Applications for the Chevening Scholarship 2027–2028 are now open.
If studying for a fully funded master's degree in the UK is somewhere in your 2027 plans, this is one opportunity worth checking properly.
Chevening is the UK Government's international scholarship programme. It supports emerging leaders from eligible countries and territories to pursue a one-year master's degree in the United Kingdom.
Applications opened on 4 August 2026 and will close on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC.
And before you say October is still far away, scholarship deadlines have a special way of becoming tomorrow very quickly. 😅
Chevening Scholarship 2027–2028 at a Glance
Scholarship: Chevening Scholarship
Study destination: United Kingdom
Study level: Master's degree
Duration: One year
Funding: Fully funded
Applications opened: 4 August 2026
Application deadline: 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC
Programme begins: September/October 2027
Application fee: Free
What Does the Chevening Scholarship Cover?
Chevening is a fully funded scholarship designed to support scholars throughout their master's studies in the UK.
The award normally includes:
- University tuition fees
- A monthly living allowance
- Travel costs to and from the UK
- An arrival allowance
- A homeward departure allowance
- The cost of one visa application
- A travel grant to attend Chevening events in the UK
Beyond the funding, scholars become part of the wider Chevening community, with opportunities for networking and professional development during their time in the UK.
Who Can Apply for the Chevening Scholarship?
Before you start thinking about essays, check your eligibility.
For the 2027–2028 application cycle, applicants must meet Chevening's eligibility requirements, including being a citizen of a Chevening-eligible country or territory.
You must also commit to returning to your country of citizenship for at least two years after your scholarship ends.
Applicants must have completed an undergraduate degree that qualifies them for entry into a UK postgraduate programme.
There is also an important change applicants need to pay attention to this year.
Chevening Work Experience Requirement
For the current application cycle, applicants need at least 2,800 hours of work experience acquired after completing their undergraduate degree.
Chevening says this experience must have been accumulated over a minimum period of two years.
For the 2027–2028 cycle, this means applicants must have completed their undergraduate degree by October 2024 to be eligible.
Your work experience can include:
- Full-time employment
- Part-time employment
- Voluntary work
- Paid internships
- Unpaid internships
You can enter up to 15 periods of work experience in the application system.
Chevening calculates your work experience using the number of weeks worked multiplied by your average number of working hours per week.
Don't guess your hours. Calculate them properly before you begin the application.
You Need Three UK Master's Course Choices
Chevening applicants must select three eligible UK master's courses.
The courses should generally be full-time, start in the autumn term, lead to a master's degree qualification and meet Chevening's other course eligibility requirements.
You do not need to have already applied to the universities before submitting your Chevening Scholarship application.
But please don't choose three courses just because the university names look impressive.
Research them.
Look at the modules.
Look at what you'll actually learn.
Look at how the course connects with what you've already done and where you want your career to go.
Chevening's current application criteria specifically ask you to explain how your first-choice course relates to your background, career aspirations and intended impact.
So know why you're choosing the course.
“It's a world-class university” can only carry the conversation so far.
What Does Chevening Look for in Applicants?
The current Chevening application focuses on four main areas.
1. Leadership
Chevening wants to understand how you have demonstrated leadership.
Don't simply write:
“I am a passionate and transformational leader.”
Okay. What did you lead?
Use a real example.
What was happening?
What did you do?
Who did you influence?
What changed because of your actions?
The evidence is more important than the adjective.
2. Relationship-Building
Chevening also looks at your ability to build professional relationships and collaborate with other people.
Again, saying “I am good at networking” isn't enough.
Think about a meaningful professional relationship you have built.
How did it start?
What did you contribute to the relationship?
What did you learn?
Did that relationship help produce a positive outcome?
And importantly, how do you maintain professional relationships over time?
3. Course Choice
Your course shouldn't appear randomly in your application.
Chevening wants to understand why your first-choice master's programme makes sense for you.
Think about:
What have I already done?
What problem or knowledge gap have I encountered?
What do I need to learn next?
Which parts of this course will give me those skills?
What will I do with that knowledge afterwards?
When those answers connect naturally, your course choice becomes much easier to explain.
4. Career Plan
You will also need a clear career plan.
Chevening asks applicants to think about their short-, medium- and long-term goals.
Please don't stop at:
“I will return home and contribute to the development of my country.”
Contribute how?
What do you actually want to do?
