The Association of Commonwealth Universities
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. Don't spend time on an approach; the similar funders below support the same kind of work.
Key takeaways
- The Association of Commonwealth Universities does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application will not get far; its opportunities are open by invitation only.
- Its stated geographic focus is the Commonwealth, and the two programmes with stated amounts give up to £5,000, so a modest request is the realistic size.
- ACU Fellowships are open only to academic or professional services staff at ACU member universities who already have, or can identify and approach, a collaborator at a member university in another country, so a charity whose people do not fit that group should not apply for them.
- Each opportunity has its own window and closing date, such as Global Grants, which closes 25 August, and the annual report shows £622,000 paid in total, which may include grants to individuals, so the scale of giving is modest and uncertain.
Overview
The Association of Commonwealth Universities is a charity registered with the Charity Commission for England and Wales (charity number 314137).
The Association of Commonwealth Universities exists to promote the interests and well being of the universities of the Commonwealth. It is the world's first and oldest international university network, set up to provide a forum for sharing information, knowledge and ideas. It has over 400 member universities in more than 40 countries across the Commonwealth. Alongside government-funded schemes, its own grants and fellowships support the exchange of students and staff between member universities, including research and travel grants and international scholarships for students.
What they fund
Priority Areas
The Association of Commonwealth Universities combines a university network role with grant and fellowship opportunities for university staff and students. Its stated grant activities include research and knowledge exchange, teaching, learning and pedagogy, institutional tools and resources, capacity strengthening, and university exchange or collaboration. Staff funding enables academic researchers and professional services staff to collaborate with colleagues across the Commonwealth; some opportunities are restricted to ACU members. Student opportunities include research and travel grants, studentships, and international scholarships supporting mobility and cross-Commonwealth learning. Its own grants and fellowships support projects that advance the aims of its thematic networks and communities of practice and promote collaboration among their members. The opportunities connect universities and their people through learning, research and international collaboration.
Themes
- Research and knowledge exchange
- Teaching and pedagogy
- Institutional tools and resources
- Capacity strengthening
- University exchange or collaboration
- Gender equity
Geographic Focus
The Commonwealth.
How to apply
For ACU Fellowships, applicants identify and approach a collaborator at an ACU member university in another country, review the Application Guidance and grant FAQs, then submit an online application.
Deadlines: Each opportunity has a closing date.
Application windows:
- King's Commonwealth Fellowship Programme Undergraduate Fellowships: Opens 14 September, closes 19 October
- Edward Boyle Medical Electives: Opens 29 September, closes 24 November
- ‘Writing for the Media’ training with Universal Impact / The Conversation: Opens 29 September, closes 24 November
- Gender Grants: Opens 27 January, closes 31 March
- Supporting Research Community Training Grants: Opens 27 January, closes 31 March
- HR in HE Community Grants: Opens 17 February, closes 14 April
- ACU Fellowships: Opens 31 March, closes 26 May
- Expert Group Grants: Opens 28 April, closes 9 June
- Expert Group Research Fund: Opens 28 April, closes 9 June
- Global Grants: Opens 14 July, closes 25 August
- Early Career Conference Grants: Opens 18 August, closes 13 October
- ACU Fellowships: Applications open 31 March, close 26 May
Who can apply:
- ACU Fellowships
- Be an academic or professional services staff at an ACU member university.
- Applicants must first already have or identify and approach a collaborator at an ACU member university in a country other than the one where the applicant is employed.
What to send:
- ACU Fellowships
- Review the Application Guidance and grant FAQs.
- Applicants should identify any such costs and incorporate them into the project budget within the application form.
Where they fund
Where it says it funds
- International
Similar funders
Funders supporting work similar to The Association of Commonwealth Universities.
Five years of accounts
| Financial year | Income | Expenditure | Grants paid | Accounts document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| year to 31 July 2021 | £9,869,000 | £10,921,000 | — | Accounts for year to 31 July 2021 |
| year to 31 July 2022 | £10,433,000 | £12,039,000 | — | Accounts for year to 31 July 2022 |
| year to 31 July 2023 | £11,130,000 | £12,278,000 | — | Accounts for year to 31 July 2023 |
| year to 31 July 2024 | £7,747,000 | £10,104,000 | — | Accounts for year to 31 July 2024 |
| year to 31 July 2025 | £8,069,000 | £8,334,000 | £622,000 | Accounts for year to 31 July 2025 |
- Grants paid, year to 31 July 2025: grants paid out in the year.
— No grants figure for those years.
Figures from the charity’s filed accounts and its register entry. The document icon links to the charity’s entry on the Charity Commission register, where its filed accounts can be found.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
- acu.ac.uk/funding-opportunities/funding-opportunities-calendar · read on 30 October 2026
- acu.ac.uk/funding-opportunities/for-university-staff · read on 30 October 2026
- acu.ac.uk/funding-opportunities/for-students · read on 30 October 2026
- acu.ac.uk/funding-opportunities/for-university-staff/fellowships/acu-fellowships · read on 30 October 2026
- acu.ac.uk/funding-opportunities · read on 30 October 2026
- acu.ac.uk · read on 30 October 2026
- acu.ac.uk/about-us/contact-us · read on 30 October 2026
- Annual report (year to 31 July 2025)
This profile draws on the funder’s own website as well as its filed accounts.
Sources last checked on 30 October 2026.
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to The Association of Commonwealth Universities?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- +44 (0)20 7380 6700source
- The Association of Commonwealth Universities, Woburn House, 20-24 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HF, United Kingdomsource
- acu.ac.uk
- Contact form
- Apply online
Applying to The Association of Commonwealth Universities?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- +44 (0)20 7380 6700source
- The Association of Commonwealth Universities, Woburn House, 20-24 Tavistock Square, London WC1H 9HF, United Kingdomsource
- acu.ac.uk
- Contact form
- Apply online