chevening essay questions

The Wave of Study in Abroad

विद्या विनियोगात् विकासः (vidyā viniyogāt vikāsaḥ)

Breakdown of Chevening Essay Questions: A Comprehensive Guide

Navigating the Chevening scholarship application can be a rewarding yet challenging process. Among the crucial components are the essay questions, which provide an opportunity for you to showcase your aspirations, experiences, and potential. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll break down each of the Chevening essay questions and offer insights to help you craft compelling responses.

1. Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer.

Focus: Demonstrating Leadership and Influence

This question aims to gauge your leadership abilities and potential to effect positive change. To answer effectively:

Provide Examples: Share specific instances where you demonstrated leadership, whether in your academic, professional, or community endeavors.
Highlight Influence: Discuss how your actions influenced outcomes, motivated others, or brought about change.
Connect to Future: Explain how your leadership experiences align with your future goals and how the Chevening scholarship will further develop your leadership potential.

2. Chevening Scholarships are awarded to individuals with demonstrable leadership potential who also have strong academic backgrounds. How do you intend to use your Chevening experience to develop your leadership skills and create a positive social change?

Focus: Linking Academic Excellence and Leadership

Here, the focus is on your academic prowess and its relationship to leadership and social impact:

Link Academic and Leadership Goals: Explain how your academic pursuits are intertwined with your leadership aspirations.
Social Impact: Discuss how your Chevening experience will enable you to contribute to positive societal changes.
Specific Plans: Outline tangible actions you’ll take to enhance your leadership skills during and after your studies.

3. Network with people of different nationalities and backgrounds. What can you learn from others? How will this enrich your experience as a Chevening Scholar?

Focus: Embracing Diversity and Networking

This question emphasizes cross-cultural collaboration and the value of a diverse network:

Learning from Diversity: Highlight the benefits of interacting with people from various backgrounds, including new perspectives and insights.
Enriching Chevening Experience: Explain how these interactions will contribute to your personal and academic growth as a Chevening Scholar.

4. What influence do you hope to have on your home country or region as a result of studying in the UK?

Focus: Positive Impact on Home Country

This question assesses your vision for the future and your commitment to your home country’s development:

Specific Goals: Outline the specific areas you aim to impact upon your return.
Alignment with UK Study: Explain how your UK education will equip you to address challenges in your home country.

5. Please explain why you want to study in the UK and why you have chosen your selected course(s).

Focus: UK Study and Course Choice

This question explores your motivations for studying in the UK and the relevance of your chosen course:

UK’s Strengths: Discuss the UK’s academic excellence, resources, and opportunities that attract you.
Course Relevance: Explain why your chosen course aligns with your academic and career goals.

6. Summarize all relevant leadership and service-related achievements in which you have participated.

Focus: Leadership and Service Achievements

This is an opportunity to succinctly list your notable leadership and service accomplishments:

Concise Presentation: List achievements in a clear and organized manner.
Highlight Impact: Briefly explain the significance and outcomes of each achievement.

Navigating the Chevening essay questions requires a thoughtful approach that showcases your unique qualities, aspirations, and commitment to positive change. By addressing each question’s specific focus and providing well-structured responses, you can present a compelling case for why you are an ideal candidate for the Chevening scholarship. Remember to tailor your answers to highlight your strengths and alignment with Chevening’s values and objectives.

India (Chevening Scholarship) | Chevening

How to Write Winning Chevening Scholarship Essays

Updated: Oct 28

1. Introduction

2. The Four Essays

3. General Tips

4. Tips for Essay 1

5. tips for essay 2.

6. Tips for Essay 3

7. Tips for Essay 4

8. Closing Comments

Introduction

The Chevening Scholarship enables you to study a master’s in the UK for free. This is equivalent to a value of between $31,735 - $95,206 depending on where you fly from, what you study, and where you live.

Naturally, the British government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office receives thousands of Chevening applications every year (last year it was more than 70,000), so you will be competing against many other applicants, many of whom have very strong profiles.

In order to give yourself the best possible chance to win the scholarship, it’s important that in your four essays you convince the Chevening Reading Committee that:

you have strong leadership qualities and can influence others

you are able to build and maintain professional relationships

your chosen master’s courses will enable you to make a positive impact

you have clearly defined post-study career goals

you will be a valuable asset to the Chevening alumni network

most importantly, you’re worthy of this large financial investment

2. The Four Chevening Essays

A key part of your application process is to plan, write and submit four essays.

If the Chevening Reading Committee consider you a strong candidate for the scholarship, they will invite you to an interview to discuss your background and goals in more detail.

Each essay has to be between 100 and 500 words long.

The essays are on the four following topics with the four following sets of instructions:

Essay 1: Leadership and Influence

Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries.

Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer

Essay 2: Maintaining and Building Professional Relationships

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong professional relationship-building skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession.

Please explain how you build and maintain relationships in a professional capacity, using clear examples of how you currently do this, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future.

Essay 3: University Course Choices

Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your plans for the future.

Please enter new information and examples here and not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and education section of this form.

Essay 4: Post-Study Career Plans

Chevening is looking for individuals who have a clear post-study career plan.

Please outline your immediate plans upon returning home and your longer-term career goals. You may wish to consider how these relate to what the UK government is doing in your country.

3. General Tips

Essays 1 + 2 are mainly about your past and essays 3 + 4 are mainly about your future . Think of all four essays as telling a single coherent story about your past experiences, how they’ve formed you, the things you’ve achieved and how, by studying your master’s in the UK and becoming part of the Chevening network, you aim to become a future leader that is going to have a positive impact on your country and the wider world .

Your essays (especially 3 + 4) should primarily focus on one key humanitarian or development issue which you are involved with and are passionate about. Your key issue or area of interest may be something like:

- Business and Economics

- Education

- Environment and Climate Change

- Food Security

- Gender Issues

- Healthcare and Medicine

- Immigration

- International Relations and Diplomacy

- Law and Human Rights

- Peace Building

- Public Policy and Administration

- Social Development and Non-Profit Sector

- Technology and Innovation

You need to give evidence of leadership in this field, that you have made a positive impact, that your chosen masters’ courses and Chevening membership will help you have even greater positive impact, and that you have clear career plans for how you can solve problems in this field.

You may be interested in more than one area and, of course, many of these issues are naturally interconnected. As such, it’s Ok to explain this in your essays.

For example:

Your work in (1) rainforest conservation also gave (2) vulnerable communities dignified work.

Your work as a (1) human rights lawyer intersects with your (2) activism for gender equality

Your ambition to be a (1) policymaker will help (2) peacebuilding efforts.

Your experience in the (1) development in the agricultural engineering sector lead to your interest (2) climate change.

However, even if you mention interconnected issues, ideally your essays should still have a clear central focus on one - or maybe two main issues - and you definitely should avoid cramming several unrelated topics into your essay.

It ’s highly unlikely that you’re an expert in rainforest conservation, employment, human rights, gender equality, policymaking, peacebuilding, agriculture and climate change and that your mission is to solve problems in all of these areas. (I’m exaggerating, but you get the point!)

Basically, don’t throw in lots of random issues and causes just because you think that’s what Chevening want to hear. It’ll make your essays seem unfocused, confused and disingenuous.

Each essay has a maximum word count of 500 words, so make sure each sentence and each paragraph contains substance about you. Avoid writing generic things which anyone else could also write.

As such, don’t write long sentences or whole paragraphs making general points about your industry, your country, or how great the UK is - anyone could say these general things, it tells the Reading Committee nothing about you.

Instead, be highly specific about you, your actions, the lessons you’ve learned, the impact you’ve had, and the impact you’re going to have. Be concrete, be specific and provide evidence.

Compare the two following paragraphs from essay 3 (about course choices). Who do you think sounds like a more convincing Chevening applicant?

The London School of Economics is famous for its high-quality education and global reputation, offering a wide range of courses and top-notch academic guidance, allowing students to collaborate with world-class scholars. Graduates are highly regarded in the global job market, and the university offers extensive career support and internship opportunities with local businesses, enhancing employment prospects. Additionally, the university provides a variety of clubs and activities, and the rich campus life combined with London's cultural and entertainment offerings makes the learning experience dynamic and enjoyable.

The Environmental Policy and Regulation MSc at LSE with its emphasis on both policy design and interdisciplinary work would give me the tools to navigate environmental law, economic development and global governance. The core module Environmental Regulation: Implementing Policy is appealing on a number of levels, as I would like to further improve my ability to design effective policy while taking into account the concerns of diverse stakeholders. Further, in Economic Development and the Environment, I would like to hear the perspectives of other students from the global south while also contributing my own insights from my own experience. I am also keen to learn from professors such as Charles Palmer and Dr. Kathy Hochstetler, as the former is an expert in sustainable forest management and the latter is an expert in interdisciplinary approaches to environmental policymaking.

As you can see, the first paragraph is very general and could be written by anyone. The second paragraph is much more concrete and specific and tells us more about the applicant, why they want to study that particular course and why they deserve the Chevening scholarship.

As well as being concrete and being specific, when talking about your past, you need to provide evidence and examples to support the points you’re making.

Show, don’t tell!

Compare the two following paragraphs from essay 1 (about leadership). Who do you think sounds like a more convincing Chevening applicant?

