Chevening Scholarships 2027 The Chevening Scholarship is the UK government’s flagship international awards programme, funded by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). It offers fully funded one-year master’s degrees at any UK university to emerging leaders from around the world. Since 1983, over 60,000 professionals from more than 160 countries and territories have received a Chevening award, joining a global alumni network of leaders, influencers, and decision-makers.
Unlike purely academic scholarships, Chevening looks for candidates with genuine leadership potential and a clear plan for how a UK master’s degree will help them make a positive impact back home. It’s aimed squarely at working professionals rather than fresh graduates, and the flexibility to choose almost any subject and any UK university sets it apart from more restrictive scholarship programmes.
Why Chevening Stands Out
Most scholarships restrict you to a specific field of study or a short list of partner universities. Chevening does neither — you choose your subject and your institution, provided the course meets the programme’s eligibility rules. That flexibility, combined with full financial coverage, makes it one of the most sought-after fully funded master’s scholarships in the world.
Key Dates for the 2027–28 Cycle
| Stage | Date |
|---|---|
| Applications open | 4 August 2026, 11:00 UTC |
| Applications close | 6 October 2026, 11:00 UTC |
| Eligibility sifting | From October 2026 |
| Reading committee assessments | Mid-October 2026 – January 2027 |
| Interview shortlist announced | Mid-February 2027 |
| Interviews | March – April 2027 |
| Results announced | From mid-June 2027 |
| Unconditional university offer deadline | 8 July 2027, 17:00 BST |
| Studies begin | September/October 2027 |
check fully funded Research Internship Program 2027
Chevening Scholarships 2027
What’s Included
- Full university tuition fees
- A monthly living stipend
- Return travel to and from the UK
- An arrival allowance
- A homeward departure allowance
- The cost of one UK visa application
- A travel grant to attend Chevening events in the UK
Eligibility Criteria
To apply, you generally need to:
- Be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory (British and dual UK citizens are typically excluded, with limited exceptions)
- Hold an undergraduate degree that qualifies you for a UK master’s programme (usually equivalent to a UK 2:1)
- Have at least two years of work experience (around 2,800 hours) — full-time, part-time, internships, and volunteer work can count
- Apply to three eligible UK master’s programmes and secure at least one unconditional offer by the July 2027 deadline
- Commit to returning to your home country for a minimum of two years after your scholarship ends
Chevening is highly competitive, with an estimated global acceptance rate of around 2–3%. Roughly 1,500–1,800 scholarships are awarded each year, so a well-prepared application matters enormously.
It’s also worth noting that your undergraduate degree must typically have been completed at least two years before the application deadline, and while there’s no official minimum GPA requirement, stronger academic records do strengthen your case against thousands of other applicants.
How Applications Are Assessed
Selection is based on four core criteria:
- Leadership – evidence of leadership experience and potential
- Networking – your ability to build and use professional networks
- Career plan – a clear vision of how a UK degree fits your future impact
- Study proposal – the quality and relevance of your chosen course
Tips for a Strong Application
- Start preparing essays well before the window opens in August, since the four required essays take real time to refine
- Be specific rather than generic — reviewers read tens of thousands of applications, and vague, templated answers are rejected quickly
- Tie your leadership examples, career plan, and course choice into one coherent story rather than treating each essay as a separate task
- Research your three university choices early and start those applications in parallel, since the unconditional offer deadline is firm and non-negotiable
- Ask former Chevening scholars or mentors to review your drafts before submitting, since small clarity issues often make the difference at this level of competition
Where to Apply
Applications open via the official Chevening website at chevening.org, through your specific country or territory’s page.
Note: Dates and figures above are drawn from Chevening’s official application timeline as of July 2026. Always confirm final details on chevening.org before applying, as minor changes can occur.
