Chevening Scholarship: Eligibility, Application, Grant Amount & Timeline (2025–2026)

Chevening Scholarship

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Drishti Jain

Study Abroad Content Specialist | Updated on - Sep 24, 2025

The Chevening Scholarships is an award that covers all expenses for international students pursuing a 1-year master’s degree in the UK. Fully funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), the Chevening UK Scholarship supports students from over 160 eligible countries. It is awarded to talented professionals showing leadership and exceptional performance in their respective fields.

Applications for the Chevening Scholarships was opened on 5 August 2025 and closes on 7 October 2025. The selection process includes eligibility checks, reading committee assessments, interviews, and final offers by June 2026. Applicants must meet both academic and professional eligibility criteria to be considered for the Chevening Scholarship. This includes an undergraduate degree, 2 years of work experience, and an unconditional offer from a UK university.


Highlights

Scholarship TypeMerit-Based, Need-Based
Offered byGovernment bodies
OrganizationN/A
Application Deadline Oct 07 ,2025
Number of ScholarshipsN/A
AmountVariable Amount
RenewabilityNo
International Student EligibleYes
Scholarship Website Linkhttps://www.chevening.org/scholarships/application-timeline/

Eligibility Criteria

Chevening Scholarships are provided on the conditions that you meet the following eligibility requirements:

  • Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory:Only applicants from countries or territories approved by Chevening such as India, Bangladesh,Canada are eligible to apply.
  • Commit to returning to your home country for at least 2 years after your scholarship ends: This ensures that scholars use their UK-acquired knowledge and skills to contribute to their home country.
  • Have at least 2,800 hours of work experience: Equivalent to around 2 years of full-time work, this can include full-time or part-time jobs, internships (paid or unpaid), and voluntary work, completed after undergraduate studies.
  • Hold an undergraduate degree that qualifies you for a UK master’s programme:You must have completed your degree at least 2 years before the Chevening application deadline.
  • Apply to 3 different eligible UK university courses: You must apply to 3 eligible master’s programs and receive an unconditional offer from at least one before the Chevening document deadline.
  • You are not eligible to apply if: you have received any UK Government-funded scholarship, including Chevening, in the past 5 years. Also,You must not be currently or recently (within the last 2 years) employed by His Majesty’s Government, British embassies or high commissions, the British Council, UK universities, or affiliated organizations.

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Application Process

The most important part while apply for Chevening Scholarships is the key dates. Filling out the application before the deadline helps in reviewing you applications thoroughly.

Date Event
5 August 2025 Applications open at 12:00 UTC
7 October 2025 Applications close at 12:00 UTC / GMT
From October 2025 Applications are sifted against eligibility criteria
Mid-Oct 2025 – Jan 2026 Reading committees assess eligible applications
Mid-February 2026 Shortlisted candidates invited for interviews
March – April 2026 Interviews held at British embassies and high commissions worldwide
By end of interview period References must be uploaded by shortlisted candidates
Mid-June 2026 Final interview results announced
9 July 2026 Deadline to submit at least one unconditional UK university offer
September/October 2026 Chevening scholars begin their studies in the UK


Check Out: How to Apply to UK Universities?


Selection Process

Once the applicants have submitted their scholarship application, it goes on for review. The applications are reviewed thoroughly and strictly. Thus, it is highly competitive. The process of selecting Chevening Scholars takes at least 8 months from the application deadline.Chevening scholars are selected based on a combination of strong leadership and networking potential, relevant work experience, high-quality references, and a compelling application. The different stages of review are:

Initial Screening: Applications are first checked for plagiarism and reviewed to ensure they meet Chevening’s basic eligibility criteria.

Reading Committee Review: Independent panels assess each application based on how well the applicant aligns with Chevening’s goals, FCDO objectives, and regional priorities.

Embassy/High Commission Interview: Shortlisted candidates are interviewed by British embassies or high commissions, which make the final selection decisions.

Chevening Scholarship Interview

Applicants will be notified for an interview if their application is shortlisted.The first, and most crucial thing to do upon receiving an invitation to interview is to book your interview slot.Before the interview, applicants must complete the following steps in the Chevening online application system:

  • Upload a scanned copy of your photo ID for identity and citizenship verification
  • Upload your undergraduate education certificate or documentation.
  • Upload 2 reference letters or have them submitted directly to your local Chevening team.
  • Failure to submit all required documents by the end of the interview period will result in disqualification, regardless of interview performance.

Reference Guide

Reference letters are a crucial part of the Chevening scholarship requirements. They must:

  • Be written in English (translations must be notarized)
  • Be addressed to the British embassy or high commission
  • Include the referee’s contact details (address, email, and phone)
  • Mention:
    • How long the referee has known the applicant
    • The capacity in which they know the applicant
    • Date of last regular contact
    • An endorsement of the applicant’s leadership, networking skills, and academic readiness

Referees can either send the letters directly to the local Chevening team or return them to the applicant for uploading.


Grant Details

The Chevening Scholarship is a fully-funded, prestigious UK government scholarship that enables talented international students to pursue a one-year master’s degree at any UK university. It is designed to support future leaders, decision-makers, and influencers from Chevening-eligible countries.

This grant allows recipients to focus entirely on their academic and professional development, while experiencing the UK’s cultural diversity and building global networks. In addition to the scholarship, Chevening also offers several fellowships, all supported by the UK government and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Chevening Scholarship Benefits Summary

Particulars

Details

Applicable For

All one-year master's programs at UK universities

Eligible Candidates

International students from Chevening-eligible countries

Reward

Fully funded (tuition fee, monthly stipend, travel costs, visa, etc.)

Award Duration

1 year

Funding Body

UK Government – Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO)

Additional Opportunities

Access to exclusive events, workshops, and the global Chevening alumni network

The goal of this scholarship is to build lasting relationshipsadvance professional growth, and empower changemakers to return and contribute to their home countries.

Also Check: Study in UK

The Chevening Scholarship provides full financial support for a one-year master’s degree in the UK, along with access to a global network. With a clear application timeline and well-defined eligibility criteria, it remains one of the most accessible and structured international scholarships available to students from Chevening-eligible countries.

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