Chevening Complete Guide

Who this is for

Applicants from Chevening-eligible countries who can show leadership potential and at least two years of work experience, applying for a one-year UK master’s.

Timeline you must respect

For the 2027/28 cycle, applications opened on 4 August 2026 and close on 6 October 2026 at 11:00 UTC. Interviews and results follow the timeline published on chevening.org — refresh that page, do not trust screenshots.

What to do

1. 1

   Confirm nationality eligibility on the official country page

   Chevening publishes eligible countries and local guidance. If your country is not listed for this cycle, stop and look at other awards instead of forcing an application.

2. 2

   Shortlist up to three eligible UK courses

   Save course names and codes exactly as the portal expects. Reaching interview stage still requires an unconditional offer by Chevening’s offer deadline.

3. 3

   Hit the English requirement before you apply

   IELTS Academic 6.5 overall with at least 5.5 in each component, or another test Chevening and your university both accept. Book the test early enough for results to land inside the window.

4. 4

   Write essays from your own record

   Leadership, networking, study plan and career plan essays must be specific to your work. Generic AI essays are easy for panels to spot and reject.

5. 5

   Submit only at chevening.org

   The award typically covers tuition, a living allowance, airfare, arrival support and visa costs. Scholars must return home for at least two years after the award — plan for that obligation.

Documents checklist

• Degree certificate and transcripts
• Two references ready in the portal format
• English test meeting the published minimum
• Passport bio page
• Work history that totals at least two years
• Course choices saved with exact names