Chevening Scholarship FAQ 2027/28

No official age limit. Most successful applicants are 25+ because of the 2,800-hour work experience requirement. Scholars in their 30s and 40s are common.

No. You need a completed undergraduate degree plus 2,800 hours of work experience gained after that degree. Finish your degree, gain professional experience, then apply. For the 2027/28 cycle, that means your undergraduate degree must have been completed by October 2024.

It is roughly 2 years full-time (based on a 35-hour week), and it must be gained after you complete your undergraduate degree, over a minimum of two years. Full-time, part-time, voluntary work and paid or unpaid internships all count proportionally; you can enter up to 15 employment periods and it doesn't need to be continuous or at one job. Calculate hours carefully — falling short means automatic disqualification.

No. You must be a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory and apply for that country's award; Chevening is citizenship-based, and some countries add residency rules. Dual citizens may choose which eligible country to apply through — but British or dual British citizens are generally not eligible.

For Chevening itself, none: Chevening removed its English language requirement in 2020. Your universities still set their own requirements — commonly IELTS 6.5 overall with no section below 5.5, or equivalent TOEFL/PTE, and some demand higher scores — and you need to meet them to get the unconditional offer due by 8 July 2027.

No. Chevening funds one-year taught Master's degrees only. For PhD funding, consider Commonwealth Scholarships, Gates Cambridge, or university-specific doctoral studentships.

Most UK universities participate. Your course must be a full-time taught Master's of 9 to 12 months, based in the UK and starting in the autumn (September/October) — not part-time, distance learning or a research degree. Select 3 choices ranked by preference. Pick courses that connect to your career plan — the panel evaluates this closely.

Yes, as long as it is a full-time taught MBA that fits the course rules — but MBA tuition is capped at GBP 22,000, and you pay anything above that yourself. Some Chevening partnership awards with certain business schools also fund MBAs through their own application tracks. Check the Chevening website for current partnerships.

You name two referees when you apply, and if you are shortlisted you must upload both reference letters yourself no later than seven working days before your interview. Chevening won't chase referees for you, and if the letters are missing you are removed from consideration. Choose reliable referees, brief them early, send reminders, and have backups — if you have to use a different referee, you'll need to explain why at interview.

No. Select 3 course preferences without offers. But if you are selected, you must secure an unconditional offer from one of them by 17:00 BST on 8 July 2027 (only financial conditions, such as a deposit, may remain). Start university applications early, in parallel with Chevening.

Chevening advises against it. Its terms say the award covers your costs only: no money, flights or pastoral support for dependants, and Chevening will not endorse their visa applications. If family come, you must fund them yourself. Many scholars leave families at home for the one-year programme.

Your visa allows up to 20 hours a week during term. But Chevening recommends focusing on your studies. The living allowance should cover expenses, and they monitor academic performance.

Chevening expects you to pass at the first attempt and will not pay for resits or resubmissions. It can also end your award for unsatisfactory progress, and then you may have to repay what it has paid you. If you're struggling, contact your university's support services and Chevening early.

Not in the UK (scholarships for full-time study are generally tax-free). But check your home country's tax laws — some countries tax foreign income or scholarship grants.

Yes. Non-negotiable. No Graduate visa, no Skilled Worker visa. If staying in the UK is your primary goal, Chevening is the wrong scholarship.

Usually not. The award runs for up to 12 months. The FCDO allows an extension only in exceptional cases, with strong academic or welfare reasons, and a dissertation extension is capped at three months. Courses running 15 or 18 months don't qualify.

Only for pregnancy. Chevening's terms allow deferral to the next year if you are pregnant or gave birth in the 26 weeks before your course starts. Anyone else who can't take up the award must normally withdraw and reapply next cycle.

No limit. Many scholars were rejected on their first attempt. Each application is judged on its own merits. Use each cycle to genuinely strengthen your essays and career plan.