Throughout my life and professional career, I have always been cognizant of my potential to convince, guide, and inspire individuals towards new possibilities, ensuring their focus and motivation to lay the groundwork for collective success. Consequently, I define myself today as a dedicated, comprehensive, and enthusiastic leader who, in addition to extensive experience, vision, and conviction, has successfully inspired others to dream, learn, and achieve more, thus facilitating collective transformation.

In 2015, in collaboration with a local charity, Fundación Goles por la Paz, I managed a project which aimed to provide education to children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in my city. In the first 3 months of the project, using the charity’s contacts, I persuaded 8 volunteer teachers from the city’s best private schools to give free classes on Maths, English and Nutrition. With these free classes as a proof of concept, I then secured 75,000USD in funding from the state of Santander’s education department, and then allocated this money towards building a learning centre in which the children can receive their free classes. Not only do these children now have greater access to high quality education, but this project has been used as a point of reference for two other projects in the region.

Notice how the first paragraph could be written by anyone and it’s just them telling us how they’re a great leader and that they’ve done great things, but in the second paragraph the writer is showing us how they’re a great leader and that they’ve done great things by telling a simple story with a clear example.

These essays are about YOU, so don’t talk about what you did collectively as part of a team, using the pronoun ‘we’; instead, use the pronoun ‘I’ and talk about your individual contribution.

Write a plan for each essay before you start writing. Get some of your main thoughts down on paper, keep the strongest ones and discard the weaker ones, then try to put your ideas in a logical order which flows.

For each essay, include a short intro which summarises the main points your essay will develop; include body paragraphs which follow the STAR, PAR, or SMART formats (more on this later); finish each essay with a short closing paragraph.

Draft, redraft and edit - all in a separate document (not directly on the Chevening platform; you can paste it in there in November before the deadline!)

Get support from personal statement/scholarship application experts and/or former Chevening Scholars. However, application experts can give you feedback and teach you how to write the essays, but they can't write them for you. Likewise, although many Chevening Scholars will provide hugely valuable input about their application process and their membership to the Chevening network, many of them won the scholarship because they had strong profiles, not because they are expert essayists. J ust because they won the scholarship themselves doesn’t mean that they will be able to teach you how to write winning essays.

It’s important that your essays are well written but it’s most important that they’re clear, coherent and convey your strengths as an applicant. They don’t have to be beautiful works of literature. The Reading Committee is more interested in your personal substance rather than your essay writing skills. I have read scholarship-winning Chevening essays which I didn’t think were very well written in terms of language and structure (they weren’t bad, they just could’ve been better!), but the content itself was very impressive - the applicants were clearly talented, ambitious people who had made, and were going to make, a big difference to their countries.

Don’t plagiarise other Chevening essays (or anything in here). You will get caught and you won’t win the scholarship. Also, remember, your essays are about YOU, nobody else.

In writing your essays, be proud of your achievements and believe in yourself. Even if you don’t win the scholarship, you’ll find it highly satisfying to see the amazing things you’ve achieved all presented in a short, compelling autobiography!

Start with a short intro which outlines what your following paragraphs will be about. For example:

Throughout my academic and professional journey, I have consistently demonstrated leadership and experience in various capacities, including as a student, political activist, public officer, and consultant.

Don’t start by giving a definition of what leadership means - neither from the dictionary nor a personal definition. The Reading Committee wants to know how you demonstrate leadership and influence, not what you think it is.

Write 3-4 main body paragraphs giving examples of how you’ve demonstrated leadership and influence. Each paragraph should focus on telling one particular story about one particular achievement/experience. It’s better to write 3-4 well developed paragraphs rather than a long ‘shopping list’ of achievements with no elaboration.

Use the S T A R ( Situation , Task , Action , Result ) method to structure your main body paragraphs. For example:

In 2015, in collaboration with a local charity, Fundación Goles por la Paz , I managed a project which aimed to provide education to children from disadvantaged neighbourhoods in my city. In the first three months of the project, using the charity’s contacts, I persuaded eight volunteer teachers from the city’s best private schools to give free classes on Maths, English and Nutrition. With these free classes as a proof of concept, I then secured 75,000USD in funding from the state of Santander’s education department, and then allocated this money towards building a learning centre in which the children can receive their free classes. Not only do these children now have greater access to high quality education, but this project has been used as a point of reference for two other projects in the region.

By telling short stories like this, you can clearly: S: Describe the context (who/what/where/when)

T: Describe what you needed to achieve

A: Describe what action you took

R: Describe the results of your actions

You can also use the P A R ( Problem , Action , Result ) method to tell stories about your achievements and experiences.

Unlike many other countries, Colombia has no Forest Service to help with forest research , so I had to coordinate several different groups to fill this gap. I utilised the existing structure of the National Environmental System, managed a team of 15 highly talented professionals, and supervised various research institutes, herbariums and universities. By emphasising our shared goal of protecting the environment and encouraging the participation of rural communities and minority ethnic groups , I successfully convinced these institutions to work together. Also, as Colombia’s environmental sector has such limited resources, I worked out how best each entity could contribute to the project .

