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Location: The United Kingdom

Chevening Scholarships 2017

Chevening is the UK government’s international awards scheme aimed at developing global leaders. Funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and partner organisations, Chevening offers two types of award – Chevening Scholarships and Chevening Fellowships – the recipients of which are personally selected by British Embassies and High Commissions throughout the world.

Chevening offers a unique opportunity for future leaders, influencers, and decision-makers from all over the world to develop professionally and academically, network extensively, experience UK culture and build lasting positive relationships with the UK.

Chevening Awards are an important element in Britain’s public diplomacy effort and bring professionals, who have already displayed outstanding leadership talents, to study in the UK.

The objective of Chevening is to support foreign policy priorities and achieve FCO objectives by creating lasting positive relationships with future leaders, influencers, and decision-makers.

Benefits

The funding you receive through your Chevening Fellowship is intended to support costs related to your participation in the programme. Your Chevening Fellowship will usually cover academic/programme fees, return economy travel and a living stipend.

The funding amounts may vary per programme as they will be adjusted to account for inclusions built in as part of the fellowship programme structure. The UK has a reputation for being expensive, especially if you live in London.

While many of the costs you will incur in the UK may be covered by your fellowship, some things won’t be. The information below will give you some tips on expected costs, how to budget and ways of making the most of your money.

Award finance

As part of a fellowship, Chevening covers a number of costs including flights and accommodation. Your final award letter will confirm all financial elements of your award, and they may include some or all of the following:

Arrival allowance

Your arrival allowance is intended to cover expenses related to your initial arrival in the UK. This may include set up costs for housing, transport, books, stationary and suitable clothing (in cases of winter arrival).

Stipend

Your monthly living/maintenance allowance (called a stipend) is only intended to cover reasonable living costs while you are in the UK.

The stipend is calculated based on the region in which you study and on the inclusions built you’re your programme. Maintenance allowance is calculated to cover your own basic expenses only, such as accommodation, meals, personal expenses, phone bill, daily travel and any required course resources. You should also use your stipend to cover the cost of NHS charges for prescriptions, dental treatment and opticians.

Thesis grant

You may also be entitled to receive a thesis allowance as a contribution towards the cost of producing a thesis/dissertation in cases where such a document is required for their degree. This will be confirmed to you in your final award letter.

The thesis grant is intended to help defray such costs as printing, copying, binding, etc. Where you are entitled to a thesis grant, this will be included in your award letter and the amount will be listed there. Where you are entitled to this allowance, it will be paid directly into your bank account or cash card. This allowance cannot be advanced to you.

Study travel grant

Study travel grants are sometimes available to fellows who wish to pursue activities related to their field of studies/expertise which is not built into their fellowship and is determined to enhance their experience in the UK.

The study travel grant is a maximum amount to £200 over the duration of your fellowship and must be approved by your fellowship supervisor to confirm their support and that the activity does not conflict with mandatory activities scheduled for your fellowship.

The study travel grant form is available from your fellowship officer and you should apply for the grant a minimum of 2 weeks prior to the start of the activity date. No study travel grant will be paid in retrospect. Fellows are advised that evidence of costs/payments (including receipts/invoices) are required for all grant applications.

Visa fees

Your fellowship award package includes reimbursement of your UK visa application fee. This will be paid to you on arrival to the UK and will be the advertised fee as listed on the UK Visa and Immigration website at the time of the issuance of visa guidance.

Fellows who follow alternative advice to that provided by the Welfare and immigration team will forfeit this reimbursement.

Why study in the UK?

World-class universities

Wherever in the world you end up, if you have a degree from a UK university it will be recognised by employers, universities, and governments. As UK universities are associated with quality education, earning a degree from one of the UK’s many highly-regarded universities will aid your career progression.

UK universities consistently rank highest in global university ranking as many have world-leading reputations for teaching and research.

World-renowned experts in all different fields frequently visit UK universities to give talks and lectures. In fact, many of world’s best academics teach at UK universities, meaning that it is not rare to be taught by the academic who actually wrote the textbook from which you are studying!

