Chevening Scholarships 2027/28

Chevening is the UK Government’s flagship scholarship for emerging leaders, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and partner organisations. It pays for one year of Masters study at any UK university and is aimed at people who already have a few years of work behind them and a clear idea of what they will do next.

More than 160 countries and territories are eligible, across Africa, Asia, the Americas, the Middle East and parts of Europe; the official site lists them. The 2027/28 cycle opened on 4 August 2026 and closed on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC for most countries (checked 8 October 2026). The official apply page still lists a few European country awards as open until 20 October 2026.

The 2027/28 cycle, stage by stage

The process runs for almost a year, and most of it happens after you press submit. These are the stages Chevening publishes for this cycle:

1. 4 Aug 2026Applications open at 11:00 UTC.
2. 6 Oct 2026Applications close at 11:00 UTC. Nothing submitted after this is accepted.
3. From Oct 2026Applications are checked against the eligibility criteria.
4. Mid-Oct 2026 to Jan 2027Reading committees assess the essays.
5. Mid-Feb 2027Shortlisted applicants are invited to interview.
6. Mar to Apr 2027Interviews, run by the British Embassy or High Commission in your country. All documents must be uploaded at least seven working days beforehand.
7. Mid-Jun 2027Interview results are announced.
8. 8 Jul 2027Deadline (17:00 UK time) to hold at least one unconditional offer from your three course choices.
9. Sep/Oct 2027Scholars begin their studies in the UK.

The gap between October and February is long and quiet. Use it to apply to your three courses, because the unconditional offer is a condition of the award, not a formality.

What the scholarship covers

• Full tuition fees at any UK university
• A monthly living allowance, paid at a London or outside-London rate
• Return economy flights to the UK
• Arrival and departure allowances
• Visa costs, plus a travel grant for Chevening events
• Membership of the Chevening alumni network, which has over 60,000 members across government, business and civil society

The alumni network is a large part of what scholars get from the year, alongside the degree itself. Chevening funds the scholar only and pays no dependant allowances, so anyone bringing family covers their costs and visas themselves.

Eligibility

• Citizenship of a Chevening-eligible country or territory: nearly 200 of them, including most of Europe, but not the United States (checked 9 October 2026)
• At least two years (2,800 hours) of work experience, gained after your undergraduate degree; paid, voluntary, internship and part-time work all count
• A bachelor’s degree good enough for entry to a UK Masters, typically an upper-second-class equivalent
• Willingness to return to your home country for at least two years after the scholarship ends
• Applications to three different eligible UK Masters courses, with at least one unconditional offer held by the 8 July 2027 offer deadline

A few groups are ruled out regardless of merit, including British and dual British citizens (with limited exceptions), people employed by a UK government department or the British Council, and anyone who has already held a UK government-funded scholarship. The full list is on Chevening’s eligibility page.

You do not need a university offer when you apply. The Chevening application and your three course applications run separately, and the unconditional offer only has to be in hand by July, months after the October close.

How selective it is

Chevening is among the most competitive scholarships anywhere. In recent years the programme has made roughly 1,500 awards a year worldwide against a very large applicant pool, so in most countries only a small fraction of applicants are selected. Award numbers move with funding; the official site has the current figures.

Grades are not what separates most candidates. A first-class degree is not required, and a solid academic record with a convincing account of leadership and a specific plan is competitive. Where applications fail, it is usually in the essays.

The four essays

The form asks for four essays, one for each of Chevening’s assessment areas. Recycling material across them is easy for readers to spot.

• Leadership and influencing. One concrete situation where you took the lead, brought other people with you and got a result. “I led a team” says little; “I convinced three departments to share data, which cut our reporting time in half” gives the reader something to weigh.
• Networking and relationship building. Evidence that you already build working relationships on purpose and that collaboration produced something measurable. Promises to “connect with like-minded people” read as filler.
• Course choice. How your first-choice course gives you the skills to tackle a problem that matters to both the UK and your country. Chevening currently lists growth and prosperity, climate resilience, security and stability, and inclusive development as its priority areas. Name modules, not the university’s reputation.
• Career plan. A realistic plan for the years after you return, with measurable goals, and the degree as the obvious bridge between here and there.

The difference between a weak and a stronger leadership answer is usually specificity. The example below is illustrative.

The stronger version names the problem, the people the writer had to win over, and what changed. Chevening’s own guidance asks for exactly that: examples of influencing others with clear results.

Chevening also states that it uses software to detect plagiarism and AI-generated answers, and that using AI to write the essays is not allowed. Be accurate about your achievements, but do not play down your own role. The strongest applicants spend weeks drafting and redrafting, with feedback, between the August opening and the October close. For a broader method, see our guide to writing a scholarship motivation letter and the Chevening funder profile.

Interview and documents

Shortlisted applicants are interviewed by a panel arranged through the British Embassy or High Commission. Expect the panel to have read your essays closely and to test the career plan in particular: who you will work with, what you will change, and how you will know it worked. Our guide to preparing for a scholarship panel interview covers the format in more detail.

Before the interview, Chevening needs a small set of documents uploaded to the online system. Gather them early, because the seven-working-day cut-off is strict:

• Photo ID (normally your passport)
• Your undergraduate degree certificate or diploma
• Two reference letters, in English or with a notarised English translation in the same file
• Referees who know you professionally or personally, but are not friends or relatives
• Your three course applications under way, so offers can arrive before 8 July 2027
• An English language test booked if any of your courses require one

The references are named in the application but uploaded later, which catches people out. Ask your referees in September, not in February.

Who should apply, and who should wait

Chevening is a poorer first target for someone straight out of undergraduate study with no work history, or who is unsure what to study. Those profiles often do better with course-specific university scholarships or research-funded routes. The two-year return requirement is also worth weighing before committing weeks to the application.

How to apply

1. Open the Chevening application at the official link while the cycle is open (4 August to 6 October 2026).
2. Complete the online form: personal details, work experience, three course choices, two referees and the four essays.
3. Submit before 6 October 2026, 11:00 UTC. Late submissions are not accepted.
4. Apply to your three UK courses in parallel.
5. If shortlisted in mid-February, upload your documents and references at least seven working days before your interview in March or April 2027.
6. Results come in mid-June 2027. Secure an unconditional offer by 8 July 2027, and travel to the UK for the year starting September or October 2027.

Deadlines and figures can change from year to year, so confirm the current details on the official Chevening site before you apply.