Here, the writer has:

P: Outlined the problem

A: Described what action they took

R: Described the results of their actions

Notice how both paragraphs use storytelling and specific examples to give the reader a clear idea of who the person is. Also notice how the ‘ situation ’ sections are quite short (anyone can describe the situation) but the ‘ action ’ section contains the most detail (this is the part that tells the reader most about you).

It’s important to make the impact of your leadership clear - just stating that you had an important position isn’t enough.

Chevening say it’s generally better to focus on achievements from your professional life rather than school or university (although I have read winning essays which make reference to experiences from school/university).

(Optional) End with a short closing paragraph which indicates how you will be a future leader as a Chevening scholar. For example:

My experience working for the local and national government has given me the chance to develop my skills as a leader in the field of immigration policy. Studying in the UK as a Chevening scholar would further enhance my profile as a political leader for when I return to Colombia. This stronger profile will enable me to have greater influence on fellow policymakers and so I will be better able to address issues relating to immigration and my country’s sustainable development.

(I say this is optional because you will be talking about your future plans in essays 3 + 4, and it’s important not to be repetitive/redundant)

Start with a short intro which outlines what your following paragraphs will be about.

From working with academics and politicians to financiers and farmers, I have learned that just as each individual has their own interests and disposition, all good professional relationships are based on communication, honesty, and shared vision.

As always, try to avoid making generic platitudinous statements about what you think about networking or how people make relationships in general. The Reading Committee wants to know how YOU build and maintain relationships in a professional capacity.

Write 2-3 main body paragraphs giving examples of how you’ve built and maintained relationships in a professional capacity and what positive impact you’ve achieved as a result of these relationships. Each paragraph should focus on telling one particular story about one particular instance of networking. It’s better to write 2-3 well developed paragraphs like the above rather than a long list of networking experiences.

Again, use the S T A R ( Situation , Task , Action , Result ) or P A R ( Problem , Action , Result ) methods to tell stories about how you build and maintain relationships in a professional capacity.

I work with people from every corner of Colombia, a hugely diverse country, and no matter somebody’s background , I find that sincere, transparent dialogue is the key to forming solid working relationships . Indeed, I currently lead a project with Arhuaco indigenous communities in northern Colombia , and over the past 8 years I have made connections which have allowed us to construct 5 food systems, implement cocoa crops and improve the life quality of 300 families who live in the region . To do this, I have had to gain people’s trust, manage expectations, mediate disputes between different stakeholders, and above all, listen to people so as to understand their needs, hopes and fears .

Notice how this paragraph isn’t structured strictly in the S T A R order, but that it still contains all four elements.

It’s not enough to say that you get along well with your colleagues or that you’re good at making friends. As per the instructions, you need to:

- Explain how you build and maintain relationships in a professional capacity

- Use clear examples of how you currently do this

- Outline how you hope to use these skills in the future .

Again, Chevening say it’s generally better to focus on experiences from your professional life rather than school or university (although I have read winning essays which make reference to experiences from school/university).

You may choose to focus on some of the following networking/interpersonal skills:

- Active listening

- Assertiveness

- Being reliable

- Being respectful

- Clear communication

- Conflict resolution

- Diplomacy

- Effective management

- Mentoring or coaching

- Mutual trust

- Social skills

In your closing paragraph, look to the future and explain how you plan to use the Chevening network, or other networks, to achieve your future goals and/or how you will contribute to the Chevening network.

If you haven’t already, you should contact other Chevening scholars who work in your field/who are from your country and, with their permission, you can mention that you have done this in your networking essay. This will show proactivity and demonstrate your networking skills.

Likewise, I am eager to collaborate with other Chevening scholars who are also driven to build a more sustainable future for the global south, and for the whole planet. Fighting climate change is always a collective effort, and technical experts have to cooperate and share their knowledge; moreover, in Latin American industry and politics, networking is everything. To this end, I have already made contact with current Chevening scholar, Pepito Pérez, an actuary who specialises in carbon credit markets, and I hope to work with, and be inspired by many more people like him.

However, you should try to form a genuine connection based on your shared background and interests rather than just doing it because you think it will look good in your essay!

6. Tips for Essay 3

Do your research about the university and the programmes you want to apply to. In your Chevening essays - and your personal statements - you’ll need to give clear, specific examples of some, or all, of the following:

- Modules you’re interested in taking

- Professors you want to work with

- Research projects you’d like to participate in

- Topics you’d like to write about in your dissertation

- Networking opportunities with teachers and other students

- Clubs and societies you’d like to join

Start with an intro which outlines what your following paragraphs will be about. You can outline a problem which you have identified in your country/field which you aim to solve with the expertise gained from your master’s.

