Chevening Scholarships enable outstanding emerging leaders from all over the world to pursue one-year master’s degrees in the UK. Whilst there is no ‘typical’ Chevening Scholar, we are looking for the kind of people who have the passion, ideas, and influence to provide the solutions and leadership needed to create a better future.
Because these scholarships are fully-funded (flights, accommodation, and course fees are all included), you are free to focus on achieving your professional goals and maximising the experience of a lifetime. You will live and study in the UK for a year, during which time you will develop professionally and academically, network extensively, experience UK culture, and build lasting positive relationships with the UK. On completing your studies, you will leave the UK equipped with the knowledge and networks necessary to bring your own ideas to life.
Of all the UK scholarships on offer to international students, Chevening is one of the most prestigious and competitive.
As well as offering fully-funded master’s degrees, it is a unique opportunity for the next generation of leaders, influencers, and decision-makers to develop a relationship with the UK that will grow throughout their careers.
What are Chevening Scholarships?
Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office and partner organisations, Chevening Scholarships are awarded to individuals with demonstrable leadership potential and strong academic backgrounds. The scholarship offers full financial support to study for any eligible master’s degree at any UK university while gaining access to a wide range of exclusive academic, professional, and cultural experiences.
Since the programme was created in 1983, over 50,000 outstanding professionals, have had the opportunity to develop in the UK through Chevening. There are more than 1,500 scholarships on offer globally for the 2023-24 academic year, demonstrating the UK’s ongoing commitment towards developing the leaders of tomorrow.
How does it work?
All applicants undergo a rigorous selection process. The most suitable applicants are then personally selected by British embassies and high commissions around the world.
As a fully-funded scholarship, you’ll receive tuition or programme fees, living expenses, and return flights to the UK. You will also gain access to exclusive networking events, workshops, talks, internships, and volunteering opportunities, giving you a diverse introduction to life in a global role.
Who is it for?
Chevening Scholars have ambition, leadership potential, a strong academic background, and an excellent record of rising to prominent positions in their countries across a range of fields.
Designed to support Britain’s public diplomacy overseas, Chevening Scholarships provide the skills and experiences required to achieve at the highest levels whilst supporting strong relationships with the UK in the future.
If you’re an ambitious leader in the making and are looking for a postgraduate experience that will give you the very best preparation for success, then a Chevening Scholarship could be for you.
How to apply
You can apply for a Chevening Scholarship by selecting your country from the dropdown list at www.chevening.org/apply. After submitting your application, it will be assessed against Chevening’s eligibility criteria. Those applications that are deemed eligible will then be assessed by independent reading committees, who will create a longlist of applicants.
If you are longlisted, you will be invited to submit references and attend an interview with the British embassy or high commission in the country to which you applied. These face-to-face interviews are conducted in English by a panel, who will ask you questions about your personal and professional goals, and how a Chevening Scholarship would help you achieve them. Your choice of courses will also be taken into consideration. The panel will then score your interview against the global Chevening criteria.
Eligibility
To be eligible for a Chevening Scholarship you must:
- Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory.
- Return to your country of citizenship for a minimum of two years after your award has ended.
- Have completed all components of an undergraduate degree that will enable you to gain entry onto a postgraduate programme at a UK university by the time you submit your application. This is typically equivalent to an upper second-class 2:1 honours degree in the UK but may be different depending on your course and university choice.
- Have at least two years (equivalent to 2,800 hours) of work experience.
- Apply to three different eligible UK university courses and have received an unconditional offer from one of these choices by 13 July 2023.
You are not eligible for a Chevening Scholarship if you:
- Hold British or dual British citizenship (unless you are a citizen of a British Overseas Territory or hold BN(O) and are applying from Hong Kong).
- Hold refugee status in a non-Chevening eligible country. Applicants who are citizens of a Chevening-eligible country and who hold refugee status in a Chevening-eligible country are eligible for a scholarship.
- Are an employee, a former employee, or relative* of an employee of His Majesty’s Government, or have been within the last two years from the opening of Chevening applications (including the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, all British Embassies/High Commissions, the Home Office, the Ministry of Defence, the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, the Department for International Trade and the UKVI), the British Council, a sponsoring UK university, or a staff member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.
- Employees, former employees, or relatives* of an employee of Chevening Partner organisations are eligible to apply, but if the employment took place within the last two years, you cannot receive a Chevening Partner Award from the organisation from which you work, previously worked, or are affiliated with through relatives.
- Have previously studied in the UK with funding from a UK Government-funded scholarship.
Having a master’s degree does not prevent you from applying for a Chevening Award to study for a second master’s degree in the UK, as long as you can clearly explain why it will help you fulfil your career plan to influence positive change in your home country.
Once submitted, applications undergo an electronic sift against our eligibility criteria. Any applications deemed ineligible will be removed from the selection process. Please see the list of common errors here. If you make these errors in your application form, your application will be ineligible. Please note that once your application has been submitted, it is not possible to change it retrospectively.
