The Chevening Scholarship 2027/2028 is open to eligible applicants from African countries and other Chevening-eligible countries who want to study a one-year master’s degree in the UK and return home to contribute to positive change. For this cycle, applications opened on 4 August 2026 and close on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC. The closing time is the same worldwide, so convert it to your local time and submit early rather than waiting for the final hours. 1
This guide explains who can apply, how to prepare a strong application, how to choose your UK courses, and how to build convincing essay responses in your own words. Chevening’s 2027–28 assessment focuses on leadership, relationship-building, course choice and career plans. One rule matters throughout: Chevening prohibits using AI to generate answers to its essay questions. The advice below is a planning and self-editing framework, not text to copy into an application. 2 3
What is the Chevening Scholarship?
Chevening is the UK Government’s international scholarship programme. A Chevening Scholarship supports a full-time, taught master’s degree at an eligible UK university and connects scholars with a wider professional network. The award currently includes tuition fees, approved economy travel, an arrival allowance, a visa application fee, a departure allowance, a travel top-up and a monthly living stipend. The stipend differs for study in London and outside London. MBA applicants should check the programme’s fee cap: the current guidance says candidates must cover costs above £22,000. 4 5
Chevening Scholarship 2027–28 deadline and timeline
|
Stage |
Expected date |
|
Applications open |
4 August 2026, 11:00 UTC |
|
Application deadline |
6 October 2026, 11:00 UTC |
|
Eligibility screening |
From October 2026 |
|
Reading committee assessments |
Mid-October 2026 to January 2027 |
|
Interview shortlist |
Mid-February 2027 |
|
Interviews |
March to April 2027 |
|
Results announced |
From mid-June 2027 |
|
Deadline to submit at least one unconditional UK university offer |
8 July 2027, 17:00 UK time |
|
UK studies begin |
September/October 2027 |
These dates are for Chevening Scholarships, not necessarily for fellowships. An interview invitation also comes with a document deadline: candidates must upload their documents at least seven working days before the interview. Always check Chevening’s live timeline in case details change. 1
Who can apply from Africa?
There is no single Africa-wide application route. Start by checking whether your country or territory is eligible and which award page applies to you. Country-specific awards, partners or conditions may differ. If you are applying for an award from an ODA-eligible country, Chevening says you must be resident in an ODA-eligible country and show a clear intention to support your country of award. 2
For the 2027–28 cycle, the main eligibility requirements include:
• Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory.
• Commit to returning to your country of award for at least two years after the scholarship ends.
• Have at least 2,800 hours of work experience, acquired after completing your undergraduate degree. Chevening says this experience must have been gained over a minimum of two years.
• Hold an undergraduate degree that qualifies you for a UK master’s. For this cycle, your undergraduate studies must have been completed at least two years before the application deadline. The work-experience guidance gives October 2024 as the relevant completion point for the current cycle.
• Apply to three eligible UK master’s courses and obtain an unconditional offer from at least one by the award-offer deadline.