In my experience in Colombia’s environmental sector, I have been consistently frustrated by two main issues. Firstly, to achieve our Sustainable Development Goals, we need to establish clearer and more immediately realisable policies; and secondly, we need to better understand the interconnectedness of the environment and other pillars of our country’s development. Clarifying environmental policy aims while simultaneously folding in other socioeconomic issues is no easy task, but I believe that my chosen courses, as well as the relationships I make with other academics, will give me the necessary formation to help me achieve this aim.

Even though you may be considering applying for fewer or more courses, you need to write about three masters’ course options in your essay.

Avoid just describing why the university is prestigious and the quality of the education will be good. Be specific about how the course will help you build on your previous experience and help you make a positive difference in the future.

You can also be open about weaknesses in your professional/academic profile that you would like to strengthen by studying a master’s in the UK.

As per the instructions, your course choices, and reasons for studying them, should have a clear connection to your background which you describe in essays 1 and 2. Moreover, the knowledge, skills and experience you talk about gaining in essay 3 should provide a platform for the future career plans you describe in essay 4.

While it is important to connect your courses to your future plans and explain how they will help you achieve your goals, remember that essay 4 is about your post-study career plans, so you need to save a lot of details for that essay to avoid being redundant and repetitive.

Although you can group the courses together and talk about them collectively and how they’ll help you make positive changes in the future, I would recommend writing a separate paragraph for each of the three courses.

Here is an example of a typical paragraph for essay 3.

The International Public Policy MSc at UCL is also a strong choice for my professional development for similar reasons. On top of the modules regarding governance and policy, I would also like to study Introduction to Quantitative Methods, as although I have always been interested in social sciences, my quantitative research skills are somewhat limited. The opportunity to gain competency in statistical analysis using R is incredibly valuable, as being able to analyse and interpret complex data sets will not only enhance my research abilities but also enable me to make evidence-based policy recommendations. I am also drawn to the Conflict Resolution and Post-War Development module, as promoting peace and understanding post-war challenges are crucial in the Colombian context.

Notice how in this paragraph this Chevening-winning essayist demonstrates:

- A connection to their past

- A weakness they would like to address

- Specific detail about modules they’re interested in and why

- How studying those modules will help them solve specific problems in their country

Before you start writing, you should really think about what your post-study plans are. If you have really thought about them carefully, then this will come through in your writing.

To guarantee that all 4 of your essays tell a clear and coherent story about your past and your future goals, your post-study plans should connect back to essays 3, 2 and 1.

You may have mentioned your future plans in the previous essays, but in essay 4 you can go into greater detail about the positive impact you plan to have in your country in your future career as a Chevening scholar.

In order to write post-study plans which convince the Reading Committee that you are a worthy investment for the Chevening scholarship, your plans should be ambitious, but they also need to be specific, concrete and achievable.Or, in other words, they should be S M AR T ( Specific , Measurable , Achievable , Relevant , Time-bound ).

Upon completing my master’s degree in Public Policy in the UK, I plan to return to Mexico to work as a Policy Advisor in the Secretariat of Economic Development. Specifically , within the first year , I aim to lead a team to develop and implement a strategic plan to reduce youth unemployment in Mexico City by 10% over the next three years . This will involve collaborating with local government agencies, educational institutions, and private sector partners to create targeted vocational training programs and entrepreneurship initiatives. By 2027 , I aspire to advance to the role of Director of Policy Development, where I will leverage the skills and knowledge acquired through my Chevening Scholarship to influence the national economy. This position will not only allow me to contribute to Mexico’s economic growth but also establish me as a leading figure in public policy within Latin America .

(for these purposes, specificity, achievability and relevance are all red, as it’s quite hard to identify those things with two out-of-context paragraphs)

While it might not be possible to give exact times and measurements for all of your plans, you should avoid being vague or unrealistic.Consider organising your main paragraphs in terms of short, medium and long term goals. This will make them more S M A R T , and they will be more compelling in terms of your projected life story.

If possible, you can connect your career goals with some of the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. ( https://sdgs.un.org/goals )

You should also research what humanitarian/development work that the British government is doing in your country. You can find that here: https://www.gov.uk/world/ yourcountry /news (Just replace ‘ yourcountry ’ with your country)

You should end the fourth essay on an optimistic, constructive note which emphasises the positive impact you could have as a Chevening scholar in your chosen field and in your country.

By leveraging my connections in the agricultural sector and the public sector, I believe I can make a great difference to families living in vulnerable regions. Moreover, with the financial knowledge that I gain from studying in the UK, and with the support of regional partners the Chevening community, I will be better equipped to ensure food security in the north of Brazil.

