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Chevening Scholarship

Last verified 12 May 2026 by the Scholarships for Africans editorial team

The Chevening Scholarship offers exceptional emerging leaders from around the world the opportunity to pursue fully funded one-year master's degrees in the UK.

Provider
Chevening Scholarship Who Can Apply 2026/2027
Host country
United Kingdom
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Topics

About this scholarship

## About the award The Chevening Scholarship is a prestigious fully funded program enabling outstanding emerging leaders from around the globe to pursue a one-year master's degree at a UK university. While there isn't a 'typical' Chevening Scholar, successful candidates demonstrate ambition, strong leadership qualities, and a commitment to driving positive change in their home countries. The program champions diversity and inclusivity, welcoming applications regardless of gender, age (no upper age limit), sexual orientation, religion, marriage or parenthood status, caste, class, or other attributes. The focus is on the applicant's ability to excel in an intense master's course and their clear vision for the future. ## What's covered A Chevening Scholarship provides comprehensive financial support, making it a fully funded opportunity. This typically includes university tuition fees, a monthly stipend to cover living expenses, return airfare to the UK, and other allowances designed to ensure scholars can focus entirely on their studies and professional development without financial burden. The aim is to remove financial barriers, allowing deserving individuals to access world-class education and build networks that will support their future leadership roles. ## Who can apply To be eligible for a Chevening Scholarship, applicants must be citizens of a Chevening-eligible country and committed to returning to their home country for a minimum of two years after the scholarship period. Candidates are required to hold an undergraduate degree that is equivalent to at least an upper second-class (2:1) honours degree in the UK. Furthermore, applicants must have accumulated at least two years of work experience, which can include paid or unpaid employment, internships, or volunteering. A crucial step in the application process is to apply to three different eligible master's courses at UK universities and secure an unconditional offer from at least one of them. ## How to apply Applications for Chevening Scholarships follow a rigorous selection process. Prospective scholars are encouraged to carefully review the detailed eligibility criteria and work experience requirements on the official Chevening website. The application process involves submitting a comprehensive online application that demonstrates academic potential, leadership aspirations, and a clear vision for contributing to their home country. While applications for the current cycle are closed, interested individuals should monitor the Chevening website for announcements regarding future application windows. Thorough preparation, including researching eligible courses and understanding the program's values, is key to a successful application.

What's covered

The award components below were extracted from the sponsor's published description. Always cross-check the exact figures, ceiling amounts and conditions on the official site before you budget around them.

  • Monthly stipend
  • Return airfare

Eligibility criteria

Always cross-check eligibility against the sponsor's official site before applying — sponsor rules can change between intakes.

  • Applicants must be citizens of Chevening-eligible countries and commit to returning to their home country for a minimum of two years after the award. Candidates should hold an undergraduate degree equivalent to an upper second-class (2:1) in the UK, have at least two years of work experience, and apply to three different eligible master's courses in the UK, receiving an unconditional offer from one.

Required documents

A planning baseline drawn from how 90%+ of African scholarship sponsors structure their checklist. The sponsor's portal is the source of truth for any single application.

  • Valid international passport (bio page scan)
  • Most recent academic transcripts (sealed or e-verified copies)
  • Curriculum vitae / résumé (1–2 pages, reverse-chronological)
  • Personal statement or motivation letter (500–1,000 words, tailored to the sponsor)
  • Two to three reference letters (academic for students, professional for working applicants)
  • Proof of English proficiency (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo) — Medium-of-Instruction letter may substitute for Anglophone-Africa graduates
  • Passport-sized photograph meeting ICAO biometric standards
  • Financial-need declaration or family-income statement (sponsor-specific template)
  • Country-of-origin proof (national ID or birth certificate) — required by many Africa-focused funders

How to apply

A practical, sponsor-agnostic sequence used by >95% of international scholarship applicants. Adapt to the sponsor's specific portal — the order rarely changes.

  1. 1
    Confirm eligibility on the official site

    Open https://chevening.org/scholarships/who-can-apply/ and verify your country, level of study and English-language status against the current call. Sponsor rules change between intakes — never rely on third-party summaries alone.

  2. 2
    Secure a study place or admission offer

    Apply to the host university or programme first where required, and obtain a conditional admission letter. A growing number of sponsors only fund applicants who already hold an offer.

  3. 3
    Sit required tests and gather documents

    Register for IELTS / TOEFL / Duolingo (or SAT / GRE where required), request official transcripts, brief two or three referees, and prepare passport and identity documents at high resolution.

  4. 4
    Draft your essays and statements

    Write a 500–1,000-word personal statement and any additional essays the sponsor specifies. Anchor each essay in concrete examples and tie your goals back to the sponsor's mission.

  5. 5
    Complete the online application

    Create an account on https://chevening.org/scholarships/who-can-apply/, fill in every field, and upload the required documents in the formats specified (PDF, max file size, single-file vs multi-file). Save progress frequently — most portals time out after 30–60 minutes.

  6. 6
    Submit at least one week before the deadline

    Sponsor portals routinely slow or fail in the final 24 hours. Submit early, download the confirmation receipt, and screenshot the submission timestamp. Late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.

  7. 7
    Prepare for shortlist interviews

    If shortlisted, Chevening Scholarship Who Can Apply 2026/2027 will contact you within 4–12 weeks. Re-read your essays, rehearse 3–5 likely questions out loud, and confirm your time zone for any video interview.

Deadline timeline

The sponsor has not published a fixed deadline yet. Use the milestones below as a generic 12-month plan; substitute dates once the intake window opens.

  1. 12 months out

    Register for tests (IELTS/TOEFL/SAT/GRE), shortlist 3–5 universities, identify referees.

  2. 6 months out

    Sit your tests, draft a personal statement, request transcripts and confirm reference letters.

  3. 3 months out

    Finalise essays, upload supporting documents, complete the online application portal.

  4. 1 month out

    Final review, double-check uploaded files, submit a week before the deadline to avoid portal issues.

  5. Application deadline

    Submit by 23:59 in the sponsor's stated time zone — usually local to the sponsor, not your country.

Editorial verification note

Auto-curated from official source (top-tier batch v2).
Last checked 5/12/2026

Frequently asked questions

Who can apply for the Chevening Scholarship?+

Applicants must be eligible African nationals applying at the Master's level, meet the academic and English-language requirements set by Chevening Scholarship Who Can Apply 2026/2027, and be able to relocate to United Kingdom for the duration of the programme.

Is the Chevening Scholarship fully funded?+

Funding model: Fully Funded. Where listed as fully funded, the award typically covers tuition, monthly stipend, health insurance and round-trip airfare. Always confirm the latest funding breakdown on the sponsor's official page.

When is the application deadline?+

The application deadline is varies by intake — see the official site. Submit at least one week early — sponsor portals frequently slow or fail in the final 24 hours, and late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances.

What documents do I need to apply?+

At minimum: passport bio page, academic transcripts, CV, personal statement, two to three references, and an English-language test score (IELTS, TOEFL or Duolingo). Research-led Masters and PhD applications also require a research proposal and a writing sample.

How can I improve my chance of winning?+

Apply early, tailor every essay to the specific sponsor (do not recycle a generic statement), secure at least one reference who knows your work in detail, and apply to two or three additional scholarships in parallel — never rely on a single application.

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