Full-time and part-time employment, volunteering, and paid or unpaid internships can count toward the work-experience requirement. You may list up to 15 separate employment periods. Keep a careful record of dates and average hours per week, because the application system calculates the total from the information you enter. 2 6
Some restrictions also apply. For example, applicants who hold British or dual British citizenship are generally ineligible, with limited exceptions. Chevening also lists restrictions relating to UK residence, certain current or recent employment links, previous UK government-funded scholarships and refugee status. Read the full eligibility rules before investing time in an application. 2
How to apply for the Chevening Scholarship: step by step
1. Check your country-specific eligibility
Go to Chevening’s apply page, select your country or territory, and read the specific award information. Confirm the citizenship, residence and return-home requirements. Do not rely on an old social media post or a general scholarship list if it conflicts with the current official award page. 1 2
2. Calculate your post-degree work experience
Count eligible experience gained after you completed your undergraduate degree. Include the dates, hours per week and type of work for each role or placement. Check that the total reaches 2,800 hours and spans at least two years. If your degree was completed after October 2024, check the current-cycle rule carefully before starting the essays. 6
3. Choose three eligible UK master’s courses
Your three choices should be full-time, taught master’s programmes based in the UK, starting in the autumn term, and lasting between nine and 12 months. They cannot be distance-learning or part-time programmes, research-focused MRes programmes, or PhDs/DPhils. Chevening recommends selecting courses that align with your career goals; it also suggests similar courses at different universities as a way to retain flexibility. Use the official course finder and verify university application deadlines separately. 5
You may apply to universities before or after you submit the Chevening application. What matters is securing at least one unconditional offer by 8 July 2027 at 17:00 UK time. University admissions can take time, so do not postpone those applications until after the scholarship shortlist. 1 5
4. Choose two referees and gather your records
The application asks for the names and contact details of two referees. If you reach the interview stage, you will need reference letters. Chevening’s guidance says letters should be in English, addressed to the relevant British embassy or high commission, and include the referee’s contact details, how long they have known you, in what capacity, and when they last had regular contact with you. The letter should speak to your leadership, networking, personal qualities and ability to complete a demanding UK master’s. 7
Contact referees early. Choose people who can give concrete, first-hand examples of your work, rather than selecting someone only because of a senior title. Also keep your photo ID and undergraduate certificate or diploma accessible for the interview stage; the timeline lists these among the documents interview candidates must upload. 1
5. Register and complete the online application
Applications are submitted through Chevening’s online system during the application window. Register through the apply link for your country or territory, pass the eligibility checker, save your unique access code, and complete every section. The form includes four assessed areas: leadership and influencing, relationship-building, course choice and career plan. Check the word limit displayed in the live form for each response; do not assume that an older guide or an unofficial website has the current limit. 3 8
6. Proofread, submit and save confirmation
Review every date, course title, reference contact and employment-hour entry before you submit. Make sure your answers are consistent with one another and with your CV, university applications and interview examples. Submit before the deadline and save the system’s confirmation. Chevening notes that you cannot access the online application system after the closing time. 1 8
7. Prepare for interviews and secure an offer
Shortlisted applicants are expected to interview at a British embassy or high commission. Be ready to explain your examples, course choices and career plan in a natural, specific way. If invited, upload the requested documents at least seven working days before your interview. If successful, obtain and submit at least one unconditional UK university offer by the July 2027 deadline. 1
Chevening essay tips that actually work
The most effective essay strategy is to answer the question directly, use a real example and make your personal contribution unmistakable. Chevening says its application assesses four areas. Use the following prompts to plan evidence for each one. They are preparation questions—not official wording to copy. 3
Leadership and influencing
Choose one example where you helped move a group, organisation or decision toward a clear result. Explain the problem, your responsibility, the steps you personally took, how you persuaded or supported others, and what changed. Leadership does not have to mean holding a senior title. A strong example can come from work, community service, research, a professional association or another setting where you took responsibility and influenced an outcome.
Make it credible: distinguish “I” from “we.” Give the team credit, but specify your own actions. Use a number or other verifiable measure where it genuinely helps—for example, the number of people reached, a process shortened, funds mobilised or a service improved. Do not invent figures.
Relationship-building and networking
Show how you built and maintained professional relationships to achieve a positive result. Explain who needed to work together, what you did to build trust, and how the relationship produced an outcome. A list of contacts or events attended is not enough; show what collaboration made possible and what you learned about sustaining the partnership.
For applicants working across African institutions or communities, examples might involve coordinating partners across regions or disciplines—but choose an example that is genuinely yours. The point is not to claim that every country or sector faces the same challenge. It is to demonstrate purposeful collaboration and follow-through.
Course choice and the UK
Connect your selected courses to a specific skills gap or professional challenge. Name relevant course features only after checking the current university pages. Then explain how the knowledge, methods or networks from the UK course will help you address a defined issue in your work or country of award. Avoid generic praise of the UK or a university ranking with no connection to your plan.