One year Master’s

Master’s courses in the UK typically last for one year, which is shorter than many other countries. This means that master’s degrees are challenging and intensive, but UK universities provide a stimulating and supportive environment for students to flourish, whilst developing soft skills in addition to academic skills.

The teaching and studying methods enable students to pursue their own interests through giving students the autonomy to select specific modules. Combined with world-class teaching and facilities, it is no wonder that student satisfaction rates are almost at 90% for international students.

World’s greatest thinkers

Due to the critical and creative nature of higher education in the UK, it is no surprise that many of the world’s greatest thinkers and leaders have studied in the UK, including Mahatma Gandhi, Desmond Tutu, George Soros, and John F. Kennedy.

It is estimated that one in seven world leaders studied in the UK, and UK universities and research institutions have produced over 100 Nobel Prize winners.

Develop English language skills

Studying in the UK allows you to immerse yourself in the English language for a sustained period of time. You’ll speak, read, and write in English on a daily basis, that enables you to master the global language of commerce, science, and technology whilst in the UK.

Multiculturalism

The UK is culturally one of the most diverse countries in the world, and this cultural diversity is also apparent in its higher education institutions.

Britain is multicultural, multi-faith, and multi-lingual, and has a long and successful history of attracting and welcoming visitors, especially students, from all parts of the world. Living in the UK exposes you to a variety of cultures, opinions, and experiences that would be hard to find elsewhere.

Because it’s so diverse, wherever you end up in the UK, it probably won’t be long before you find people who also come from your part of the world, or who have at least travelled to your part of the world! If you are open to meeting people from other cultures, you will leave the UK having met and made friends with people from places you didn’t even know existed!

All year round, and all over the UK, there are opportunities to immerse yourself in cultural celebrations like the Notting Hill Carnival (London), Lunar New Year celebrations (Liverpool), Diwali celebrations (Leicester), and Hogmanay (Edinburgh).

History and heritage

Britain’s history sits seamlessly alongside its present. Packed with historic monuments, stately homes, castles, and cathedrals, there are countless well-preserved sites of historical interest that you can visit whilst study in the UK.

You could visit the house in which Shakespeare was born, visit Stonehenge – one of Europe’s most recognisable prehistoric monuments, walk in the Queen’s footsteps by visiting Buckingham Palace, come face to face with the Tower of London’s macabre history, or overlook the Scottish capital from Edinburgh Castle.

Friendly people

The UK continues to welcome people of all nationalities, cultures, and faiths, as it has done throughout its history. Studying in the UK offers you the opportunity to meet British people, but also to meet people from all parts of the world.

International students from over 200 countries study in UK universities. 17% of all students and over 25% of academics and professors are from outside the UK. This means that the UK is used to accepting people from abroad and that people from abroad feel comfortable living and studying in the UK.

To be eligible for a Chevening Scholarship you must:

• Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country

• Return to your country of citizenship for a minimum of two years after your scholarship has ended

• Have an undergraduate degree that will enable you to gain entry to a post-graduate programme at a UK university. This is typically equivalent to an upper second-class 2:1 honours degree in the UK

• Have at least two years’ work experience

• Apply to three different eligible UK university courses and have received an unconditional offer from one of these choices by 13 July 2017

• Meet the Chevening English language requirement by 13 July 2017

You are not eligible for a Chevening Scholarship if you:

• Hold British or dual British citizenship (unless you are a citizen of a British Overseas Territory or hold BN(O) and are applying from Hong Kong)

• Are an employee, a relative of an employee, or a former employee (since July 2014) of Her Majesty’s Government (including British Embassies/High Commissions, the Department for International Development, the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, UK Trade and Investment, the Ministry of Defence and the Home Office), the British Council, a partner, a sponsoring UK university, or a staff member of the Association of Commonwealth Universities.

• Have previously studied in the UK with funding from a UK Government-funded scholarship. Chevening Alumni are not eligible to apply for a further scholarship but may be eligible to apply for a fellowship five years after completion of the first award.

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