Chevening is the UK government's international scholarship programme. It funds one-year master's degrees at UK universities, and it is competitive. A surprising number of applications fail on eligibility before anyone reads the essays.
This is a checklist. Run through it before you write a word.
The eligibility checklist
1. Citizenship
- You are a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory.
- You are not a British or dual British citizen (some exceptions exist for certain British Overseas Territories, so check).
2. Return requirement
- You agree to return to your country of citizenship for a minimum period after the scholarship ends.
Take this seriously. If your plan is to stay in the UK after your degree, Chevening is the wrong scholarship. The return commitment is part of what you sign.
3. Undergraduate degree
- You have completed an undergraduate degree that would let you onto a UK postgraduate course. For most courses that means the equivalent of a UK upper second-class (2:1) honours degree, but each university sets its own bar.
If your grades are on a different scale, see How to Convert Your GPA for UK Master's Admissions.
4. Work experience
- You have the minimum required work experience (historically about two years, counted in hours) by the application deadline.
What usually counts: full-time and part-time employment, voluntary work, and internships. What often doesn't: work done during undergraduate study or as part of a degree, depending on the current rules. Count your hours in a spreadsheet and keep evidence.
5. Three UK course choices
- You have identified three different eligible UK master's courses.
Most are one-year taught master's. Check each course appears on Chevening's eligible list and that you meet its entry requirements.
6. Unconditional offer
- You can get an unconditional offer from one of your three choices by the Chevening deadline.
This trips people up. Apply to universities early in parallel with Chevening.
7. English language
- You meet the English language requirement of your university. Chevening defers to universities on this.
8. Not barred by other rules
- You haven't previously received UK government-funded scholarships that would disqualify you.
- You aren't an employee or recent employee of the UK government (or a relative of one) in a way that disqualifies you under current rules.
The application itself
Once you're eligible, the online application asks for:
- Personal and education details
- Work experience
- Your three course choices
- Four essays: on leadership and influence, networking, studying in the UK, and your career plan
- Two references
I wrote about how to approach the essays in Chevening Essays: How to Approach Each Question, and about the interview stage in How to Prepare for a Chevening Interview. I don't publish my own answers. What helps you is understanding the questions, not copying someone else's story.
The usual timeline
Historically, applications open in August and close in early November. Interviews run in the first half of the following year, results come around June, and courses start in September or October.
Use my Days Between Dates tool to count backward from the deadline, and Planning a Scholarship Calendar Backwards From Deadlines for a full plan.
Common early disqualifiers
- Not counting work hours properly. Count them, don't estimate.
- Choosing courses that aren't eligible, or that you can't get into.
- No university offers in time. Start university applications in parallel.
- Misunderstanding the return requirement.
- References not submitted by the deadline. Chase them politely.
Related
- Erasmus Mundus vs Chevening in 2027: Which Fits You?
- UK Graduate Route After a Master's. Note how it interacts with the Chevening return requirement.
- Best Scholarships for a Master's in AI in 2027