A useful test is whether you can explain why these three courses are coherent choices, rather than three unrelated programmes selected simply to fill the form.
Career plan and positive change
Set out a realistic sequence: what you plan to do soon after returning, what responsibility or influence you hope to build over the following years, and what longer-term change you want to contribute to. Be concrete about the kind of organisation, role, sector or problem you intend to work on, while acknowledging that job titles and opportunities can change.
Link the plan to your existing experience and the skills you expect to gain from the course. Chevening is looking for clear, measurable goals and an intention to apply your experience after returning to your country of award. 3
A simple drafting method
Before writing, make a one-page evidence bank with one strong, distinct example for each assessment area. For every story, note the context, your own action, the result, evidence for that result and what you learned. Then answer the question in this order: claim, specific example, outcome, relevance to your next step. This structure helps keep the essay focused without making it sound like a formula.
After drafting, remove opening lines that do not answer the question, unsupported claims such as “I am a natural leader,” repeated background information and vague future promises. Read each answer aloud. If a sentence could describe thousands of applicants, replace it with a detail that is true specifically of your experience.
Important originality warning: Chevening states that AI software must not generate answers to its essay questions. Applicants must submit original work, and the form asks them to confirm that AI was not used to generate their answers. Do not copy this guide, use an AI-written essay, or pass off another person’s wording as your own. Write your answers yourself and consult Chevening’s current guidance for any permitted support. 8 9
Mistakes African applicants should avoid
• Leaving eligibility until the end. The degree-completion date and post-degree work-experience rule can disqualify an otherwise strong application.
• Treating all country awards as identical. Check the current country or territory page and any award-specific conditions.
• Choosing courses by title alone. Verify duration, teaching format, autumn start and scholarship eligibility.
• Writing four versions of the same story. Use distinct examples where possible, then connect them through one coherent professional direction.
• Making impact claims without evidence. Explain what changed and how you know; keep measurements accurate.
• Waiting for an interview before applying to universities. The unconditional-offer deadline is in July, and university decisions can take time.
• Relying on paid “guaranteed scholarship” services. Chevening says applying is free and that it does not endorse third parties charging for application support. 3
• Submitting at the last minute. The deadline is fixed at 11:00 UTC, not midnight in your country. 1
Frequently asked questions
Is the Chevening Scholarship fully funded?
Chevening currently lists tuition fees, approved economy travel, arrival and departure allowances, a visa application fee, a travel top-up and a monthly living stipend among the award benefits. Stipend rates depend on whether you study in London or elsewhere and are reviewed annually. An MBA fee cap applies, so check the current course and funding guidance for any additional amount you may need to cover. 4 5
Can I apply if I already have a master’s degree?
Yes. Chevening says that holding a master’s degree does not prevent you from applying for a second master’s in the UK, provided you meet all other eligibility and award requirements. 2
Can volunteering or an internship count as work experience?
Yes. Chevening lists full-time employment, part-time employment, voluntary work and paid or unpaid internships as eligible experience. The hours must still be gained after completion of your undergraduate degree and meet the minimum total and minimum two-year period. 6
Do I need a UK university offer before submitting my Chevening application?
You need to list three eligible courses in the scholarship application. You may apply to the universities before or after submitting the Chevening form, but you must have at least one unconditional offer by 8 July 2027 at 17:00 UK time. 1 5
Can AI write or polish my Chevening essays?
Chevening explicitly prohibits AI-generated answers to its essay questions and requires applicants to submit their own original work. Because the rule is strict, do not use AI to draft or rewrite responses. Consult Chevening’s current policy for any specific support you are unsure about. 8 9
Your next steps
With the 6 October 2026 deadline approaching, first confirm your country-specific eligibility and calculate your post-degree work hours. Then select three eligible courses, contact your referees, and build an evidence bank for the four assessment areas. Submit through the official system well before 11:00 UTC and keep your application original, specific and grounded in work you have genuinely done. 1 2 3
0 Comments