How to Apply for UK Chevening Scholarships

 Chevening scholarships are fully funded by the UK government and support study – usually a one-year master’s degree at UK universities. More than 50,000 scholars from over 160 countries have benefitted from the Chevening programme since it began in 1983, including over 120 Papua New Guineans. The following is the first of a series of articles to help Papua New Guineans apply for the Chevening scholarship.

How to Apply for UK Chevening Scholarships
How to Apply for UK Chevening Scholarships 



The window for online applications to study in the United Kingdom in 2023 to 2024 opened on Aug 3 and will close on Nov 2.

Head of UK government scholarships, Naomi Rayner, said the government’s Chevening scholarship had built an international community of people who were committed to working together to drive positive change.

Who can apply for a Chevening scholarship?

According to Chevening, there is no such thing as a “typical” Chevening scholar.

But those who are successful tend to have ambition, leadership qualities and a passion for influencing positive change in their home countries.

“We encourage you to apply if you meet our eligibility criteria and other requirements,” it said.

“Your gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, marriage or parenthood status, caste, class, or other attributes do not matter to us.

“What matters is your ability to submit a thoughtful application that demonstrates you are capable of excelling on an intense master’s course in the UK, and that you have a clear vision for your future.”


Chevening Scholarship Eligibility

Ineligible applications will be rejected, so it is important that you check that you meet our eligibility criteria before you start your application.

To be eligible for a Chevening scholarship you must:


  • BE a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory;
  • RETURN to your country of citizenship for a minimum of two years after your award has ended;
  • HAVE completed all components of an undergraduate degree that will enable you to gain entry onto a postgraduate programme at a UK university by the time you submit your application.

This is typically equivalent to an upper second-class 2:1 honours degree in the UK, but may be different depending on your course and university choice;


  • HAVE, at least, two years (equivalent to 2,800 hours) of work experience; and,
  • APPLY to three different eligible UK university courses and have received an unconditional offer from one of these choices by July 14 2023.

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);
  • HOLD refugee status in a non-Chevening eligible country. Applicants who are citizens of a Chevening-eligible country and who hold refugee status in a Chevening-eligible country are eligible for a scholarship;
  • ARE an employee, a former employee, or relative of an employee of Her Majesty’s government, or have been within the last two years from the opening of Chevening applications;
  • EMPLOYEES, former employees, or relatives of an employee of Chevening partner organisations are eligible to apply, but if the employment took place within the last two years, you cannot receive a Chevening partner award from the organisation from which you work, previously worked, or are affiliated with through relatives; and,
  • HAVE previously studied in the UK with funding from a UK government-funded scholarship.

Having a master’s degree does not prevent you from applying for a Chevening award to study for a second master’s degree in the UK, as long as you can clearly explain why it will help you fulfil your career plan to influence positive change in your home country.

Once submitted, applications undergo an electronic sift against our eligibility criteria.

Any applications deemed ineligible will be removed from the selection process.

Please see the list of common errors here.

If you make these errors in your application form, your application will be ineligible.

Please note that once your application has been submitted, it is not possible to change it retrospectively.

To start the online application visit the Chevening website.


Next : Perseverance Pays off : Zarah Denese Graduates with Bachelor of Law with First Class Honours

Previous Post Next Post

Advertisement