Chevening Scholarship: Fully-Funded Scholarship in the UK

If you want to study in the UK with your tuition, living and accommodation costs fully covered, then applying for the Chevening Scholarship can be a great opportunity. The Chevening Scholarship is an opportunity for students all over the world to study in any major university in the UK for their Masters with all expenses fully covered.

In this article, you will learn more about the Chevening Scholarship including the eligibility requirements and how you can apply.

An Overview of Chevening Scholarship

The Chevening Scholarship is a one-year fully funded scholarship given to students all over the world to study for a master’s degree at major UK universities.

It was founded in 1983 and is sponsored by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

It is for individuals with leadership and networking skills who are passionate about making impact and solving local, national and global issues.

Every year, 1500 students are selected all over the world to study for a master’s degree with all expenses fully covered including tuition fees, travel costs, living allowance, accommodation costs, etc. Selected students are given the opportunity to study in accredited Universities in UK like Cambridge, Kings College London, University College London (UCL), University of Bath, University of Nottingham, etc.

The scholarship covers all disciplines including Law, Business, Environment Science, International Relations, STEM, etc.

Chevening Scholarship Eligibility Requirements

To apply for the Chevening Scholarship, you must meet the eligibility requirements below:

1. You must be from one of the eligible countries including Nigeria, Mexico, India, South Korea, Indonesia, etc.

To see a complete list of the eligible countries, check out their website here.

2. You must hold an undergraduate degree which is equivalent to a UK second class upper (2:1).

Note: You can still apply even if you already have a master’s degree.

3. You must have a minimum of 2 years work experience which amounts to at least 2800 working hours. It could be part-time, full-time, voluntary, paid or unpaid internship, etc. And all these must be clearly explained in your application.

Note:

i. You can add together up to 15 different jobs or work times to meet the total experience needed.

ii. If you have a job right now, you don’t need to quit to apply for a Chevening Scholarship. However, it is advisable to talk to your employer about your application so they can let you take time off if you are selected.

4. When applying for the Chevening Scholarship, you must apply to different UK master’s programs that you are eligible for. And it must be a full-time one-year master’s program.

So, you can start applying to relevant UK master’s programs even before the Chevening Scholarship application is opened.

5. You must make a commitment that you will return to your country for at least 2 years after completing your study. The purpose of this is to ensure that you apply your new skills and education in your home country.

See Also:

How to Effectively Prepare for an Interview

Top 5 LinkedIn Growth Hacks That Work in Nigeria

Who is not eligible for the Chevening Scholarship

You cannot apply for a Chevening Scholarship if:

• You are a British citizen or have dual British citizenship unless you are a citizen of a British Overseas Territory or you have British National (Overseas) status and are applying from Hong Kong.
• You are a refugee living in a country that is not eligible for Chevening. But if you are from an eligible country and live as a refugee in another eligible country, you can still apply.
• You work for (or used to work for) the UK government or related organizations, or you are closely related to someone who used to work for the UK government, British Embassies or High Commissions, British Council, The Association of Commonwealth Universities, UK universities that sponsor Chevening
• Also, if you (or your relative) worked for a Chevening Partner organization in the last 2 years, you can apply but can’t get a scholarship funded by that specific organization.
• You have already studied in the UK on a scholarship paid for by the UK government.

Also Read: ERP Study Scholarship: Fully Funded Master’s in Germany

How to Apply for The Chevening Scholarship

To apply for the Chevening Scholarship, here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1

Visit the Chevening Scholarship website, choose your country and open a personal account. The scholarship is usually open around August.

Step 2

Fill out the application form with important details like your work experience, leadership skills, academic background, references, etc.

Also apply to 3 UK master’s programs which are full-time one year programs being taught at any accredited UK university. Make sure that these programs meet the Chevening eligibility requirements and are also in line with your career goals.

Step 3

Upload all the required documents including your CV, two references, undergraduate degree certificates and transcripts, four well-written essays which covers leadership and influence, networking skills, your reasons for choosing the UK for your studies, and your future career plans.

Step 4

After submission, wait to see if your application is shortlisted. If your application is shortlisted, usually in February of the following year, you will be invited to an interview.

Step 5

The interview can be done offline at the British embassy or online. You will be asked questions relating to your work experience, academic background, plans after completing the program, etc.

This is usually done between March to May.

Step 6

If you are selected, you will need to submit at least one unconditional offer from one of the 3 programs you selected including your English language proficiency test results.

Step 7

Your results will be announced in June/July and you can start the program in September or October.

Note: Be very careful not to miss any documents when applying. This mistake can ruin your entire application. So, be careful that you submit all the required documents while applying in the right format and at the right time.

Required Documents for The Chevening Scholarship

To apply for the Chevening Scholarship, here are some of the documents you need to submit:

1. A valid passport or National ID.
2. An undergraduate degree certificate with the transcript showing your course, grade and graduation date.
3. Two reference letters by professional/ academic contacts who can vouch for your character, leadership abilities, and potential. These letters are to be submitted through the online reference system in the format required by Chevening.
4. Language proficiency scores from tests like IELTS, TOEFL, etc. This is very important if the school you are applying for requires an English language test.
5. Unconditional or unconditional admission offers from any of the three UK master courses you selected. You don’t need to have all 3 offers when applying. But upon the deadline on the Chevening website, you need to have uploaded at least one unconditional offer. Without this, you will not be considered.

6. A CV and resume that highlights your work experience, leadership abilities, academic background, volunteer experience, relevant skill applications, etc.
7. Four well-written and thoughtful essays highlighting your reasons, goals, personal story, leadership experience, work experience, future plans, etc.

Note: To help you stay organized, try to start collecting these documents before the application deadline.

Also Read:

Ashinaga Africa Initiative Scholarship – Fully Funded

Fulbright Foreign Student Program: Benefits and Application Tips

Conclusion

The Chevening Scholarship is one of the most competitive scholarships especially for people who want to study in the UK.  If you want to get a Master’s degree in the UK under a fully-funded scholarship, check out their website and start preparing the necessary documents