5 distance learning scholarships that international students need to know

Distance learning or online education is an advantage for anyone who wants to study anywhere in the world such as your own country while also benefiting from international education. 

Some of the benefits of distance learning is that the courses are very flexible, you can learn and while earning and they can help you become tech-savvy.

What’s more, some of these institutions have scholarships for their online courses which covers tuition.

Commonwealth distance learning scholarships

The Commonwealth Distance Learning programme is one of the Commonwealth Scholarships Commission’s three Master’s programs. 

The scholarship operates within the Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) and demonstrates the United Kingdom’s ongoing commitment to the Commonwealth. 

The Commonwealth Distance Learning Scholarships help candidates from developing Commonwealth countries study one of 30+ Master’s degree courses offered in collaboration with universities in developing countries or directly by UK institutions. Tuition fees are covered by the scholarships. 

The scholarship is funded by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and it allows talented and motivated individuals to gain access to training and skills necessary for sustainable development that are not available in their home countries. 

They are for candidates from eligible low and middle income Commonwealth countries who want to study part-time at UK universities while staying in their home countries. 

These scholarships are available in six CSC Development themes. No deadline is stated as the scholarship is on a rolling basis.

Edinburgh global distance learning scholarships

The University of Edinburgh offers these scholarships to citizens of selected developing countries to pursue one of the University’s 30+ distance learning Master’s programmes. 

To qualify for this scholarships, applicants need to receive an offer at the University of Edinburgh and should have firmly accepted that offer or be intending to do so.

Applicants will be asked to include the following in their personal statement: (a) the specific elements of this programme that drew you to the University of Edinburgh; (b) how successful completion of this programme will benefit your career and personal development; and (c) how you will be able to contribute to your community/region or country? 

Academic merit and the strength of a personal statement will be considered when awarding the scholarship. Priority will be given to those who have never studied at the master’s level before.

Each scholarship will cover the full cost of tuition for three years.

University of Derby

The University of Derby is a leader in online education and has been so for almost two decades. At the University of Derby Online Learning, there are over 100 part-time courses specially designed for online study. There are courses in areas from Accounting to Education, Environmental Sciences, Nursing, Hospitality, History, Hospital management, Ergonomics and human factors and many more.

There are also single modules and short courses for CPD (continuing professional development) as well as undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications. Alternatively, you can search for a course here.

Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a non-profit organization that aims to improve education by providing free world-class education to anyone, anywhere. Khan Academy will help you learn what you want, when you want, at your own pace, with a library of over 4,500 videos on everything from arithmetic to physics, finance, and history, as well as hundreds of skills to practice.

What began as a single man tutoring his cousin grew into a 150-person organization with the goal to provide a free world-class education.

There are online courses in Art & Design, Business, Medicine and Healthcare, Social science and others.

Academic Earth

Academic Earth was founded on the belief that everyone is entitled to a world-class education. The platform provides a comprehensive collection of free online courses from top universities around the world. The first collection of free online college courses from the world’s top universities was created in 2009 and the platform also has a curated list of online courses chosen by its staff to ensure there is something for everyone whether you want to explore a new topic or advance in your current field.

For instance Academic Earth has a collection of free online courses from various universities such as:

Berklee College of Music with 3 courses and 75 Lectures

California Institute of Technology with 1 course and 23 Lectures
Carnegie Mellon University with 2 courses and 34 lectures, Case Western Reserve University with 3 courses and 25 lectures,

Columbia University with 5 courses and 65 lectures,

Cornell University with 2 courses and 19 lectures, Dartmouth College with 1 course and 55 lectures, Harvard University with 17 courses and 195 lectures and many others.