8. Closing Comments

To sum up some main points:

Tell clear overall stories about who you are, how effective you are as a leader, influencer and network builder.

Support these with mini-stories with clear, tangible, specific examples and make it clear the impact you have had as an individual.

Make it clear that you’re passionate and knowledgeable about a specific field and that you want to make a positive change in your country.

Demonstrate that you’ve done your research about your chosen degree courses and how they can help you make an even greater impact in the future.

Show that you’re ambitious and hungry to make a difference in your post-university career as a Chevening scholar, and show that you’ve made realistic plans about how you can do this.

Persuade the Reading Committee that you would be a worthy investment for the British government and that by spending that money on you - an outstanding individual, you will be a valuable member of the Chevening network, and will drive positive change in your country, in your area of expertise and in the wider world.

If you would like any further help with your Chevening essays - or with IELTS Preparation, feel free to get in contact with me at:

✉️ [email protected] - 📱 +57 305 3584276 🌐 Henry Jones

Best of luck with your application! 🍀

Part 2: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (Essay Tips)

Updated: Oct 14, 2020

This serves as Part 2 of the Chevening Tips, in the event that you would like insight in as far as what is Chevening and an overall insight on what is required to apply, kindly have a look at Part 1: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (FAQ).

Applying for the Chevening Scholarship Series

Three Years a Charm: Becoming a Chevening Scholar

Part 1: Applying for the Chevening Scholarship (FAQ)

Disclaimer: Note that the advice given here below is my own personal opinion and not that of the Chevening Secretariat or the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office .

When applying for the Chevening Scholarship, you will be required to submit four written essays, each a minimum of 100 words and a maximum of 500 words.

Quick Tips on how to write your 4 Chevening Essays:

When writing your essays, use the STAR and SMART approach.

Ensure that you cover the bases in each of your essays, mentioning the most important elements.

Your essays have to be truthful, concise, and well-written.

Ensure that you tell a story when writing your essays, you can add bullet points to list achievements and highlight career goals however there should be a flow.

Ensure that any stranger can make out what you are trying to say, making it clear what you are talking about. When making references to data or situations from your home country, be sure to mention the country's name.

Refrain using words like our and their, and opt to name what you are talking about.

Use Grammarly to spell check your work and ensure that your grammar is correct.

STAR Approach - Derived from Muse

Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of your example.

Task: Describe what your responsibility was in that situation.

Action: Explain exactly what steps you took to address it.

Result: Share what outcomes your actions achieved.

SMART Approach - Derived from CFI

Specific: Well defined, clear, and unambiguous.

Measurable : With specific criteria that measure your progress toward the accomplishment of the goal.

Achievable: Attainable and not impossible to achieve.

Realistic: Within reach, realistic, and relevant to your life purpose.

Timely: With a clearly defined timeline, including a starting date and a target date. The purpose is to create urgency.

Four Essay Topics

Leadership and Influence

Chevening is looking for individuals who will be future leaders or influencers in their home countries. Explain how you meet this requirement, using clear examples of your own leadership and influencing skills to support your answer. - Question as per the Chevening Website

Using the methods explained above (STAR AND SMART Approach), ensure that you speak on the times you have depicted leadership traits, the leadership positions you have occupied and the times you have displayed a position of influence. These can range from managerial positions, leadership in organizations (NGO's included), or in your day-to-day life. In addition, you can touch on what leadership ambitions you have and how this ties back to your community.

It is important to ensure that the examples are impact-driven and not only for self-gain.

Chevening is looking for individuals with strong professional relationship-building skills, who will engage with the Chevening community and influence and lead others in their chosen profession. Please explain how you build and maintain relationships in a professional capacity, using clear examples of how you currently do this, and outline how you hope to use these skills in the future. - Question as per the Chevening Website

Writing your networking essay is primarily about showing clear examples of the relationships you have built, how they were established, and how you have managed to maintain them. In addition, highlight how these said relationships have been instrumental in your personal development and the work that you do. Ensure that you are able to glean from every example the skill acquired and how these skills will be useful to you in the future as a possible Chevening scholar. This essay, in essence, is to show that you have the ability to use the opportunities given to you in a tangible and impactful manner.

Career Plan

Chevening is looking for individuals who have a clear post-study career plan. Please outline your immediate plans upon returning home and your longer-term career goals. You may wish to consider how these relate to what the UK government is doing in your country. - Question as per Chevening Website

This essay provides an opportunity for you to layout an immediate 2-year plan, and a 5 to 10-year plan. Your plans need to be attainable and should speak to your ambitions as laid out in your career plan. The most important tip for when writing out your career plan, is to ensure that when you touch on your professional experience, it not be written as though it is a Curriculum Vitae but rather speaking on impact, journey, and career trajectory. You too are welcome to link your journey thus far, to how this informs your next career move, namely pursuing a masters degree. You should depict an understanding of what you want to do in the future, how this is tangibly attainable, and what your ambitions are long term.

