Deadline: 5 November 2024
Chevening is the UK government’s international scholarships and fellowships programme. Funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) and partner organisations, 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, Chevening is 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.
Chevening Scholars study subjects in almost any field, and go on to implement their ideas for positive change in a range of sectors. After completing their period of study in the UK, they return home and join our global network of over 50,000 alumni.
Because these scholarships are fully-funded (flights, accommodation, and course fees are all included), as a scholar 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.
SCHOLARSHIP BENEFITS
The Chevening Programme includes a tailored engagement programme creating opportunities for scholars to network with each other as well as alumni, the FCDO, high profile speakers and partner organisations. Award recipients receive:
Payment of tuition fees
Economy travel to and from your country of residence by an approved route for you only
An arrival allowance
The cost of an entry clearance (visa) application for you only
A departure allowance
A contribution of up to £75 for TB testing, where this is required
A travel top up allowance
A monthly personal living allowance (stipend) to cover accommodation and living expenses. The monthly stipend will depend on whether you are studying inside or outside London. These rates are subject to annual review.
Please note that for MBA programs, there is a fee cap applied by the Chevening scholarship that requires you to cover any additional cost over £22,000.
ELIGIBILITY
To be eligible for a Chevening Scholarship you must:
Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory including Eswatini
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 11 July 2025.
The Chevening English language requirement was removed in 2020. However, candidates will still need to meet all requirements from their chosen university, which may include English language requirements, and secure an unconditional offer from one of their three course choices by 11 July 2025.
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.
Work Experience Requirements
You must ensure that you meet the minimum work-experience requirement for the scholarship before submitting your Chevening application. Chevening Scholarships require that applicants have at least two years of work experience. The types of work experience that are eligible for Chevening can include:
Full-time employment
Part-time employment
Voluntary work
Paid or unpaid internships
Work experience can be completed before, during, or after graduating from your undergraduate studies, however, any mandatory employment that counted towards your undergraduate or postgraduate course would not be eligible.
You do not need to meet the work experience requirement in one period of employment. If you are currently employed, it is not a requirement of Chevening that you resign from your position. You are advised to discuss your application with your employer and it is your responsibility to ensure that they will release you if you are selected for a Chevening Scholarship.
SELECTING A COURSE
Only courses that are UK-based, full-time, start in September / October 2025 (autumn term), and lead to a taught master’s qualification are eligible for a Chevening Scholarship. Courses that are eligible for this scholarship can be found here: https://www.chevening.org/scholarships/find-a-course/.
Applicants are required to select three course choices when applying for a Chevening Award. This means that you will have alternative options if, for any reason, you are not offered a place on your first course option. You will not be able to change your course choices after submitting your application unless you are granted permission to do so at the interview stage. You will need to apply separately to your selected courses directly via the university. Please apply as soon as possible to ensure you get a place. To be awarded a scholarship, you must get an unconditional offer for one of your course choices by 11 July 2025.
Chevening recommends selecting three similar courses at three different universities to increase the likelihood that you will gain entry into one of them. Please note that the course titles do not have to match exactly, but all three courses should be similar in content. You should select courses that reflect your current or future career goals.
HOW TO APPLY
All Chevening applications must be submitted in English through the scholarship’s online application system (OAS). This system will be used throughout the application and selection process, and you may be asked to log back in at various points during the process to receive updates on your application status, or to submit documents.
You can create your application account using a valid email address here: https://chevening.smartsimpleuk.com/s_Login.jsp
It is recommended to use the Google Chrome web browser, as well as a laptop or PC, rather than a mobile or tablet, when completing your application.
The application form may take some time to complete, so consider preparing your answers offline for example on a Google doc or Microsoft word, and then pasting them into the online form later. Pay attention to the minimum and maximum word limits, document type and size requirements.
Contact
For any questions, please email SAChevening@fcdo.gov.uk
Does Chevening Scholarship provide undergraduate opportunities?