall be kept at a minimum level consistent with the efficient operation of the Commission. We believe that the availability of such funds is critical to our ability to be a well-governed organisation. 

Supporting strategic priorities

The allocation of funds will reflect the priorities of the CSC as identified in this corporate plan, and, where appropriate, the financial objectives of funding bodies.

Rigorous control of administration costs

Efficient and streamlined administration is a critical element in our current strategy, which commits the CSC to ensure that its administrative costs do not account for more than 10% of total expenditure. The CSC does, however, view this figure as a maximum, rather than a target, and the rate is maintained lower than this level.

The CSC’s Framework Document provides mechanisms through which it will continue to keep expenditure in this area under review by:

a) Ensuring that administration fees are approved annually as part of the budgeting process for the following financial year. This involves detailed discussion of proposals by the Finance Committee, and the necessity for administrative fees to be approved explicitly (rather than simply as part of the overall budget) by the full Commission.

b) Undertaking periodic comparison between the administrative costs of the CSC and those of other comparable scholarship schemes funded by the UK government and other international programmes.

7. Risk management

The CSC has an Audit and Risk Management (ARM) Committee in line with recommendations in the Cabinet Office document Managing Public Money (MPM). This Committee, whose membership comprises at least 3 members, including an independent member, who do not sit on the Finance Committee or serve as Chair or Deputy Chair, meets 3 times a year and reports directly to the Commission at each of its meetings on any aspects that it considers to be of concern.

The CSC operates a risk management framework that overarches the full programme cycle and joins up risk management activity at Commissioner and Secretariat levels. This provides assurance but doesn’t add extra burden or unnecessary process. Within the framework the Committee maintains (and presents to the Commission for review at regular intervals) a register of risks – set out at Strategic, Tactical and Programme level - with the potential to seriously impair the effective performance of the CSC, together with an assessment of the potential impact of each risk, and a list of mitigating measures in each case. In addition to the work of the Committee, the CSC’s framework document includes other measures to mitigate and ensure transparency in its policies towards risk.

In addition to external financial inspection, the CSC benefits from reviews of its operation by a programme of internal audit, currently provided by the FCDO Internal Audit Investigations Department (IAID). This programme is managed by the ARM Committee, which determines the list of topics to be reviewed on an annual basis. During the current strategy period, FCDO IAID has reported on an audit they carried out in February to March 2023 of Selection Processes and carried out an audit of CSC Alumni provision in March 2024.

Appendix 1: Founding principles of the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan

The Plan should be additional to, and distinct from, any other plan in operation.

The Plan should be based on mutual cooperation and the sharing of educational experience among the countries of the Commonwealth.

The Plan should be sufficiently flexible to take account of the diverse and changing needs of the countries of the Commonwealth.

While the Plan will be Commonwealth-wide, it should be operated through a series of bilateral arrangements, to allow for the necessary flexibility.

Awards should be designed to recognise and promote the highest standards of intellectual achievement as well as technical and professional performance and have regard to any expressed human resource or development needs of nominating countries.

Appendix 2: Commonwealth Scholarships and Fellowships offered by the CSC

Commonwealth PhD Scholarships

Purpose: To enhance individual teaching and research capacity leading to development impact as well as increased institutional capacity in academic and other sectors in eligible Commonwealth countries, and to contribute to UK higher education and research by attracting high-calibre international candidates and encouraging links and collaboration.

Intended beneficiaries: High-quality graduates (from least developed countries and fragile and conflict afflicted states) who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK but who have the potential to become influential leaders, teachers, or researchers in their home countries, and whose proposed research topic has a developmental focus.

Focus sector(s): CSC’s 6 development themes.

Award duration: 3 years. The scholarships are offered for an initial tenure of 22 months and extended following confirmation of upgrade to PhD status.

Application process: Applications are accepted via national nominating agencies, invited NGOs, and selected universities in least developed Commonwealth countries and fragile Commonwealth states. Nominating bodies are encouraged to identify their own priority areas and nominate candidates accordingly.

Commonwealth Split-site Scholarships

Purpose: To widen access to UK equipment and expertise for quality doctoral candidates from Commonwealth countries, and to contribute to UK and Commonwealth higher education and research through collaboration and partnerships.

Intended beneficiaries: High-quality graduates from Least Developed and middle- income countries (including fragile and conflict affected states) who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK but who have the potential to become influential leaders, teachers, or researchers in their home countries, and whose proposed research has a developmental and leadership focus.