Studying in the UK

Outline why you have selected your chosen three university courses, and explain how this relates to your previous academic or professional experience and your plans for the future. Please do not duplicate the information you have entered on the work experience and education section of this form. - Question as per the Chevening Website

Do not duplicate your career essay in this essay, however, you can link the information. You will also be required to list the three universities you will be applying to, the name of the courses at the said universities, and why you chose the particular university.

Tip: Depending on which course you intend to study, google the top-performing universities in the said field to inform your university choice. Then ensure that the universities you would like to attend are Chevening partner universities, before finalizing your list of your three chosen universities.

Bonus: I have asked three scholars who have managed to successfully be chosen for Chevening before to assist with proofreading 3 prospective scholars essays before submission. Kindly note that these will be given on a first-come, first-serve basis. This available to a total of 9 prospective scholars and no more. Only the 9 successful prospective scholars will be contacted. If you are not contacted, unfortunately, the 9 spots were already taken.

To get your essays proofread - please fill in the form at the link here .

(Available to ONLY the first 9 applicants)

Proofreading volunteer scholars (each reading 3 prospective scholars essays EACH)

Rosalia Shiimi - Rosalia holds a BSc Honours Degree in Geology and a Certificate in Investment Management from the University of Cape Town. She is currently the Acting Grade Control Geologist at Vedanta Zinc International’s Gamsberg Operation. She is a part of the 2021/2022 Chevening cohort, pursuing a Master of Science in Applied Environment Geology at Cardiff University.

Abel is a Certified Internal Auditor (CIA) and former Head of Internal Audit. He holds a Bachelor of Accounting Science and Postgraduate Diploma in Internal Auditing. In addition, he too is a Section Chairperson and Branch Executive member in SPYL and serve on the NCCI Windhoek Trading Committee. He will be pursuing a Master of Arts in International Relations at the University of Birmingham.

Hilja Eelu - Hilja is a UCT molecular biology graduate and a previous recipient of the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Fellowship. Having been awarded both the Chevening and Commonwealth scholarship, she will be pursuing the MSc Control of Infectious Diseases at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine starting September 2020, thanks to the Commonwealth scholarship.

Additional Reading Material

Essay Tips from the Reading Committee of Chevening

Essay Examples

Writing an effective networking essay

My Application for Chevening Scholarship

Chevening Leadership Essay

How I won the Chevening Scholarship - Part 2: Writing your Essays

From One Powerhouse to another

Twitter - @MavisBraga

Instagram - @MavisBraga1

Facebook - Mavis Elias

Website - www.mavisbraga.com

How to apply to Chevening

Read our step-by-step guidance on using Chevening’s online application system to give yourself the best chance of success.

In this section

So, you’ve read all the guidance on applying for a Chevening Scholarship and you’re ready to apply?

All applications for Chevening must be completed via the online application system. You can access the application system during the application window by following the ‘apply today’ link on the apply page of your home country or territory.

The steps on this page outline what you need to do next to complete your application .

Using the online application system

Once you’ve clicked on the application system, you will first be asked to read and consent to the Chevening terms and conditions and Privacy N otice , and register your email address and mobile phone number . You will then receive an email with a link to the application portal.

After you have clicked on the link to the application portal, answer the eligibility questions to confirm your eligibility for a Chevening Scholarship.

You will find out immediately if you passed or failed the eligibility checker. If you did not pass but think there was an error, you will be given two more attempts.

If you pass the eligibility checker, you will receive an email to your registered email address with a link to continue your application.

Tip: Take the eligibility quiz on our website to find out if you will pass the eligibility checker!

Once you have followed the link in your email to continue your application , you will see an access code displayed on your screen. This access code is unique to you .

Y ou must make a note or take a photo of your unique access code for your records as you will need it every time you want to access your application .

You will now be able to start your Chevening application.

When completing the form, keep in mind that you will be logged out of the system if you are inactive for 15 minutes, so remember to save your progress as you work through each stage!

You will need to complete each section of the application form:

Personal details

Provide your full name, pronouns, date of birth, address, and preferred interview location.

Immigration details

Confirm your country of citizenship, passport number (where available), and other relevant details.

Education history

Enter details of your education, including names of institutions attended, courses studied, and results received. You can add up to 15 entries.

Work history

You can add up to 15 entries of past work experiences to the application form.
The system will then calculate if you meet Chevening’s requirement for 2,800 hours of work experience by multiplying the number of weeks by the number of hours worked for each entry. You will be able to view your total number.
Find out more about the work experience requirement and the type of work that counts towards it.

