The Chevening Scholarship: A Complete Guide for Prospective Applicants

What Is the Chevening Scholarship?

Chevening funds outstanding candidates from eligible countries to pursue a one-year taught Master's degree at any UK university, while joining what the programme describes as a global network of decision-makers, innovators, and changemakers. Unlike a purely academic scholarship, Chevening explicitly selects for demonstrated leadership potential, networking ability, and a credible plan for creating positive change after returning home, alongside strong academic credentials.

Who Is Eligible for Chevening?

According to Chevening's official eligibility criteria, applicants must:

• Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory. Over 160 countries and territories currently qualify, though UK citizens and dual UK nationals are not eligible
• Have at least 2,800 hours of work experience gained after completing their undergraduate degree, roughly equivalent to two years of full-time work. These hours can come from full-time work, part-time work, voluntary work, or paid and unpaid internships, and can be combined across multiple roles
• Hold an undergraduate degree that qualifies them for entry onto a UK Master's programme, generally equivalent to a UK upper-second-class (2:1) Honours degree
• Have completed their undergraduate studies at least two years before the application deadline, even if the formal certificate hasn't yet been issued, though the certificate must be available by interview stage
• Apply to three different, eligible UK university courses as part of their application
• Commit to returning to their home country for a minimum of two years after the scholarship ends

Certain categories are explicitly ineligible, including UK government employees (or their close relatives) within the past two years, staff of the Association of Commonwealth Universities, and applicants who have previously studied in the UK on another UK government funded scholarship. Having already completed one Master's degree does not disqualify someone from applying for a second through Chevening.

What Does the Chevening Scholarship Cover?

Chevening is a fully funded scholarship, and its official benefits include:

• University tuition fees, paid directly to the institution, with no cap for standard taught Master's programmes. MBA programmes are a specific exception, capped at £22,000, with any amount above that paid by the scholar
• A monthly living stipend, with the exact amount depending on whether the scholar studies inside or outside London, reviewed annually
• Economy class return travel to and from the UK
• An arrival allowance and a homeward departure allowance
• The cost of one UK visa application
• A travel grant to attend Chevening events within the UK

Family members are not covered under the scholarship. If a scholar brings dependents to the UK, visa costs, accommodation, and daily living expenses for those family members are the scholar's own responsibility.

How Do I Apply for Chevening?

The application process runs through these stages:

1. Confirm your eligibility against the criteria above before starting, since ineligible applications are automatically rejected
2. Create an account and complete your application on the official Chevening portal at chevening.org, including personal details, education history, work experience, and four required essays covering leadership and influence, networking, career plan, and why Chevening and the UK specifically
3. Submit before the application deadline. Applications are assessed by an independent reading committee, who compile a longlist
4. Attend an interview if shortlisted, typically conducted by a panel at the British embassy or high commission in your country of citizenship
5. Apply separately to three eligible UK university courses, since your Chevening application and your university applications are handled through entirely separate systems
6. Submit at least one unconditional UK university offer by the required deadline, generally in July following your Chevening application, in order to finalise your scholarship

Because Chevening applications and UK university applications run on separate systems and separate timelines, it's genuinely worth starting your university applications early rather than waiting for a Chevening decision first.

What Is the Application Timeline?

Chevening runs on a roughly annual cycle. Based on the pattern of recent cycles:

• Application portal opens: typically in August
• Application deadline: typically early October, generally around 12:00 UTC on the closing date, with no extensions for late submissions
• Interviews: for shortlisted candidates, typically conducted in the months following the deadline
• Results announced: typically by June of the following year
• Studies begin: September or October of that same year

Always confirm exact dates for the current cycle directly on chevening.org once the portal opens, since exact deadlines can shift slightly year to year.

Can I Reapply If I'm Not Selected?

Yes. A rejection does not disqualify you from applying again in a future cycle, and there is no general restriction on how many times you can apply. The one specific exception is for candidates who have already held a Chevening award previously, who must wait five years before applying again.

Does Chevening Only Fund Master's Degrees?

Yes. Chevening Scholarships specifically fund one-year taught Master's degrees. It does not fund undergraduate degrees, PhDs, or distance learning courses. Applicants interested in those other levels of study need to look at different funding sources.

FAQs About the Chevening Scholarship

Do internships count toward the 2,800 hours of work experience?

Yes, both paid and unpaid internships count, including those completed during undergraduate studies, provided they were not mandatory placements required as part of the degree itself.

Can I apply for Chevening if I'm currently living outside my home country?

Yes. You apply under your country of citizenship, the Chevening-eligible country you hold citizenship in, even if you currently reside elsewhere. If shortlisted, interviews are typically arranged through the British embassy or high commission connected to that country of citizenship.

Is there a cap on how much tuition Chevening will cover?

For standard taught Master's programmes, there's no cap and tuition is paid directly to the university. MBA programmes are the one exception, capped at £22,000, with any cost above that covered by the applicant.

What happens if I already have a Master's degree?

Having a previous Master's degree does not prevent you from applying for a second one through Chevening.

Is the two-year return-home commitment strictly enforced?

Yes, it's one of Chevening's core eligibility requirements. Applicants must commit to returning to their home country for a minimum of two years after their scholarship ends.

Apply Now

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Sources: Official Chevening website (chevening.org), including its Eligibility Criteria, Application Timeline, and Apply pages, and the British Council's Study UK official Chevening Scholarships page.