Chevening Scholarship Amount 2027/28
How much Chevening actually pays: GBP 1,516 a month in London and GBP 1,215 elsewhere (the reported 2026/27 rates), plus full tuition, flights and one-off grants — and how far that money really goes.
ScholarshipUnion Editorial
6 min read
Updated Oct 5, 2026
Chevening does not publish stipend rates on its website. These are the reported 2026/27 rates; Chevening reviews them every year, and your Final Award Letter confirms the 2027/28 rate.
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 | 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.
Chevening pays the stipend only for the length of your course, up to 12 months. If your course is shorter, you get fewer payments. Extensions beyond 12 months are only for exceptional cases, so plan accordingly.
“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 — roughly GBP 35,000–52,000+ in London and GBP 31,000–48,000+ outside London. 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. The one exception is the MBA: MBA tuition is capped at GBP 22,000, and you pay anything above that.
Chevening scholars receive 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's terms list an arrival allowance, a departure allowance and, for scholars on the outside-London rate, a travel top-up to attend events in London. Your Final Award Letter gives the amounts. The last three cards below were part of earlier packages and are not on Chevening's current list.
A one-off payment when you first arrive in the UK to help cover initial expenses such as excess baggage and transport, plus basics you need before your first monthly payment arrives.
A one-off payment at the end of your scholarship, once you have arranged to leave the UK. Chevening says it covers excess baggage costs for your return flight.
Once a separate payment. Chevening now says the arrival and departure allowances cover excess baggage.
Earlier packages offered a grant for dissertation costs such as printing, binding and field research. It is not on Chevening's current list, so check your award letter.
Earlier packages helped with UK travel for academic work, such as fieldwork or a required conference. It is not on Chevening's current list, so check your award letter.
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 1,712 – 2,000/mo (2027/28) | Fully covered | Yes | 1–3 years |
| Gates Cambridge | ~GBP 1,929/mo (GBP 23,152 a year, 2026/27) | Fully covered | Yes | 1–4 years |
| Clarendon (Oxford) | ~GBP 1,817/mo (at least GBP 21,805 a year, 2026/27) | Fully covered | No | 1–4 years |
| Rhodes (Oxford) | ~GBP 1,755/mo (GBP 21,060 a year, 2026/27) | Fully covered | Yes | 2–3 years |
Chevening's reported rates are now below the latest published rates of these awards, though the years differ and Chevening's 2027/28 rate is not yet public. Monthly figures for the annual awards are our division by 12. 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.
Living in the UK
For a closer look at day-to-day costs, read our UK guides on cost of living, accommodation, student life and top cities.
Related Guides
Full list of everything the Chevening scholarship covers beyond the living allowance.
Check whether you qualify for a Chevening scholarship based on your background and experience.