Commonwealth Shared Scholars
Booking Flights
You are not permitted to book your own flights directly with the airline; the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission's Travel Agent, Diversity Travel, will do this on your behalf within a set budget.
- Travelling to the UK: you are expected to arrive for the start of your award or as soon after as possible if no flights are available. You should request your CAS and book your Visa appointment as soon as your Confirmation of Award is issued. Flights may only be booked once you have been issued your visa.
- Travelling from the UK: you are expected to return to your home country within one month of your course end date. We advise that you book your travel before the end of July as we expect the travel agent to become extremely busy in August and September.
Please follow these instructions in order.
- Travelling to the UK only: once you have received your visa documentation, please submit a copy to the Doctoral College.
- Go to the Diversity Travel webpages and enter your CSC ID number to arrange your travel.
- Once you receive your flight booking confirmation, please submit a copy to the Doctoral College.
If you are unable to book your travel through the portal, please email doctoralcollege@warwick.ac.uk stating the issue you have encountered.
Additional Costs
Some additional travel costs can be claimed as part of the Commonwealth Shared scholarship, strictly limited to those described below. Please note that we cannot cover the costs of fast track visa applications, agents fees or Covid tests. All costs will be paid into your UK or eligible digital bank account registered with the University.
- Travelling to the UK: claims for additional costs cannot be processed until you have enrolled on your course and arrived in the UK.
- Travelling from the UK: you must submit receipts within 10 working days of incurring the cost and while you are still registered as a student.
To claim the value of the additional costs, please submit copies of your receipts to to the Doctoral College.
- Excess Baggage: If your incoming or outgoing flight standard baggage allowance is less than 30 kg, you may book up to 10 kg excess baggage allowance. You will need to book this directly with your airline.
- Tuberculosis (TB) Tests: If you have been asked to take a TB test prior to leaving your home country, this should be taken at your local IOM centre.
If you are no longer registered as a student, or have lost access to the bank account registered with the University, it may not be possible for us to reimburse your costs. Please email doctoralcollege@warwick.ac.uk stating the issue you have encountered.