Commonwealth Scholarship References: Choosing the Right Referees
Your referees must address your development potential alongside academic ability — and you upload their letters yourself before the CSC deadline.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
1 min read
Updated Oct 5, 2026
How References Work for 2027/28
- The form asks for three referees; at least two references must be included with your application. One referee must be your current employer, if you have one.
- You collect the references yourself — signed, on institutional letterhead or as an email clearly showing the sender — and upload them as PDFs to the application system.
- References must be uploaded by the 20 October 2026 deadline. The CSC cannot accept them any other way or later. They must be written by the referee in their own words.
The References You Need
Academic reference
Someone who directly supervised your academic work: a thesis supervisor, research mentor, or professor who taught you and can provide specific evidence of capability.
Second reference: academic or professional
Should complement the first. If your first reference covers scholarly potential, the second should address professional impact, development work or community engagement.
What the CSC Asks Referees to Cover
- How long, and in what capacity, they have known you.
- Your suitability for the scholarship and the need for your subject of study in the UK.
- Your ability to grasp concepts and reason analytically, your capacity for original thought, and your motivation and perseverance.
- Your particular strengths and weaknesses.
- Your potential to impact development in your home country.
Good and Bad Choices
Good choices
- Thesis/dissertation supervisor
- Research project supervisor
- Professional supervisor who has seen your development work
- NGO director you worked closely with
Bad choices
- Family members or personal friends
- A professor from a large lecture who barely knows you
- An impressive title but no knowledge of your work
- Anyone unreliable or hard to contact
Prepare for the Interview
Next, get ready for questions from your nominator: read our Interview guide.