Living Allowance & Funding Breakdown
Table of Contents
How much does Chevening actually pay? Toggle between locations to see the full breakdown.
Monthly Allowance
London (within M25)
GBP 1,516
per month
GBP 18,192 annually
Outside London
GBP 1,215
per month
GBP 14,580 annually
Monthly Living Allowance Breakdown
Your monthly stipend is determined entirely by where your university is located. There are two rates, and there's no negotiation.
| Location | Monthly Allowance (GBP) | Annual Total (12 months) |
|---|---|---|
| London (within M25) | GBP 1,516 / month | GBP 18,192 |
| Outside London | GBP 1,215 / month | GBP 14,580 |
The allowance is paid monthly, directly into your UK bank account. You'll open a bank account shortly after arriving, and Chevening will set up the payments. The first payment usually arrives within the first few weeks of your programme start date.
The rate is fixed for 12 months, covering the standard duration of a one-year taught Master's degree. If your programme runs slightly longer (some do, by a month or two), you may still only receive 12 months of funding. Plan accordingly.
Important: "London" means within the M25 motorway. Universities in Greater London like UCL, King's College London, LSE, SOAS, and Imperial all qualify for the higher rate. Universities in cities like Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, and Manchester get the outside-London rate, even though those cities aren't cheap either.
Total Scholarship Value
The living allowance is just one part of the package. When you add up everything Chevening covers, the total value is substantial. Here's the full calculation:
| Component | London (GBP) | Outside London (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition fees (average range) | 15,000 – 30,000 | 15,000 – 30,000 |
| Living allowance (12 months) | 18,192 | 14,580 |
| Return flights | 500 – 1,500 | 500 – 1,500 |
| One-off grants (arrival, departure, etc.) | ~1,000 – 2,000 | ~1,000 – 2,000 |
| Estimated Total Value | ~35,000 – 52,000+ | ~31,000 – 48,000+ |
The tuition component is the biggest variable. An MA in International Relations at a mid-ranked university might cost GBP 15,000. An MSc at Imperial or an MBA-adjacent programme at LSE could push past GBP 30,000. Chevening covers the full tuition regardless, up to the programme fee for your chosen course.
When you stack it all up, Chevening scholars are receiving GBP 30,000 to GBP 50,000+ in total value for a single year. That makes it one of the most generous scholarship programmes in the world for a one-year Master's.
One-Off Payments
Beyond your monthly allowance and tuition, Chevening provides several one-time payments to help you settle in and complete your studies:
Arrival Allowance
A one-off payment when you first arrive in the UK to help cover initial setup costs: bedding, kitchen essentials, SIM card, and other basics you need before your first monthly payment kicks in.
Homeward Departure Allowance
A one-off payment at the end of your scholarship to help with the cost of packing up and leaving the UK. Covers things like shipping personal items and last-minute travel expenses.
Excess Baggage Allowance
Covers additional luggage costs for your return journey. After a year of accumulating books, clothes, and memories, you'll need more than one suitcase. This helps with the extra baggage fees.
Thesis / Dissertation Grant
If your programme requires a dissertation with research costs (printing, binding, field research, data access), you can apply for a grant to cover those expenses. Not automatic — you need to request it.
Study Travel Grant
Covers travel costs within the UK that are directly related to your academic work. If you need to visit an archive, attend a required conference, or do fieldwork in another city, this grant helps with transport and accommodation.
What You'll Actually Spend
The monthly allowance looks generous on paper. But how far does it actually go? Here's a realistic monthly budget for Chevening scholars:
| Expense Category | London (GBP) | Outside London (GBP) |
|---|---|---|
| Rent (room in shared house or halls) | 600 – 1,200 | 400 – 700 |
| Food and groceries | 200 – 300 | 200 – 300 |
| Transport (Oyster / bus pass) | 100 – 150 | 50 – 100 |
| Utilities, phone, internet | 80 – 120 | 70 – 100 |
| Miscellaneous (social, clothing, travel) | 100 – 200 | 100 – 200 |
| Estimated Total Monthly Spend | 1,080 – 1,970 | 820 – 1,400 |
In London, it's tight. If you're paying GBP 1,000+ for rent, you'll be watching every pound. The GBP 1,516 allowance covers the basics, but there's not much left over for socialising or weekend trips. Many London-based Chevening scholars share flats to bring rent down to the GBP 600 to GBP 800 range, which makes life much more comfortable.
Outside London, GBP 1,215 goes further. Rent in cities like Edinburgh, Leeds, Sheffield, or Bristol can be GBP 400 to GBP 600 for a decent room. That leaves you GBP 600+ for everything else, which is genuinely comfortable for a student. You can eat well, travel on weekends, and still save a bit.
London vs Outside London
This is one of the biggest decisions you'll make as a Chevening applicant. You get to choose three universities, and where they're located shapes your entire experience.
London
- Higher allowance: GBP 1,516/month
- World-class institutions: UCL, LSE, King's, Imperial, SOAS
- Networking: Embassies, think tanks, international organisations, and the Chevening Secretariat are all in London
- Career opportunities: More internship and event access
- Downside: Rent eats 50-70% of your allowance. Everything costs more. Commuting is exhausting.
Outside London
- Lower allowance: GBP 1,215/month — but it stretches further
- Excellent universities: Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Manchester, Warwick, Bath
- Better quality of life: More affordable rent, less crowded, more community feel
- Focused study: Fewer distractions, stronger campus culture
- Downside: Fewer networking events. You'll need to travel to London for major Chevening gatherings.
There's no right answer. Some scholars specifically choose outside-London universities for a better quality of life and end up having an incredible experience. Others want the London hustle and accept the financial squeeze. What matters is being honest about your priorities. If networking and career access are your main goals, London makes sense. If deep academic focus and comfortable living matter more, look outside.
Comparison with Other UK Scholarships
How does Chevening stack up against other major UK scholarship programmes? Here's a side-by-side look:
| Scholarship | Living Allowance | Tuition | Flights | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chevening | GBP 1,215 – 1,516/mo | Fully covered | Yes | 1 year (Master's) |
| Commonwealth | GBP 1,217 – 1,518/mo | Fully covered | Yes | 1–2 years |
| Gates Cambridge | ~GBP 1,300/mo (Cambridge rate) | Fully covered | Yes | 1–4 years |
| Clarendon (Oxford) | ~GBP 1,200/mo (Oxford rate) | Fully covered | No | 1–4 years |
| Rhodes (Oxford) | ~GBP 1,400/mo (Oxford rate) | Fully covered | Yes | 2–3 years |
Chevening's monthly rates are very competitive, essentially matching Commonwealth and slightly above Gates Cambridge and Clarendon. Where Chevening differs is its one-year restriction: you get a single year of funding for a taught Master's only. No PhD, no second year.
Gates Cambridge and Rhodes offer multi-year funding and are open to PhD students, making them more valuable overall for longer programmes. But they're also significantly harder to get. Gates Cambridge accepts around 80 scholars a year worldwide, and Rhodes takes 100. Chevening selects around 1,500 scholars annually, which means your odds are meaningfully better.
The bottom line: for a one-year Master's, Chevening is one of the best deals available. The total package — tuition, living allowance, flights, and grants — is hard to beat. If you need multi-year funding or want to do a PhD in the UK, you'll need to look at Gates Cambridge, Rhodes, or Commonwealth instead.