Focus sector(s): CSC’s 6 development themes. The scholarships are offered to students in all disciplines registered for PhDs at universities in low and middle-income Commonwealth countries.

Award duration: 12 months, which can be taken as a single 12-month period or separated into 2 6-month periods.

Application process: Applications are accepted directly from candidates.

Commonwealth Master’s Scholarships

Purpose: To contribute to development needs of Commonwealth countries by providing training for skilled and qualified professionals and academics, and to contribute to UK higher education and foreign policy aims by encouraging collaboration and links.

Intended beneficiaries: High-quality postgraduate students from Least Developed and middle-income countries (including fragile and conflict affected states) who could not otherwise afford to study in the UK but who have the potential to enhance the development of their home countries with the knowledge and leadership skills they acquire.

Focus sector(s): CSC’s 6 development themes. Courses provide knowledge and skills likely to have a significant development impact.

Award duration: 12 months. The scholarships are wholly tenable at universities in the UK.

Application process: Applications are accepted via national nominating agencies and invited NGOs. Nominating bodies are encouraged to identify their own priority areas and nominate candidates accordingly

Commonwealth Shared Scholarships for Master’s study

Purpose: To contribute to development needs of Commonwealth countries by providing training for skilled and qualified professionals and academics who would not otherwise have been able to study in the UK.

Intended beneficiaries: High-quality postgraduate students from Least Developed and middle-income countries (including fragile and conflict affected states), who have not studied for a year or more in a high-income country before, who would not otherwise afford to study in the UK, and who have the potential to enhance the development of their home countries with the knowledge and leadership skills they acquire.

Focus sector(s): CSC’s 6 development themes. Courses provide knowledge and skills likely to have a significant development impact and must be pre-approved by the CSC as having a development focus.

Award duration: normally 12 months

Application process: UK universities bid for scholarships for specific courses with demonstrable development impact and must agree to fund the living cost component of the scholarships. Applications are made via successful universities, which make the initial selection of candidates, who are subsequently approved by the CSC.

Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships for Master’s study

Purpose: To contribute to development needs of Commonwealth countries by providing training for skilled and qualified professionals in key development areas.

Intended beneficiaries: High-quality postgraduate students from Least Developed and middle-income countries (including fragile and conflict affected states) who wish to access training not available in their home countries, who wish or need to remain in their home country while they study, and who have the potential to enhance the development of their home countries with the knowledge and leadership skills they acquire.

Focus sector(s): CSC’s 6 development themes. Courses provide knowledge and skills likely to have a significant development impact and must be pre-approved by the CSC as having a development focus.

Award duration: Up to 6 years. The scholarships are funded on an ongoing basis, due to the modular nature of the courses.

Application process: UK universities bid for scholarships for specific courses. Applications are made via successful universities, which make the initial selection of candidates, who are subsequently approved by the CSC.

Commonwealth Professional Fellowships

Purpose: To provide professionals with the opportunity to enhance knowledge and skills in their given sector, and to have catalytic effects on their workplaces.

Intended beneficiaries: Mid-career professionals (with 5 years’ relevant work experience) working in development-related organisations in Least Developed and middle-income Commonwealth countries (including fragile and conflict affected states).

Focus sector(s): CSC’s 6 development themes as well as a theme focussed on the Commission’s Time Limited Programme in each particular year.

Award duration: Between 6 weeks and 3 months

Application process: Applications from UK organisations willing to set up a programme of activity are considered by the Commission and successful organisations then recruit and nominate Fellows for their programme for selection by the Commission.

Appendix 3: Review of recent activities

The normal timetable is for the corporate plan to be produced in December each year, referencing performance against the previous year’s business plan (ie the one which ended on 31 March that year). The CSC’s 2022 to 2023 Business plan identified 6 key performance indicators (KPIs), performance against which is shown in the table below:

