ACU Global Grants 2026 for Undergraduate Students at ACU Member Universities (Up to GBP 5,000)

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Applications are open for ACU Global Grants 2026. The ACU Global Grants provide undergraduate students at ACU member universities with funding to attend short-term academic programmes (‘summer’ or ‘winter’ schools), hosted by an ACU member institution in a different Commonwealth country.

The grants aim to support academic development, international experience, and knowledge exchange for students across the Commonwealth. A number of these grants are funded by the kind legacy of the HW Paxton Trust.

About the Association of Commonwealth Universities (ACU)

Established in 1913, the Association of Commonwealth Universities is the world’s oldest international university network. Today, the organisation represents more than 400 universities across over 40 Commonwealth countries, with approximately 70% of its member institutions located in low- and middle-income countries.

The ACU works to strengthen higher education through:

International research collaboration.
Student and staff mobility.
Capacity building.
Policy engagement.
Scholarships and grant programmes.
Global partnerships.

Through initiatives such as the Global Grants, the organisation seeks to make international education more accessible while strengthening collaboration among universities throughout the Commonwealth.

ACU Global Grants Details

10 awards of up to GBP 5,000 are available.

Five awards are allocated for citizens of the United Kingdom, under the funding of the HW Paxton Trust.
Five awards are allocated for citizens of (or those holding refugee status in) Commonwealth countries (excluding the United Kingdom)

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must:

be registered as an undergraduate student at an ACU member institution.
be a citizen of (or hold refugee status in) a Commonwealth country.
identify a programme that is related to their studies, which must:
- be a short-term academic programme (‘summer’ or ‘winter’ school)
- be in a Commonwealth country at an ACU member institution.
- have an official start date between 1 December 2026 and 31 August 2027.
provide a letter of institutional support from either a departmental head or academic/course supervisor at their university and a letter of support from the proposed programme host.

How to Apply for ACU Global Grants

Review the FAQs and Application Guidance.
Submit an application through the online application form.
- If you already have a MyACU account, you can access the grant application form by logging into the platform and accessing the form here.
- If you do not already have a MyACU account, please ensure that you first register for an account, then follow the instructions in the registration email to log into the system before accessing the application form.

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Application Deadline: 25 August 2026 at 15:00 UTC.