Programmes of study

Submit details of your top three UK master’s degree course choices. You can find a full list of Chevening eligible courses on the course finder .
You will be asked if you have already applied to each of your course choices. Please note that it is not a requirement to apply to your course choices before submitting your Chevening application.
Read more about preparing your UK university application .
On your application form will you be asked to submit the names, job details, and contact details of two referees.
If you are invited to interview, you will need to upload two letters written by your chosen referees to the online application system.
Find out more about references .

Essay questions

Respond to the four Chevening essay questions on leadership, relationship-building, your course choices, and future career goals.
Each answer has a 500-word limit and must be in English.
We recommend you prepare your answers to the essay questions in a separate document, before copy and pasting them into the application form once finalised.
Read about how to score well on each of Chevening’s application criteria .

Equal opportunities

Share your background information to help us monitor diversity and accessibility. This does not affect your application outcome.

Once you have ensured all sections of the application form are marked as ‘complete’:

Consent to the scholarship conditions outlined on the application form.
Click ‘submit application’ and ‘confirm submission’.
Give yourself a pat on the back!

Frequently Asked Questions

If you cannot remember your unique access code, you can use the online application system to recover it using a process that works via the mobile phone number you registered with.

No. Applications must be submitted online through Chevening’s online application system.

Please check your spam/junk folders for your activation email.

To ensure that emails we send to you do not end up in these folders, please put our email address, which for application messaging is [email protected], on your ‘allow list’.

If you have checked your spam/junk folders and still have can’t see an activation email, please attempt to register again, ensuring you read the registration page carefully. In particular, make sure your email address is spelled correctly, doesn’t contain any spaces or incorrect characters, and is entered into the appropriate field.

If you continue to experience this problem, we would advise that you try registering with a different email address.

Eligible courses must:

Be full-time
Start in the autumn term (usually September/October)
Lead to a Master’s degree qualification

Courses cannot be:

Distance learning
Less than nine months in duration
More than 12 months in duration
Starting in January
Research based

If you believe your course meets the above criteria, please fill out the missing course form here: missing course form .

Once you have submitted your form, we will verify whether your chosen course is eligible, and add it to the course finder.

Please note this may take up to two weeks. We appreciate your patience at this time.

If you need to submit your application sooner, because the application deadline is close or for any other reason, please choose a similar course that is available. You will be able to change your course if you are invited to interview.

Yes. You can save your application and return to it as many times as you like during the application period. Just remember to click ‘save’ on each page before logging out.

You can access your application using your email address and your unique access code.

Once you have completed all the steps and clicked on the ‘submit application’ button, you will be advised that you have successfully submitted your application. You will also receive an email from the online application system to confirm that your application has been submitted.

You can check the status of your application by logging in to the online application system and looking at the status notification at the top of the page.

It is not possible to make any changes to your application after you’ve submitted it.

If you are invited to interview, you will have the opportunity to raise any changes you need made with the interview panel.

Please note, these changes are limited to personal data and do not include changes to the contents of your application, such as essays, course choices, or work experience.

If there are factors outside your control that lead to your course options not being available, you will be able to discuss this if you are invited to interview.

Yes. You can withdraw your application at any time.

Please note that withdrawing your application will remove all your details from the system. You will have to re-enter all your information in order to submit.

You are asked to supply the contact details of two referees when you submit your application.

If your application progresses, you must ensure you have uploaded two reference letters to the online application system prior to your interview and by the date listed on the application timeline .

Find out more about references .

Using artificial intelligence software to generate answers to Chevening’s essay questions is strictly prohibited. Applicants must submit their own original work. You must not use someone else’s work or present content generated by AI tools like ChatGPT as your own. Doing so violates Chevening’s guidelines on plagiarism and fraud.

If your application is found to be fraudulent or copied, it will be disqualified. Chevening uses tools to detect fraud, plagiarism, and AI-generated content in applications.

You will be asked to confirm that you have not used artificial intelligence to generate your answers as part of the application form.

Find answers to more questions about our application system on the FAQs page .

Good luck on your application! We can’t wait to welcome you to the Chevening community.

Further guidance

Preparing your chevening scholarship application, are you ready to apply to chevening.

Take the quiz to find out if you are ready and eligible to apply!

Eligibility criteria

Application criteria, common application errors, apply for an award.

Applications for Chevening Scholarships are now closed.

Breakdown of Chevening Essay Questions: A Comprehensive Guide

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How to Write Winning Chevening Scholarship Essays

4. Tips for Essay 1

7. Tips for Essay 4

Introduction

2. The Four Chevening Essays

3. General Tips

6. Tips for Essay 3

8. Closing Comments

Four Essay Topics

Leadership and Influence

Career Plan

Studying in the UK

Recent Posts

How to apply to Chevening

In this section

Using the online application system

Frequently Asked Questions

Further guidance

Eligibility criteria