What problem are you interested in addressing?
What position, project, organisation, research area, policy issue or professional direction could help you do that?
You don't need to predict every detail of the next ten years.
But the person reading your application should understand the direction you're heading.
What Do You Need for the Chevening Application?
The online application asks for information covering areas such as:
- Personal information
- Citizenship and immigration details
- Education history
- Work experience
- Three eligible UK master's course choices
- Two referees
- Four Chevening essay questions
- Equal-opportunities information
The four major application areas cover leadership, relationship-building, course choice and future career goals.
A useful tip: don't write everything directly inside the application portal.
Draft your answers separately.
Edit them.
Read them again.
Then transfer your final answers into the portal.
Your internet connection does not need to become an additional scholarship assessor. 😅
Choosing Your Chevening Referees
You will provide the names and contact details of two referees as part of your application.
Your referees can be academic, professional, or one of each.
They should know you well enough to comment meaningfully on your abilities and experience.
They cannot be friends or relatives.
And please don't choose someone simply because they have the biggest title in your contact list.
Professor Big Name who barely remembers you may not necessarily be better than someone who has actually taught you, supervised your work or worked closely with you.
If you progress to the interview stage, you will need to provide reference letters.
Chevening does not contact your referees and collect the letters for you. It is your responsibility to make sure they are submitted as required.
So ask people early.
Not:
“Good evening ma, sorry for the short notice. The deadline is tonight…”
Please. 😭
Give your referees time.
Important: Chevening's Rule on AI
If you are applying for Chevening, pay particular attention to this.
Chevening states that applicants must not use artificial intelligence tools such as ChatGPT to generate answers to the application essay questions.
Your essays must be your own original work.
Applications containing AI-generated, copied or fraudulent material can be disqualified.
You can use resources like BityTech to understand the scholarship, learn what the different application questions are asking and prepare yourself for the process.
But your actual application answers need to come from you.
And that's how it should be.
Nobody knows your experiences better than you.
Don't allow somebody else's essay—or a robot—to suddenly give you a childhood you never had. 😂
Chevening Scholarship 2027–2028 Timeline
Here are the key dates for the current application cycle:
4 August 2026
Applications opened at 11:00 UTC.
6 October 2026
Applications close at 11:00 UTC.
From October 2026
Applications are checked against Chevening's eligibility requirements.
Mid-October 2026 – January 2027
Independent reading committees assess eligible applications.
Mid-February 2027
Applicants shortlisted for interviews are notified.
March – April 2027
Chevening interviews take place at British embassies and high commissions around the world.
From mid-June 2027
Interview results are announced.
8 July 2027
Successful candidates must submit at least one unconditional offer from an eligible UK university by 17:00 BST.
September/October 2027
The 2027–2028 Chevening Scholars begin their studies in the UK.
Before You Start Your Application
Don't start with the essays.
First, confirm that you're eligible.
Calculate your work experience.
Research your three courses properly.
Think about real examples of leadership and relationship-building from your own life.
Consider where you want your career to go.
Identify your referees.
Then start drafting.
And give yourself time.
An application written gradually over several weeks is a very different experience from discovering at 11 p.m. that your beautiful 500-word answer is actually 873 words.
We've all seen how that movie ends. 😂
How to Apply for the Chevening Scholarship 2027–2028
Applications must be completed through the official Chevening online application system.
Do not pay anyone to submit a Chevening Scholarship application for you.
The application is free.
Before submitting, read the official eligibility requirements and application guidance carefully because scholarship requirements can change between application cycles.
Application deadline: 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC.
Apply through the official Chevening website.
Final Word
If you meet the requirements and Chevening genuinely aligns with your goals, apply.
You don't need to decide whether you're “good enough” before submitting.
That's the selection committee's job.
Your job is to understand the scholarship, prepare properly, tell your story truthfully and submit the strongest application you can.
And please don't wait until 6 October.
Your referees, your internet connection and your blood pressure will appreciate it.
Good luck with your application.
— BityTech Scholarship Hub
Opportunities Today. Impact Tomorrow.
Disclaimer: BityTech Scholarship Hub is an independent scholarship information platform. We do not award or administer the Chevening Scholarship and are not affiliated with Chevening, the UK Government, or any participating university. Scholarship information can change, so applicants should always verify eligibility, deadlines and application requirements on the official Chevening website before applying.