Key performance indicator	Final report	Status of KPI
1. The gender of candidates selected for each CSC programme will be at least 45% female and 45% male.	PhD: female 47% and male 53% Split Site: female 53% and male 47% Masters: female 57% and male 43% Shared Scholarships: female 55% and male 45% Distance Learning Scholarships: female 47% and male 53% Professional Fellowships: female 48% and male 52%	KPI not met for Agency Master’s; mitigation agreed for future selection rounds with % to be monitored
2. Partnerships with UK universities will generate at least £4.5 million in matching contributions	£5.8 million	KPI met
3. 15 alumni profiles of CSC Women Leading Change will be published demonstrating the CSC’s support of cutting-edge research, innovation, and knowledge exchange throughout the Commonwealth	15 profiles published demonstrating CSC Women Leading Change 11 development impact articles published on the CSC website 2 articles published in issue #13 of Common Knowledge; 1 article in issue #14 2 reports on alumni work through the Alumni Community Engagement Fund published on the CSC website	KPI met
4. 15 profiles of CSC alumni impacting climate change will be published demonstrating the CSC’s support of cutting-edge research, innovation, and knowledge exchange throughout the Commonwealth	15 profiles published demonstrating alumni impacting climate change 7 development impact articles published on the CSC website 2 articles published in issue #13 of Common Knowledge 1 article on the CSC’s Research Impact Award topical winner for ‘Clean Energy, Air and Oceans’ related research 4 reports on alumni work through the Alumni Community Engagement Fund published on the CSC website 3 videos published on the CSC’s YouTube channel showcasing alumni panel discussions on Clean Energy, Air and Oceans at Interchange23	KPI met
5. 10 alumni profiles will be published demonstrating research which promotes equity and inclusion and supports those who have been left behind	10 profiles published demonstrating research which promotes equity and inclusion and supports those who have been left behind 8 development impact articles published on the CSC website 1 report on an alumnus’ work through the Alumni Community Engagement Fund published on the CSC website 1 article published in issue #14 of Common Knowledge	KPI met
6. 10 in-depth Evaluation Case Studies will be produced to demonstrate the CSC as an innovative world-class scholarship and fellowship scheme that delivers impact on sustainable development across the Commonwealth	10 case studies have been produced and published in the report year	KPI met

Appendix 4: Budget and award allocation 2024 to 2025

Table 1 below shows the full budget illustrated for 2024 to 2025 presented to the CSC Finance Committee in November 2023 based upon an indicative budget of £28.224 million from FCDO and £452,000 from DfE. The direct award costs in Table 1 are based on the award numbers in Table 2.

Table 1

CSC illustrated budget 2024 to 2025	2024 to 2025 budget (£000)
FCDO grant-in-aid programme	27,800
FCDO grant-in-aid admin	424
DFE grant-in-aid programme	452
Total grant-in-aid to CSC	28,676
ODA PhD	7,651
Agency master’s	3,493
Split-site PhD	2,919
Shared scholarships	3,935
Distance learning	3,135
Professional	412
Non-ODA PhD	395
Direct award costs	21,941
Visas / health surcharges	789
Award extensions	208
Award hardship	52
Disability mainstreaming	52
Scholar support	652
Cash card fees	12
Other scholarship costs	1,765
Total scholarships	23,681
Evaluation	325
Communications	613
Alumni: ACU	276
Alumni: British Council	374
Recruitment and outreach	303
Time limited programme	414
IT development	340
VAT	372
Total other programme expenditure	3,017
Programme expenditure	26,723
Commission costs via ACU	88
ACU management fees	285
VAT	57
CSC administrative expenditure	430
Programme management costs FCDO	1,227
DFE programme management costs	48
VAT	255
FCDO programme management costs	1,530
Total CSC expenditure	28,683
Surplus/(Deficit)	(7)

Table 2: Award allocation 2024 to 2025, at November 2023

Scholarship	Continuing scholars	Target new awards in 2023 to 2024	Target new awards 2024 to 2025	Awards budget allocated £,000	% of ODA awards budget
ODA PhD scholarships	218	50	56	7,651	35.74%[footnote 2]
Non-ODA PhD scholarships	4	4	4	395	Non-ODA[footnote 2]
Split-site PhD scholarships	50	50	89	2,919	12.56%[footnote 2]
Agency-nominated master’s scholarships	97	97	90	3,493	16.32%
Shared master’s scholarships	201	201	163	3,935	18.81%
Distance learning master’s scholarships	625	205	220	3,135	14.65%
Professional fellowships	-	25	35	412	1.92%
Time limited programme awards	-	25	15[footnote 1]	From TLP budget	From TLP budget
Total	1,195	657	672	21,941

1. The total allocation of awards budget on doctoral research (ODA and non-ODA) is 50% ↩ ↩² ↩³

2. This number is to be confirmed as the programme design for the Entrepreneurship TLP develops ↩